I hate to start on a philosophical note, but life has a way of making us constantly change our paths.

When our clients start working with Hagop and they realize that he actually not only knows what he’s doing, but he does it well.  The question that comes into the conversation is, “So, how long have you been doing this?” The answer is always and he jokes, “Since I had hair.”

We started Hagop’s Photography in 1993, but photography started for Hagop when his father bought his first camera for him and a friend of the family mentored him. He learned about lighting, posing, composition, film development and many other necessary skills. In high school he was the “official” school photographer. Later he had a studio and photographed portraits but weddings were more profitable and more fun. He learned and became an expert in print and negative retouching.

When we started Hagop’s Photography, cameras were still film and you had to understand how to use it. Photographers primary were commercial photographers or wedding and family photographers. Our main focus at that time was weddings. As the Internet became stronger and people started needing photographs for their websites, LinkedIn, profile photos… it’s endless, we shifted to photographing more headshots and corporate work. Though we still photograph weddings our main focus has become Headshots, Corporate Photography and Portraits.

Hagop started using Photoshop with version 2.5 when if you opened a large file it could take an hour or two to open. There was no cost efficient way to print so we would send the file to a lab that would make us a negative, and then we would print from the negative. Sounds totally crazy now. Learning to use Photoshop and becoming proficient in it was one of the best things he had done for his craft. He personally retouches all our work. Every photo that you choose for your wedding album is retouched, color corrected and density corrected by Hagop. During a headshot session he will do the retouching with you present so that he has your input. It’s amazing to watch him work.

So, hobbies? Yes, Photography, and digital artwork. Hagop digitally paints artwork, which we have printed onto acrylic and brushed metal at a local lab.