Holmes Photography Studio in Grand Ledge, MI
About Mr. Chris Holmes in Grand Ledge, MI
Professional photographer
I know how fortunate I am to not only be doing what I absolutely love (photography) but to also have known from such a young age that I would be a professional photographer. Inspired by my father's black and white photos from the Korean War and the great magazines; National Geographic and Life Magazine, I knew this was what I had to do for the rest of my life. Like many professional photographers I began as a H.S. yearbook and newspaper photographer. During high school and after much research, including speaking with hometown National Geographic photographer William Albert Allard (Bill), I decided the fastest and most adventurous pathway to a career in photography was enlisting in the U.S. Navy as a photographer.
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I will never forget the advice Bill gave me as I contemplated my education and the Navy. He said college is great but as a Navy Photographer you will learn about not only "real life" but other cultures and customs as well which will make you a better photographer. "To be a great photographer you have to have empathy for your subjects. You have to truly care and by doing so your subjects will let you into their lives and only then will you get meaningful images". Traveling the world as a Navy photographer / photojournalist took me literally around the world to places like Antarctica (McMurdo Station and the South Pole), Cuba, New Zealand and various European nations including Italy.
While stationed in California (as a Navy Aircrew Photographer) I replied to an advertisement for a wedding photography part time job and after much training was hired to photograph weddings throughout Southern California during my weekends off from the Navy. During this time I also began volunteering my photography services to the Special Olympics, something I still do to this day. The studio's training system we used was developed by one of the great wedding photographers of the time, Rocky Gunn, and it was there that using dramatic lighting and elegant posing elevated my expectations of what great wedding photography could be. From 1981 I began shooting weddings and portraits on the side to hone my skills and because it was tremendously fun for me.
After returning from deployment to Antarctica in 1983 I submitted a portfolio (another suggestion by Bill Allard) and was selected for one of the 6 spots to attend the Military's Photojournalism course at Syracuse University. This was a program developed between the Navy and Syracuse U. to produce LIfe magazine-quality photojournalists who (due to their access to the front lines) could capture historic images of battle and warfare that documented places no civilian photographer could go at the time.
After Syracuse University I was stationed at the Public Affairs Center in Norfolk, Va. and (never happy to just have one full-time photography job) started freelancing nights and weekends for one of the best newspapers in the country, The Virginian Pilot / Ledger Star. Some of the best photojournalists in the country worked there and I was fortunate to learn from these great photographers, some of which went on to work for National Geographic and other world-class publications. Once again on the advice of Bill Allard I put together a portfolio of my work and I entered the Military Photographer of the Year contest (open to all branches of the military any where in the world). The first year I won some awards but not the overall title. Visiting former winners of the title who now worked at the Washington Times, their review of my work and tips helped me create a much better body of work and I then managed to win the award two years in a row. It was a hard decision but at that time I realized it was time to leave the military for the world of civilian photojournalism to take my work to the next level.
Our team of photographers at the Lansing State Journal created numerous national award-winning projects and special reports. We had great editors and a desire to do outstanding photography and more importantly we were given the time and resources to do so. I rose to the rank of Chief Photographer at the Lansing State Journal and helped transition the newspaper to digital photography before following another dream of mine in 2005 which was owning my own photography studio. For the nine years in the Navy and 18 years at the LSJ I had continued doing weddings and senior and family portraits as my personal projects because I knew eventually that would be my true calling and photographing fun and happy occasions was a welcome relief from the hard-news assignments (Car crashes, house fires, crime scenes etc.) of photojournalism. With the help of friends, family and many contractors we renovated an historic church building in downtown Grand Ledge, MI that was built in 1903 into what is now the Bridge Street Wedding Chapel and Holmes Photography Studio LLC. We now focus almost exclusively on weddings, portraits (seniors, executives and families) and corporate events and advertising. We've been blessed to see our business continue to grow and expand so that we now photograph throughout all of lower Michigan and other parts of the Midwest. We've been voted favorite local photographer and studio by newspaper readers and having our wedding chapel (Bridge Street Wedding Chapel) win the Lansing Bridal Association's 2014 Business of the Year has been one of our highest honors as it was a direct reflection of our clients' opinions of us as a business and our customer service.
Almost all photographers will tell you that they "truly love what they do" and it's almost become cliche'. What I love is the look in our customers eyes (sometimes with tears of joy and emotion) when they see photos of themselves or loved ones and are amazed at the results. That's what makes this so much more than a profession or a job could ever be and why I will never retire from photography.
Our team of photographers at the Lansing State Journal created numerous national award-winning projects and special reports. We had great editors and a desire to do outstanding photography and more importantly we were given the time and resources to do so. I rose to the rank of Chief Photographer at the Lansing State Journal and helped transition the newspaper to digital photography before following another dream of mine in 2005 which was owning my own photography studio. For the nine years in the Navy and 18 years at the LSJ I had continued doing weddings and senior and family portraits as my personal projects because I knew eventually that would be my true calling and photographing fun and happy occasions was a welcome relief from the hard-news assignments (Car crashes, house fires, crime scenes etc.) of photojournalism. With the help of friends, family and many contractors we renovated an historic church building in downtown Grand Ledge, MI that was built in 1903 into what is now the Bridge Street Wedding Chapel and Holmes Photography Studio LLC. We now focus almost exclusively on weddings, portraits (seniors, executives and families) and corporate events and advertising. We've been blessed to see our business continue to grow and expand so that we now photograph throughout all of lower Michigan and other parts of the Midwest. We've been voted favorite local photographer and studio by newspaper readers and having our wedding chapel (Bridge Street Wedding Chapel) win the Lansing Bridal Association's 2014 Business of the Year has been one of our highest honors as it was a direct reflection of our clients' opinions of us as a business and our customer service.
Almost all photographers will tell you that they "truly love what they do" and it's almost become cliche'. What I love is the look in our customers eyes (sometimes with tears of joy and emotion) when they see photos of themselves or loved ones and are amazed at the results. That's what makes this so much more than a profession or a job could ever be and why I will never retire from photography.
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Holmes Photography Studio LLC
200 N Bridge St
Grand Ledge, MI 48837
- Military Photographer of the Year 1984, 1985
- National Association of Photoshop Professionals
- Wedding Photography Association Member
- NPPA Flying Short Course Speaker
- LBA Business of the Year 2014
- Member of the Professional Photographers of America
- 1991 Winner Barry Edmonds Michigan Understanding Award
- Lansing Bridal Association Board Member