Meet Our Photographers
Mike Yerke
Lead Photographer/Instructor/Trainer
Mike has over 40 years of experience in photography. He learned photography the old fashioned way. Building and using a cardboard box camera in Middle School and learning to develop his own negatives and prints. “When I saw my first photo materialize in the darkroom, I was hooked!” Mike’s skills developed quickly. He was so sought after in High School that he finally had to create a public calendar to handle all of his senior sessions. He was entrusted with his first wedding at the ripe old age of 18. “Back then I was using a Pentax SLR with one lens.” “When you’re shooting film you really have to pick your shots.” That style of shooting carried into Mike’s digital photography. “I still don’t use the “spray and pray” method of shooting like a lot of new photographers.” “I shoot when the lighting and composition are right.” Mike has been a photographer his entire adult life and officially opened the Studio at Pendleton in 2010 after moving to the quaint little Indiana town of the same name. He surrounds himself with talented photographers and assistants. Although semi-retired he loves event photography and his charity work.
Vicki Townsend
Lead Photographer/Trainer
Vicki is a veteran photographer and we are lucky to have her. Vicki has been shooting practically all of her life. She actually took photography courses while she was in 4H! Vicki is a graduate from the prestigious New York Institute of Photography. She continuously updates her skills by attending courses at IUPUI and industry seminars around the country.
Vicki is the Studio’s go-to photographer. She covers almost all events and is an invaluable part of the marketing team. Her creativity and passion for the business is important in a generation where everyone carries a camera and the word “portrait” has lost its meaning.
Vicki bought her first SLR in 1980 and went digital with her first DSLR in 2003. Vicki operated her own studio “Studio V” from 2003-2011 when she semi-retired.
Vicki and Mike met at a college level course to update their skills and have been friends, colleagues and shooting partners ever since.