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Inviting Arkansas - Index

Inviting Arkansas - invitingarkansas - Index

In the Conway Spotlight Strain Photography
Jackie Strain Mahar, Gary Alan Strain, Brandy Strain Dayer and Nancy Strain
An occasional hobby turned into a lucrative,
business for Gary Alan Strain. Gary became
a shutterbug during a college astronomy
class. He purchased a $90 camera from olsen’s
Music, a Conway institution, and brought it
to class to assist with the state’s first 16-inch
reflecting telescope. The school tool then
became a hobby of photographing car races
on the weekends. After graduating from the
University of Central Arkansas, known then
as State College of Arkansas, Gary began a
teaching career in Chemistry at Conway
High School. That adventure shortly segued
into teaching photography to students who
were on the school yearbook and newspaper
staffs. Gary’s weekend hobby and education
gig evolved into a booming business that has
spanned over the last 38 years.
What began as a one man show at his studio
located in the Historic railroad district of
Conway quickly grew into a family business
when his wife of umpteen years, Nancy, took
to the darkroom and started processing film
and printing black and white photographs.
“We had resourced out much of the processing
and printing,” says Nancy. “We learned
quickly that we wanted complete control of
the quality of work we stood behind. What
work you put out is part of you,” Nancy adds.
As the business grew, so did the Strain family.
Growing up Brandy Strain and her baby
sister Jackie became fixtures at the studio. It
Photography by Tony Mahar
didn’t take long for the bug to hit them as
well. Today the business thrives with energy
while Brandy wields the camera in the studio
and Jackie does design and sales. Gary laughs
that he specializes in “computer related disasters”
and focuses on sports and school photography.
And Nancy – well, when youngest
grandchild, Gracen was born 5 years ago, the
new Nana decided to leave the darkroom and
enjoy her granddaughter. Gracen was later
joined by brother Jack, and Nancy remains
involved as she keeps the rest of the crew in
check and tends to the massive garden and
grounds the family has created for backdrops
for their beautiful photography.
Collectively, the Strain family has been
awarded “Arkansas Photographer of the Year”
16 times and have been voted “Best Photographer”
by the readers of the Log Cabin Democrat
for 3 straight years. This past year the
family spoke to their peers at the Professional
Photographers of America’s conference “Imaging
USA”. Their talents are recognized nationwide
and is no surprise that Brandy, who was
awarded Arkansas’ Photographer of the Year at
age 16, is in hot demand to photograph high
school seniors and children – both which she
specializes in.
Gone are the typical cap and gown portraits
that graduating teens use to endure. At
Strain Photography, senior portraits are a production.
The creative efforts of Brandy and
Jackie have enabled an artistic angle to their
photography. You won’t see a photograph of a
teen hugging a tree with these two in charge.
They compliment the background and reflect
the individual style of each subject. As fashionistas
in their own right, the sisters’ tastes
are forward thinking and ever changing. They
have now incorporated video production
(with music) of their photo shoots. How fun
to have the memory of you and your best high
school friend having your hair and makeup
done captured in motion for years to come!
The same goes for photographing children.
Brandy and Jackie have an innate ability to
calm the nerves of children and know the
ropes in capturing the essence of a newborn
or older child. The two have created themed
and seasonal packages for their children photography
and their boundless energy promises
ever changing backgrounds and creative
ideas incorporated in all their photography
sessions.
More so than working together, The Strain
Team plays together. Several years ago Nancy
had an itching for a cabin and found her haven
on the Buffalo River where their extended
family retreats. Brandy is married to Len
Dayer and Jackie is married to Tony Mahar.
The trends may change in photography but
the reason the family has been in business for
over 38 years is because their creative ideas
haven’t.
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Inviting Arkansas