Every year Lenny Kerbs is the official photographer of the Miss Valley Center Pageant.
This week I was lucky enough to stop by and meet with VCBA partner Lenny Kerbs, owner and photographer of Kerbs Custom Photography right here in Valley Center. The studio is tucked in on the left as you come into Valley Center.
Once inside the studio, it’s lights, camera, and action. The atmosphere was that of a transformation into a set where you can pick your background from a huge assortment of canvases. An array of an assortment of props to make your perfect photo op. Kerbs sets the lighting to capture the perfect mood and ideal shot.
I asked Kerbs how he became this well recognized photographer. He explained how when he was 10-years-old he dreamed of being a photographer. He was out hoeing potatoes and saving his pennies to purchase his first camera. From that day forward you wouldn’t find Kerbs without his camera. “I always have had my camera with me,” Kerbs says very matter of fact.
Kerbs first started to put his talents to work when he was in the Army. He became the default unit photographer. Photography was a hobby for Kerbs. He received a master’s in software engineering and business administration and went on to a 38 year career with the federal government. He was lead program manager over amphibious systems, as well as a NASA certified engineer.
After he retired from the Federal Government, he decided it would be a good time to get back to his photography. A small studio opened up inside of what was then Gina’s Hair Salon. Kerbs started taking portraits of families, high school seniors, businesses, and weddings. He even took portraits of everyone’s best friend, the family dog. As Kerb’s business expanded, he moved his business across town to the larger studio next to what was then Country Cuts. Once in the new location, Kerbs began to offer custom framing.
Kerbs Photography does an excellent job restoring old photographs. He is able to restore old damaged family photos to their original, if not better condition. He can take a small one hundred year old photo from a locket and restore it to a full size 8”x10”. “Sometimes I even find little hidden surprises, like the one that had the family pet in the corner that was too small to see until I enlarged it,” he says.
A baby photo by Kerbs Custom Photography.
His digital talents have come to be quite the asset as he has worked to restore and enlarge old Polaroid photos of John Miller of Miller Angus Ranch. “I’ve restored and printed many photos for the family to display throughout their home in La Jolla,” he says.
Kerbs has also made his mark around town. Many of the Valley Center graduating seniors have used his studio for their official senior year book pictures and senior photos. Kerbs also created some great advertising photos for the former Pointed Roof Deli. The sandwich photos tripled sales of the photographed delights overnight. Kerbs became the official photographer for the Miss Valley Center Pageants. You will also find Kerbs photographing most school sporting events for the Valley Roadrunner, and at other major events
During my visit with Kerbs, I asked him how he gets to the perfect photo. “I will typically shoot about one hundred or so in a studio shoot, about 200-300 on a location shoot (like for a high school senior location shoot), and about one thousand on a sporting event. With digital photography now you can shoot about seven frames per second. Once the photos are taken, you can sit and immediately review the photos in the raw form with the client. Usually out of 100 photos most people can narrow them down to about three to five, then do final editing and enhancing for the final product to print, “ he answered.
In his spare time Kerbs enjoys getting away to his home in Utah, where he photographs amazing wildlife and lightning storms. His other hobbies are fly fishing and bow hunting. Kerbs has also been a licensed gun smith for 20 years. He and his family are members of St. Stephen Church.
“Photography, and restoration is just something I really love to do. If you can tell me what you want, I know how to make the machine do what it needs to do to make your perfect photo,” Kerbs says passionately.
If you’d like to know more about Kerbs Custom Photography, or to schedule an appointment, go to his website, kerbscustom.com, or call him directly at 760-443-6306.
27934 Valley Center Rd., Valley Center CA, 92082
More information on the Valley Center Business Association can be found at www.myVCBA.com or facebook.com/myVCBA
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