Focal Point draws from afar
DALLAS BUSINESS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL CAMERA SHOP
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here’s one place in Dallas that attracts people from as far away as Seattle. Focal Point Photography, located at 161 W. Ellendale Ave. in Dallas isn’t your typical camera store. “We see ourselves as a small town camera store, one that you can get the service you expect from a small locally owned shop, but with the vision and equipment of a store you’d find in a big city,” said Nate Woods, owner of Focal Point. “We have more gear than any store south of Portland, so we get people that drive as much as two hours to see us every day. We even have regular customers as far away as Bend and Seattle.” Focal Point started up in 1983 and was owned by Mike Lowery until he retired and sold the business to Woods in 2019. “I started working at Focal Point while I was in college at Chemeketa, in 2011,” Woods said. “I came in the shop as a customer and got to know Mike … really well. He thought I’d be a
54 Explore Polk County 2021
good fit so he offered me a job.” Woods became interested in photography during high school. “I went on a few mission trips to Central America and that’s where I got my first experience with a real SLR camera,” he said. “I spent a lot of the trips taking pictures and documenting everything I saw.” He was hooked on it from that point on. “Photography for me is being able to capture one exact moment in time that will never be seen again. It’s especially rewarding to take photos of those important moments in someone’s life, like their engagement, wedding, or new baby,” he said. “I love seeing my friends post photos that I took that are still being enjoyed years later.” “That website helped us a lot while things were slow,” Woods said. If you’re interested in photography, but don’t know where to start, Woods recommends purchasing used gear. “Shopping used is the best way to get into
photography for a fraction of the price of new,” he said. “At Focal Point we have used DSLR setups starting around $150. Once you have a good camera just start taking pictures and experimenting. Find photos you love and try to recreate them yourself. You can find all kinds of videos and classes online, but you can also stop by the shop and ask questions any time, or join one of the many camera clubs in the area.” The shop now has a sales website, shop. focalpointphoto.com, that was launched last year. The website features cameras and lenses for sale, used gear, camera bags, accessories such as tripods and chargers, film, drones and gift cards. “That website helped us a lot while things were slow,” Woods said. Focal Point sells, buys and trades camera gear, video equipment and drones. The shop also supplies camera and lens rentals, film developing, photo printing and VHS conversion to digital.
A Special Publication of the Polk County Itemizer-Observer
