Story of Us
Accent Photography is owned by Jeff Sanders. He is assisted by Edie Ellison. Jeff has been entranced by the camera for over 25 years. Through a fortunate chain of events, he found himself working for a furniture manufacturer. Edie worked in the fabric division and showroom, assisting interior designers in their custom furniture selections. Jeff photographed the finished furniture for catalog and web site use. Through their connections with the interior designers and decorators, they began to hear stories of people assuming that because they owned a digital camera, they were qualified to call themselves interior photographers. Many of the designers had spent large sums of money for very bad photography. Jeff realized there was a great need for high quality interior photography at a reasonable price, with a guarantee as assurance that his clients wouldn’t be stuck paying for photography they couldn’t use. And thus, Accent Photography came into being.
The company motto has been and always will be “do the right thing”. Jeff has traveled great distances knowing that if he didn’t do his best, he could come home empty-handed. Having the right equipment helps. With powerful soft box lighting for large spaces, and small spotlights to accentuate details, Accent Photography is able to create whatever atmosphere the job calls for. Utilizing high resolution digital equipment with wireless technology helps us show our clients the images on a 17″ laptop monitor throughout each photography session. This ability gives our clients the highest degree of control over the finished product, and the confidence of knowing they are getting exactly what they want. This works well for interior designers and architectural clients, as well as commercial clients. Marketing directors of large manufacturing facilities appreciate this ability as much as the designers and architects do. It is an especially critical feature in product photography because often once the product is photographed, it is shipped out and is no longer available. Getting the perfect image becomes extremely important.
Accent Photography has developed a program specifically for manufacturers of small products. It enables the manufacturer to ship large or small quantities of items to be photographed in Accent Photography’s studio. The client is able to proof the images online, make any adjustments necessary, approve the final image and have their product and a photo CD returned to them in a timely manner. Many companies find this to be a very cost-effective way to achieve product photography for catalogs, print ads, and web site use. By design and with careful planning, we have made it possible for our studio to be portable which makes location photography practical. We are able to accommodate corporations needing executive portraits without the complications of the entire management team having to go to a studio to be photographed. This also affords Accent Photography the ability to provide highly personalized in-home family portrait sessions.
Jeff had been asked to teach photography at a local college, but because of the huge demands on his time at present and the extensive amount of traveling we do, he had to decline the offer. However, he does mentor high school students working on class projects and is always happy to answer the many email questions he receives from students and other photographers. The knowledge he has attained isn’t something he guards as a prized secret–Jeff loves to share information and “talk shop” with other photographers and anyone with a passion for photography.
As the Accent Photography web site continues to grow, many magazine editors have begun to visit, calling to enquire about various homes as possible stories for upcoming issues. Jeff photographs regularly for local magazines and we enjoy working with magazine editors and writers. Our photography regularly shows up in a variety of magazines and we never tire of seeing our work in print. A high point in our career was being present at an awards ceremony and seeing an interior designer win top honors for a children’s room we had photographed for her. The designer had been told by another photographer that the room would be too difficult to photograph, but Jeff captured it beautifully. Thirty editors from various Meredith Corporation magazines thought so as well.
Regardless of who the client is, Accent Photography is always looking for ways to make high quality photography affordable for everyone who wants it. Jeff makes it a point to do everything possible to work within the bounds of each client’s budget, listening to their needs and offering solutions that work without exceeding their financial limits.
Accent Photography’s sister web site is Waterscapes Photography, where Jeff’s love of nature can be enjoyed in fine art photographs. His proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains gives him some incredible photographic opportunities. Even on the commercial trips, Jeff keeps an eye out for unique photo circumstances. Few people have the ability to truly see what is around them like Jeff does. It’s not a wonder that he gets so many emails from people wanting to know where he found something or how he photographed something. Waterscapes Photography is one of those web sites that makes everyone want to take up a camera and just start looking for something to photograph.