Philadelphia Photographer Wins Exton Region Chamber of Commerce Award

Photo by Larry McDevitt	Photo by Steven Bayles

UWCHLAN — An independent commercial photographer was named the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Person of the Year Tuesday afternoon.

Steven E. Bayles, founder and principal owner of Visual Technology in Uwchlan, received the award at the chamber’s monthly meeting at the Inn at Chester Springs.

Robert S. Johnston, president of the chamber, said the award recognizes Bayles’ business success, innovation and dedication to the community.

In announcing the award, Johnston said Bayles showed his innovative spirit early when, as an 8-year-old, he sold coffee and donuts to motorists waiting in gas lines during the Jimmy Carter years.

Bayles, 39, was one of the first photographers to switch from film to digital technology, starting the transition in 1995, Johnston noted.

It wasn’t always easy getting customers to follow his lead, Bayles recalled, but eventually they came to the same conclusion. During the transition period, customers had him take photographs both ways.

“Why are we shooting film?” Bayles said they eventually asked, to which he kept his response to himself.

Bayles, who lives in Upper Uwchlan with his wife, Morreen, and 4-year-old daughter, Sydnie, has been an avid photographer since his grandmother gave him his first camera at age 11 — a Brownie box camera.

He said he owes much of his success to Carl Whitney Bucks, a Downingtown photographer who took him under his wing.

“He showed me the ropes,” Bayles said. “He was my mentor and tutor.”

Today, a third of Visual Technology’s work is done on location, a third in studio and a third is in photo manipulation for the Internet done by his new company, FixPHOTO.biz.

While some photographers struggle running their own businesses, Bayles credits his business background for allowing his five-employee company to thrive.

“I found out a long time ago that it’s a lot harder to collect $10 from 100 sorority sisters than it is to collect $1,000 from one person,” he said.

In the community, Bayles and his wife and daughter have raised $23,000 over the last two years for Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a foundation that raises money to fight childhood cancer. He also volunteers for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, is active in other cancer fundraisers and serves on the Exton chamber board of directors.

“Stay focused,” he advised other small business owners. “Do what you’re good at and the money will come later.”