PHOTOS in a FLASH
New owner seeks to develop Moto Photo services
If a picture is worth a thousand words, this article will come well short of telling Matthew Oakley’s story.
As a new owner of an Oklahoma City Moto Photo, Oakley is bringing an innovative approach to an old business. He’s a young businessman in an old business, and a photo-film enthusiast in an increasingly digital world, but he believes there is still a need for Moto Photo in Oklahoma City.
“In the art world, this is what I’ve learned — whether the artist, the photographer, the videographer, the poet — you have to teach people what you do before you sell it,” Oakley said. “A lot of times people think it’s a button here, a click there, boom-bam it’s done, but they don’t see the processing that goes through the things.”
Oakley is originally from Muskogee, but graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma and spent the past 10 years working in various photography and videography jobs. He seeks to blend the two in this new venture.
Moto Photo in Oklahoma City is a franchise traditionally offering service developing photo film, printing photos from both film and digital files, duplicating photos and taking passport photos. Customers also can come in for professional photo shoots in the store’s photo studio, hire out staff for on-site photography and more. While digital photos are now the norm, and fewer people order prints, Oakley sees the importance in the printed picture.
“When you don’t have prints on your wall, it’s kind of like things get lost in translation,” Oakley said. “Sometimes just walking around and seeing a canvas print of our family is just a reminder of, ‘Man, look
what you have.’ But when it’s on the phone or stays in social media, it’s kind of diminished or washed out sometimes.”
But Oakley wants to add in the video components to the business, expanding services available. Customers can bring in old tapes to
convert into new digital files, or allow Oakley to create professional-level movies using home videos. Arrangements can be made to hire videography services on location events. Combining the traditional and novel approaches to the photo and video industry are what Oakley hopes will buoy business at Moto Photo in years to come.
Oakley is still adjusting, having taken ownership of
the store May 8. He purchased the business from Young Kim, who had noticed Oakley for years coming into the shop to order prints. Kim recognized potential in Oakley to carry the store into the future.
“I’m over 72 years old and wanted to retire,” Kim said. “He (Oakley) was our customer and someone with photography experience. I thought this store could survive if the younger generation
came in and used internet media and stuff and I suggested he buy my store.”
Oakley was surprised by the offer. His relationship with Kim up to that point had been as a simple customer.
“Man it just really is — God intervened,” Oakley said. “Mr. Kim ... approached me with the opportunity to buy this Moto Photo and it was the right time and the right place.”