Rising Stars: Meet Theodore Mark Salamone

Today we’d like to introduce you to Theodore Mark Salamone.

Hi Theodore Mark, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My love of photography started before I was a teenager and has only grown since then. After shooting family events, I moved on to photographing airshows and naval reviews. By chance a neighbor owned a stock photography business catering to my new subjects – military aircraft and ships, so my work began turning a profit instead of just being a hobby.

From there I branched out, photographing activities, eventually doing over 800 weddings and events at latest count. My commissions and related work took me to six of the seven continents, photographing people, places and events. Along the way, I added video recording to my toolset.

During a planned slowdown in my photography, I earned three degrees, including a Summa Cum Laude Masters in Marketing and International Business. Stepping back into the realm of photography, I became a Certified Master Photographer, learning from the late, great John Hedgecoe, my main mentor in the field. John was an accomplished British photographer, author of over 30 photography books and founder of the photography department at the Royal College of Art, where he was Professor for 20 years.

Besides my own photography, I started a direct marketing agency, hiring photographers to produce custom photography for client catalogs, advertising and direct mail campaigns. By the time the Internet took off, the business had become a full-blown advertising agency. To handle the increased need for talent, we were the first to create a network of creative photographers and designers across the country to build email and Internet campaigns. This is when I became involved with nascent digital photography, becoming one of the earliest adopters.

After this, I began teaching photography through various school affiliations in California, where I had set up a photography studio in the Bay Area. Moving back East, I settled in Raleigh and began 2020 Photo & Video Studio (2020photo-video.com) as well as PERC Photography School (perconline.org). Besides teaching at my own school, Photographer’s Education & Resource Center, I have had or still have photography and video teaching agreements with UNC Chapel Hill, the City of Raleigh, Carrboro Arts Center and Wake Tech Community College. In addition, I became the official Carolina Ballet photographer for 11 seasons and Senior Photographer for the Raleigh Downtowner publication.

Several years ago, I co-founded Artography Central (artographycentral.com) a fine art creative photography business with my wife, to sell our work on our website, on Etsy, on eBay, and at various art fairs around the Triangle. We have also become a fixture at the NC State Fair, where we will be selling our work once again at the 2021 State Fair.

Today the school and studio are recovering nicely from the pandemic induced slowdown, while Artography Central had its best sales ever during the pandemic. Our main photography these days is dance studios, school portraits, sports portraits, weddings and businesses (headshots and on-location shots of facilities.)

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Growing startups and relocating them has brought its share of challenges, but I have to say that the current iterations of my photography and video studio, as well as my school, are the most successful versions ever. The relocation to Raleigh meant shutting down all revenue sources and self-funding the move to NC. It took a few months to get established here, but by pre-planning and execution, I had teaching contracts in place before I even moved here.

As for the studio work, I quickly got established as a second shooter for established wedding photographers before launching 2020 and striking out on my own.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My photography and video work follows two distinct paths: volume production and artistic. The volume work includes photographing, editing and video recording dance studio students and schools (seniors, sports portraits.) My artistic work includes weddings and fine art for Artography Central (artographycentral.com), with me specializing in vintage, abandoned vehicles, farm tractors and NC lighthouses.

My teaching, both in-person and remotely via Zoom, Microsoft teams, and other means, covers all types and skill levels of photography from Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced to specialized training in Weddings, Real Estate, Commercial Photography, Dental and more. PERC Photography School is the largest trainer of professional photographers in the Southeast, offering Professional Certification and Accreditation courses in Professional Photography, Real Estate Photography, Weddings & Events, Product Photography, Dental Photography, and photo editing – Photoshop and Lightroom. We also offer Cinematic Video Certification and Accreditation courses – remote or in person.

What’s next?
My future plans include expanding the studio’s and the school’s remote offerings so that we have increased reach across the US; offering NC State and UNC themed photographic art through both schools, and founding a photographic co-op to increase the professionalism of local photographers so they can make a better living with their craft – whether part-time or full-time.

Contact Info:

• Email: ted@2020photo-video.com
• Website: 2020photo-video.com
• Other: perconline.org

Image Credits
© Theodore Salamone