When Don and Donna Busath first opened their ma-and-pa portrait studio, they never anticipated that photography would transform into a family legacy.
Thirty-seven years, three master photographers, four recipients of the Professional Photographers of America National Award and numerous portrait sessions later, the Busath family is well known in photography.
For the Busaths, photography has always been more than just saying "cheese" — it is a tradition of blending flawless craftsmanship with their LDS faith. Two of Don and Donna's children, Drake Busath and Deanne Busath Parry, operate portraiture studios and have carried on these practices. It now even pushes through to a third generation of family photographers.
The Busath influence begins
Just as family is a major part of the Busath legacy today, family is where it all began.
Don bought his first camera from his uncle, Monroe Busasth, during the 1950s. As an "avid amateur photographer," Don said Monroe served as his initial mentor before he went to work for 15 years as a full-time photographer for Hal Rumel Studios.
When Don and Donna decided to open their own studio in 1973, it was time to capitalize on their ability to work as a team.
"Neither of us had degrees at universities on how to do business. We just became a studio, he and I," Donna Busath said.
With Donna, the logical one, running the business side, and Don, the artistic one, handling the production of the photographs, the studio flourished with success as Don received worldwide acclaim for his work, Donna said.
The Busaths never gave much thought, however, to whether their children would one day share their passion for photography.
Deanne was the first to show interest, which she said began while experimenting in the developing lab in the family's basement. "I would go in there and play around and sort of experience that magic of seeing a print develop in the chemicals," Deanne said.
While working at the Chamber of Commerce in his 20s, Drake said he was often asked to handle small photography projects since his employers knew he had access to the equipment. After showing little interest in the industry during his teens, this was a gateway for Drake to develop his passion.
Once their interest was piqued, Drake and Deanne went to work at their parents' studio. When Don and Donna retired, both children were shareholders in the company, but Drake gradually began to buy out Deanne's shares. Drake has renamed the studio to Busath Studio and Gardens, as well as opened a second location in Provo, Utah. Meanwhile, Deanne owns The Castle events center in Layton, Utah, and operates her photography studio out of it.
Through the years, Don, Drake and Deanne have each served terms as president of the Intermountain Professional Photographers Association and have earned the designation of master photographer. They, as well as Donna, have each been nominated by their peers and received the Professional Photographers of America National Award for their service to the photographic industry. Christel Aprigliano of Professional Photographers of America said that the Busath family is one of few in the United States to have multiple individuals from the same family receive the award.
"It is rarely multi-generational, so (their situation) is a very big deal," Aprigliano said.
Transcendent techniques
Growing up with an award-winning photographer for a dad, Drake and Deanne were bound to pick up and build on some of his philosophies.
"Both Drake and I have patterned our interactions with the customers to an extreme degree after Dad's interactions," Deanne said.
She went on to describe how her father preferred to use shorter rolls of film, especially when photographing families, so he could observe their interactions while he "fiddled with the film."
"He would see little gestures that the family was making and encourage that into the photograph," said Deanne, who also tries to encourage personality in her photos.
Similarly, Drake is a strong believer of accurately capturing how people touch and interact, calling it "adding the love."
Drake, who likes to experiment and take chances like his father, has built upon the method of capturing real-life interactions within a family. He developed a technique to photograph large, three-generation families by photographing them in small groups and stitching them together digitally. By doing so, he says he can capture closer views of faces to show more emotion and stories within the group. The technique has brought Drake national acclaim, and he was recently featured in photography's premiere trade magazine, Professional Photographer.
Capturing with faith
While Don and Donna never pressured their children into photography, they did always have a deep desire that their children learn to have faith in the LDS Church like they did.
Don, who was inactive for a while early in his photography career, would often photograph on the temple grounds and knew he wanted his children to know the truth of the Plan of Salvation. This desire pushed him to turn back to the church, which he says was not only a blessing for his family, but also for his career.
"I was a good photographer before I got active, but after I got active, then these blessings started to roll in," Don said.
Don and Drake have each had multiple opportunities to photograph general authorities, including Presidents Erza Taft Benson, Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson. Although Drake has not yet had the opportunity to photograph the First Presidency, he has used his composite technique to photograph the Quorum of the Twelve. Don and Drake's activity in the church has given them a perspective to appreciate these unique experiences.
"It's really an absolute treasure to have spent an hour and a half alone with the prophet. How many people get that opportunity?" Drake said.
"There is not one church authority that ever made me feel small," Don said with a quiver of emotion in his voice. "They always enlarge me."
The Busaths have also found that even the most basic purpose of photography, recording memories and history, perfectly aligns with their testimonies of the importance of family.
"We believe in writing journals and passing on information to our children," Deanne said. "(As photographers) we are creating a little historical document that is going to give information to your progenitors about you."
Drake expanded on this by emphasizing the importance of photographing in the spirit of Elijah for future generations. "If we are making family portraits that are about tying the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers … they should be photographs that tell the true story to the next generation and the generation after that."
e-mail: wbutters@desnews.com