Black Label Studio Carves Niche in Commercial Photography

Brian Meredith Commercial Photography d.b.a. Black Label Studio

Owner: Brian and LaDonna Meredith
Address: 106 S. Blair St., Springdale 72762
Phone: (479) 466-3968
Hours: By appointment
Startup date: Feb. 1
Web site: www.blacklabelphotography.com

Brian Meredith had worked for a large Northwest Arkansas corporation for a decade when his hobby became a career.

Meredith loved photography and started taking photos at music concerts. He gave a picture he’d taken of a band member to the band, and before long Meredith was getting lots of requests to take pictures for CD covers and more, said his wife, LaDonna Meredith. Now they do mostly commercial photography for advertising agencies, retail suppliers and the music industry from their Springdale studio.

The two launched Black Label Studio in February, investing between $8,000 and $10,000 in equipment. LaDonna Meredith said the couple financed the startup themselves, but Black Label is already making a good profit. They expect to earn their investment back by the end of the company’s first two years, she said.

LaDonna Meredith said the company’s known for unusual photography and does everything differently, from just publicity “head shots” to CD covers.

Brian Meredith was nominated for a Dove Award from the Gospel Music Association this year for “Recorded Music Packaging” he did for the band The Agony Scene.

LaDonna Meredith said the two handle the business on their own, with Brian doing the photography and LaDonna serving as marketing director and handling much of the business end of the studio. They use freelance photographers, if necessary, but LaDonna Meredith said they will likely hire another photographer in the next year or two.