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Picture Perfect Success
By Julie M. Young, Contributing Writer
Nineteen years ago, Alicia Dal Lago's peers and instructors told her that she couldn't compete with the photography studios in chain stores like Sears and Kmart. She especially wouldn't be able to maintain a studio that specialized in children's portraits, they said.
Dal Lago proved them wrong.
She now owns Alicia Photography (www.aliciaphotography.com) in Wexford, PA, the second largest photography studio in Pittsburgh. The studio specializes in children's portraits, weddings, special events, and family portraits, as well as photo restoration. Alicia Photography is also a name recognized in the area for its community involvement-all this, started at a time when successful women photographers were rare.
"I'm very determined. I never give up," said Dal Lago. "I started from nothing, not knowing what I was doing, and I was lucky to leave my mistakes behind."
In 1977, Dal Lago moved to Cleveland from her native country of Argentina, where she had studied anthropology at the University of Buenos Aires. Once in the United States, she was miserable because she was bored-she had nothing to do. Worse yet, she spoke very little English. Since her two sons were in kindergarten and nursery school, she decided to change her attitude and get involved in the community. She signed up for classes at Cuyahoga Community College in their photographic arts program.
"I fell in love with photography," Dal Lago said. "But, because I didn't have permanent residency [in the United States], the only legal thing I could do was enter art shows." Dal Lago's photos placed well at the shows and the Cleveland Museum of Art exhibited one of her prints. Once she obtained her permanent residency, she started a part-time portrait studio in the basement of her home, while taking wedding photos for a local studio on the side.
Just as Dal Lago began to build her business, her husband was transferred to Pittsburgh in 1984. Soon thereafter, a divorce forced her to support herself and two sons. Nonetheless, by 1986 she opened Alicia Photography. After several years of building her business in Pittsburgh, she moved it to its current location. By 1996 she had received three degrees: Certified Professional Photographer, Photographic Craftsman and Master Photographer. Her business has grown to include two other highly experienced photographers.
Dal Lago's determination has enabled her to overcome various hardships. Whether she's facing personal or professional obstacles, she never gives up and has the ability to move past problems and blunders. According to Dal Lago, mistakes aren't the end of her world. She cites an instance when a seemingly promising promotion for her studio ended up being a disaster. "I was able to say, 'Okay, I made a mistake. Let's think of something else,'" said Dal Lago. Not giving up when it seems like everything is going wrong is an important part of keeping your business alive, says Dal Lago. "Don't be intimidated. Build on your skills and be sure of yourself," she said.
Dal Lago was neither intimidated nor unsure of herself when she developed a plan for her studio-to focus on children's portraits. "I learned from my mistakes and I did not let my male suppliers, male peers, and teachers tell me I was crazy when I wanted to base my studio on doing children's portraits. I didn't let them deter me from what I wanted to do." Even though it wasn't easy for a woman in business twenty years ago, Dal Lago surmounted the obstacles she encountered by persevering and learning from her mentors and from her mistakes.
After owning her own studio for 19 years and working in the industry for 26, Dal Lago is beginning to see her work come full circle. Children she photographed as babies now come in for their high school senior photos. Plus, the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and Marathon Press use many of her photos for promotional materials. The same peers who discouraged her from focusing her studio on children's photos now formally recognize her skill and achievement.
According to Dal Lago, owning a business was never really a goal-it just happened. "I'm from a country where to tell someone that they were a business person would be an insult-I had to overcome all that," Dal Lago said. "You have to have a college degree and be a doctor or an attorney or an engineer [in Argentina]. Owning a business was not something desirable in my family and the social circles that I was in."
Now, Dal Lago is devoted to ensuring that women all over the world have the opportunity to excel in business. She is a member of Zonta International, a service organization that seeks to empower and advance the status of women around the globe. Through her work with Zonta, she has helped to raise $35,000 toward scholarships for women.
Dal Lago's also spreads her generosity close to home. When she started Alicia Photography, she also joined the Northern Allegheny County Chamber of Commerce, where she became a leader in helping other businesses become aware that the more they help the community, the more benefits they will receive in return.
Even more of her efforts are funneled into her work with the North Hills Community Outreach. The outreach organization aids Northern Allegheny County residents during times of crisis, hardship, or poverty. Dal Lago was instrumental in starting a scholarship program for women in hardship seeking to better their situations through education. So far, eight women have received their college degrees with the aid of the scholarship. "I'm very proud of what they've accomplished," Dal Lago said. "It's not been easy."
In 2002, Dal Lago was recognized for her business excellence and community involvement when she received two prestigious awards. The Northern Allegheny County Chamber of Commerce presented her with the ATHENA Award, an honor established by the ATHENA Foundation to recognize individuals on local, national, and international levels. Recipients are selected for their professional excellence, community service, and also for actively and generously assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence. That same year, Dal Lago was named one of Pennsylvania's Best 50 Women in Business for her professional accomplishments, community involvement, and influence over other women in business.
Dal Lago encourages other businesses to become more involved in community outreach-even if it is simply by donating to small fundraisers. Alicia Photography has donated over one thousand gift certificates in amounts of $300 to small fundraisers and silent auctions in her community. This keeps Alicia Photography's name and work highly visible in the community. "I feel good about myself and what I'm doing. [Alicia Photography] is viewed as a very sharing, thriving type of business," Dal Lago said. "When people are looking for a portrait, my name comes to mind."
June 2004 |
