Envision Video and Photography

By Tiana Kennell

A first date for Mark Ketcham usually includes giving gifts, meeting parents, and talking to a wedding planner. This begins one of the most important relationships in life—the relationship between a bride, a groom, and their photographer. As the photographer and owner of Envision Video and Photography Studio, Mark Ketcham values the bond by putting his all into dating his potential clients before they take the big leap and hire him.

At Envision Studio the courting process starts with a phone call for a free wedding consultation that leads to Mark and his wife and business partner, Stacy Ketcham, having coffee at a shop or at the couple’s home. “Sitting down and getting to really know them-- what they like and don’t like-- is really the starting ground that will establish the relationship,” says Mark. Spending time together, he says, gives the clients an opportunity to see his passion and personality so they can decide if he is the right photographer for them. If not, Mark doesn’t hesitate to outsource a different photographer who is. The decision is critical for Mark and Stacy who regret not having the best photos or videos for their own wedding.

After the consultation, Envision Studio offers an engagement party shoot that comes with complimentary guest book and photos. The engagement shoot allows everyone to get a glimpse at what it will be like to work with each other.

Soon enough, the clients and the Ketchams are walking down the aisle together at the ceremony that makes Mark “tear up every time.” “At weddings you have raw emotions, and every aspect—the family and the human experience-- all wrapped up in one day,” he says. “The preparation, chaos and unpredictable nature of the day… A dad giving away his little girl… A son growing into a man and pursuing a position of head of the household… The vows that will change lives… It’s really a privilege to be a part of that.”

“He’s the mushy one!” Stacy laughs.

But what is better than having a hopeless romantic as a wedding photographer? Any couple should have peace of mind about putting such a special occasion in the hands of a husband and wife who has upheld their own marriage for 17 years and counting.

The Ketcham’s love story is classic: Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy harasses girl until she agrees to marry him. Mark was just 19 years old when he met Stacy while working at an answering service company in California. Mark, now 38, and Stacy, 40, look back and laugh at his determination to be with the woman he calls his “whole life”. “I can’t really fathom not having her. She’s my better half,” Mark praises. “I look at her life as a mom. She’s always caring for us and ensuring that everything in our day is the best.”

Their family began to grow not long after meeting blessing them with four children: Jessica, 22; Nicholas, 19; Haili, 15; and Paul, 11. A few years into the marriage Mark was hired into the freight and logistics business, a job that required him to travel to more than 30 countries kept him away from home. From the opposite sides of the world, Mark and Stacy’s longing for each other grew unbearable and they knew a career change was due. Mark looked at photography for the answer.

The passion for photography took root during Mark’s childhood. His father’s hobby was macro photography and Mark remembers assisting his father during many of his projects. “We’d go trudging out into the woods and I’d be holding flowers for him.” This inspired Mark to make it his own pastime. However, his dream to pursue the craft professionally was stifled by a fear of failure. “I never really had the confidence to think that I was good enough to do it [as a career],” says Mark. It took the guidance of his good friend, photographer Eddie Roman of Roman Studios, to break Mark from doubting. “He really took me under his wing,” says Mark. “He gave me the confidence to fully explore the art and taught me to go for it.”

Mark took his new knowledge and ended his 13 years of working in freight and logistics. Envision Video and Photography opened a month later in January 2005.

Meanwhile, Stacy was home schooling, honing her arts and crafts skills, and volunteering. The Ketcham family actively participates with Food for the Hungry, an international relief and development organization, building water filtration systems and schools in impoverished areas in Bolivia. Stacy never thought that she’d become Mark’s partner at Envision. But on the day when Mark desperately sought out help for an engagement shoot to no avail, Stacy stepped in. Once she picked up the camera she didn’t put it down. “I found I have a knack for capturing peoples emotions,” she says.

They also found that they complement each other in the field as well as in their marriage. “She’s wonderful at seeing a need,” says Mark. “And she knows me so well that that she can see when I’m concerned about certain things and she can respond to those things.”

They agree that while Stacy has the eye for emotional perspective and getting the tight angle, Mark has a flair for acquiring the dramatic wide shot. It’s something that Stacy calls “a good balancing act.”

All while balancing a successful company the Ketchams juggle raising four children who love pitching in at the studio. Though Jessica, the eldest, has married and moved out-of-state, the three youngest Ketchams do all they can to contribute. Nicholas often is in the field with his parents handling the reflectors and lighting. Haili works at the studio during clerical work. The ambitious Paul, 11, tries to do it all. “Paul wants to do everything, but he’s too young,” his dad says. “We have to restrain him.” But Mark admits that he would love if at least one of his children followed in his footsteps as a photographer.

Envision Studio’s value of relationships is prominent and it shows in front of and behind the camera. Envision has a way of capturing the essence of any moment whether it’s a bride locking eyes with her groom, a newborn peacefully sleeping in its father’s hands, or the gleam of the future in a high school senior’s eyes. A personal favorite for the Ketchams are special projects such as mixed martial arts and motocross events. And last year’s collaboration with Ricadonna Salon and Supply won them a contest hosted by Eufora, a beauty supply company. The Envision team used their skill and creativity to create a stunning environment using models, candlelight, a bathtub and the company’s merchandise to create an award-winning photo that will be featured in a Eufora magazine this spring.

Running a studio has taught the Ketchams that it takes more than passion to succeed. “The hardest part is there’s more to the photography business than photography,” says Mark. “Maintaining all of the client information and paperwork is difficult. The best part is of course shooting and dealing the product.” But rising to challenges and trying new things has taken Mark and Stacy a long way, and they hope to go further. They share a desire to one day explore destination photography. “It would be a fantastic experience to shoot different weddings in different cultures with my wife.”

Until then, they are focusing on expanding their studio. Currently Envision Studio is located in Temecula Valley in Southern California and covers the clientele in a 200-mile radius from the southern border of San Diego to North of Los Angeles. They recently acquired land between San Diego and Orange County in California where Mark says they dream of having a full studio and developing “an environment with water effect, greenery and flowers so we could do some outdoor photography in a very peaceful environment where people can bring their pets and kids so we can shoot indoor and outdoor.”

He says their main goal is to continue offering good, reasonably priced photo packages for everyone, especially those in the military. “They are risking so much for us. We want to give something back.”

The Envision family also hopes to pass on their wisdom to amateur and aspiring professional photographers. “Don’t try to center everything,” says Stacy. “Do what you like and what you think looks good, not what you think everybody else will look good.”

“Just go for it,” Mark advises. “I wish I had done it so much sooner. I think we talk ourselves out of so many things in life we are passionate about. If I had realized it, we could have started this 10 years ago—boy, I wish I did. I think of the experiences we could’ve have and all of the wasted time. So my biggest advice is to follow the dream you want to do and live it.”

For more information visit www.envisionvideoandphoto.com.

Tiana Kennell is a Detroit-based freelance journalist. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2005 and has since contributed to various publications including African American Family Magazine and www.MichiganHipHop.com.

(Rangefinder Magazine, Feb 2009)