Each week, the Daily News profiles a locally owned business

Name of business: Graham Photography

Address: 147 St. Charles St.

Type of business: Photo studio

When did it open? Around 1945

Owner: Kerry and Carlin Graham

Number of employees: 20 full-time and eight to 12 seasonal

Specialties: School photography, senior portraits, weddings

How did the business get started? Our business was started by our father back in the 1940s. He worked for a company called School Pictures Inc. out of Jackson, Miss. After a few years, he and our mother moved to Bowling Green and started calling on one-room schools. We now have our own processing lab and work with schools (across the region). We photograph around 5,500 high school seniors and around 160,000 other students a year.

What is your background? I have been in the business for 33 years and my brother, 35 years.

What are your biggest challenges as a business? Our biggest challenge is to make sure that we stay competitive with our pricing without giving up any quality or service to our customers.

What’s your business philosophy? To treat people the way we would like to be treated.

What issues are affecting your industry? The economy.

What are the factors that make your business successful? Hard work, fair prices and fast service.

How do you handle competition? You have to give your customers a quality product at fair prices and your competition will take care of itself.

What is your advice to someone thinking about opening a business? Do your homework and start out slow.