So on the 6th April 2020 we celebrated 45 years in business at the same premises in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. As a small family run team, we like to celebrate another milestone of being in business and doing a job we love. Ray Lowe Studios was started by Ray 45 years ago and has been offering professional family portraiture every day since. Things may have changed a little during this time but the studio has remained in business through numerous recessions and even learning how to shoot digital images after using film for years. Through many business highs and lows we are still here.
On the 6th April we couldn’t celebrate due to the current climate and issues that are facing business’ across the globe. Normally there would be a huge camera shaped cake, an office party with lots of baked goods and a special offer for all our lovely customers. For the first time in 45 years we have had to close the studio and we have never experienced anything like this before, like many other business out there. So what do we think is the secret to business longevity like ours? Being able to adapt. This period is no different. We have spent the last 45 years adapting to the ever changing technological and photographic styles in the industry and everything else that has been thrown at us along the way.
The one thing that remains constant is our customers. As with any business without the support and custom of its clients it just will not survive. Keeping the high street alive is a blog for another day but we depend on our customers shopping local and we appreciate every single one of them. Listening to our clients is one of the most important things in our company. We value honest feedback, we thrive on getting those lovely reviews or thank you cards so we know we are doing our job right. Running a business, especially in the photographic industry, isn’t a science. When we return to work after this there will be more challenges to overcome and more issues to adapt to.
What are we doing at the moment? We are spending a lot of our time, resources and energy on training. Continuous professional development is what keeps us motivated, it is what makes us stand out from the competition, it is what keeps our creative minds busy.
As Arnie would say “I’ll be back…” and we cant wait to see you all again when we are.
Stay safe
The Ray Lowe Studios Team
