"CAPTURING BRIGHT SMILES SINCE 1955"
It all started with a decision
Our company started in 1955 when Calvin Harrell Sr. decided to work in photography full-time. Janet Harrell, his wife, found out about the decision at work with a simple phone call stating, "I quit my job today.'‘ Her response was, "You did what?"
Calvin Harrell Photography. Oakland, CA "1955"
Old Office & Lab 1955.
Humble beginnings
His small business began to grow by photographing church events, political events, fraternity/sorority events, weddings, and any work he could get and processing the pictures in a makeshift darkroom housed in the family bathroom.
Growth
In the 1960s, Calvin Sr. and Janet began expanding their home and adding a studio and lab to the original home on 66th Street in North Oakland, CA.
“ENTERING THE NEW MILLENNIUM”
In 1998, after 43 years in business, Calvin Sr. and Janet decided to retire and relinquish the enterprise to the next generation. A new location in downtown Oakland was acquired. During the next five years, a special effort was made to contract with schools throughout the Bay Area.
The Move to Benicia
In 2006, the business relocated to Benicia, California. The plant housed all production and administrative offices and was the launching point for photographers serving schools throughout Northern California.