A Great Place to be in the SPOTLIGHT
Ashley Latham Photography
Growing up, Ashley Latham, owner of Ashley Latham Photography, never imagined herself as one of Rockingham County’s most sought after photographers; in fact, she dreamed of being a teacher; a career which she later pursued and thoroughly enjoyed.
After high school (in Eden), Ashley graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Asheville where she received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and K-5 Teaching Licensure. Shortly after graduating college, Ashley began her teaching career in the Alamance-Burlington School System where she taught both 5th and 1st grades.
After several years of teaching, Ashley and her husband, Seth, decided it was time to have children of their own. When Ashley’s first child was born, she wanted to capture every moment and bought her first dSLR camera. Before she knew it, she started having requests from friends, family, and acquaintances to capture their special moments as well. As Ashley and her husband prepared to welcome their second bundle of joy in 2011, Ashley made the decision to halt her teaching career to allow herself the opportunity to pursue her passion and talent for photography.
In 2014, Ashley opened her first studio which was located on the second floor of Pace Stone in Uptown Eden. As momentum continued to rise, she realized Ashley Latham Photography was becoming more than a one woman show and hired her first employee. By this point in time, Ashley was capturing virtually every special moment including newborns, pre-schools, weddings, maternity, high school seniors, family, and engagements…if you were living it, she was capturing it.
When Ashley decided it was time to find her permanent studio home, she knew Uptown Eden was where she wanted to be. At the time, there were several buildings available in the three block section of Uptown Washington Street; buildings that had sat empty for years and were in need of quite a bit of work. Ashley saw nothing but opportunity and beauty in those buildings, and when it came down to deciding, she chose three. Ashley purchased these three buildings, which sat side by side, with a studio vision that would be more than just a place to shoot portraits. She saw the opportunity to create a total package photography experience for her clients; one that would allow them to come in, be pampered, photographed, and leave with a gorgeous portrait ready to be hung as soon as they brought it home. Today, through hard work and determination, Ashley’s 5,000 square foot studio offers a licensed salon, expansive shooting space, a projector-based viewing room, as well as a custom frame shop.
Ashley attributes much of her success to the amazing team of employers she has on staff. “There is no way we could deliver the level of quality and customer service that we do without the staff here at Ashley Latham Photography,” Ashley stated. Continuing education is also important to her, which shows through her degrees including the national recognition of being a Certified Professional Photographer. She is an active member in Professional Photographers of North Carolina and Professional Photographers of America, where she has led classes to help other photographers as well. She stresses that it’s not only important to learn the craft of photography itself, but to learn how to manage a successful business.
“I never imagined the growth of Ashley Latham Photography,” stated Ashley. “If someone would have told me 15 years ago I would be a photographer working in my own studio, I would have thought they were insane. Now, I can’t imagine doing anything else. While there is always room for improvement, I feel very blessed to be where I am now and cannot thank my clients enough for their support over the years, as well as my husband, three children, and my parents who have all cheered me on throughout this journey. I am excited to see what more the future holds for Ashley Latham Photography.”
Carolina Dune Buggies
At the age of 13, Tony Edwards, owner of Carolina Dune Buggies (CDB) in Eden, NC, knew he had a love for cars, specifically VW. By age 14 he was building engines and wiring buggies, a trade he learned from his grandfather who he affectionately refers to as his hero. Edwards’ pure enjoyment and excitement for building is what ultimately led him back to building engines and dune buggies in his adult years and led to the creation of Carolina Dune Buggies.
Edwards started CDB in 2013 with his friend Boyd Higgs. In 2016, Edwards bought out Higgs and relocated to his current facility on Moir Street in Eden. CDB provides top of the line fiberglass bodies, chassis, and accessories to dune buggy, kit car, and VW markets. When a customer comes in or calls, CDB is able to build everything from the ground up, specific to the needs and wants of the customer including color, carpet, seats, upholstery, and even tires. Once Edwards and his crew finish the build, the customer is driving off, with the biggest smile, none the less, in a truly custom, one of a kind, piece of work.
CDB is known worldwide for their parts and building skills. There is not a week that goes by that they do not receive a call from customers in other states and/or countries inquiring about making their dream of owning a dune buggy a reality.
“Who would have ever thought Rockingham County would be on the map worldwide for its availability of dune buggy parts?” questioned Edwards. “I am truly amazed at how this business has taken off over the years and even now. It brings me such joy to see the excitement on a customer’s face when they are finally able to drive their dune buggy out of the shop. It reminds me that I am in the business of not just building dune buggies, but I’m in the business of building dreams.”
Prior to the COVID pandemic, Edwards averaged 30 to 40 calls a day pertaining to parts and custom orders. Amidst COVID, business has surprisingly flourished with an increased call volume of approximately 50 to 60 calls per day.
“So many folks are laid off right now and have extra time on their hands. Many are using this time to bring their dream to a reality and to have something to look forward to each day,” suggested Edwards.
For inquiries about building your dream, email [email protected]. Carolina Dune Buggies is open six days a week, Monday through Saturday from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm.