Clear Lake photographer honored for her dedication to profession and focus on business

(Above ) Lee Speakar displays the National Service Award she was given by the Professional Photographers of America organization in recognition of her support and volunteerism within the profession.-Submitted photo.

Do what you love and love what you do. 

Good advice, right?  But for those who love photography and envision a career in the field, the ability to take good photos isn’t enough.

Lee Speakar, owner of Speakar Photography in Clear Lake, has been a successful photographer for more than four decades.  That’s testimony to not only her technical abilities, but her business sense.  Today, one of her greatest pleasures is sharing the keys to business success with those who enjoy taking photos as much as she does.

Speakar devotes a number of weeks each year teaching the business of photography at schools nationwide.  She has shared her tips to business success with convention crowds as large as 15,000 in Atlanta, Ga., to student classrooms at Hawkeye Community College and Iowa Lakes Community College.

“I see students who enjoy photography and think it’s easy money.  From my classes of 30 students, seven will pursue photography as a small business; two in 30 will stay in the field five years; one in 30 will stay beyond 10 years,” said Speakar.  “I’ve learned through the school of hard knocks and I think that’s why they listen to me.  I tell them profit is not a four-letter word, it’s six.  And it’s crucial to staying in a career that you love.”

Speakar was recently honored for her dedication to her field at the Winter Conference for Professional Photographers of Iowa in Des Moines.  She was the recipient of the National Service Award, the highest honor granted by the Professional Photographers of America.  The award recognizes those whose support for photography goes far beyond any regular expectations or contribution.  With a membership of more than 26,000, the PPA is the largest international non-profit association created for professional photographers.

Speakar’s start in photography wasn’t behind the camera.  She was an office assistant whose duties included sales. She worked for photographers in the Des Moines area who had varied business models.  Some specialized in church directories and school photos, while others catered to “high end” clientele, shooting photos in homes or on location. She eventually made her way to Silver Springs, Md. and continued in the profession, gaining experience in wedding photography and diplomatic shoots.  When the Washington D.C. lifestyle didn’t suit her, Speakar returned to Iowa and purchased the Oakwood Grocery Store on Clear Lake’s south shore.  She continued her interest in photography by working with Jean Poland, owner

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of Poland Photography in Clear Lake.

In 1986, Speakar Photography was opened in the home of Lee and her husband, Bob.  It wasn’t long before more space was needed and soon an unused country church, known as the Lakeside Church, was moved to Oakwood Campground, which is owned by the couple.  The church was restored and is used as a site for Sunday morning worship services.  The basement of the church is home to Speakar Photography.

Lee says it’s the people that have kept her in photography for decades.

“I enjoy the people I meet and take photos of, and the people who are in engaged in the profession.  I feel like I am part of a professional photography family who are all supportive of each other,” she said.

Her immediate family is also a member of the photography society.  Her brothers are also professional photographers who, like Lee, have volunteered in a number of capacities to promote their profession.  Lee’s sister has been involved in photography in a less traditional way.  She runs a mobile medical unit which performs imaging services.  Nineteen members of Speakar’s family were present to see Lee receive the National Service Award from the PPA.

Speakar chuckles as she recalls one of her first real lessons in the photography business.  One day she was thrust into a job of showing photo proofs to families.  Her boss simply put her in a room with a projector and sent families in to view their photographs and hopefully place orders.

“I had no idea how they typically did it, so I just set up the projector a good distance from the wall and displayed their images in large sizes.  I thought they looked best that way— faces could be seen.  And people liked them that way, too.  They would ask ‘what size is that?’ and place their orders.  When I was done, the owner wanted to know what I had done to get orders like that.  I guess it was an early lesson.”

Similar challenges exist for photographers today.

“Professional photographers are struggling to find products and services nobody else can give to maintain their livlihood,” she said.

And while she says she has begun to cut back on her schedule,  Speakar continues to write monthly articles for trade publications, is working on her sixth book, and continues to research and teach.  She has always been an active volunteer outside of photography, as well.  Leaderships roles have included serving as president of the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and Iowa Campground Association.

“The definition of a volunteer isn’t really complete— it doesn’t tell what the volunteer gets in return,” said Speakar.  “You get more than you give.  That’s been my experience.”

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