The Mikkelin Photography Society has been helping Finns with photography for 100 years.
The company began in 1923 when two photography enthusiasts founded the Photography Needs Agency in Mikkeli, on the slope of the railway station.
There were a few itinerant photographers working in the city, who mainly shot outdoors, such as in parks. At that time, photography was not available to all people, but only the privilege of a select few.
Onni and Aili Väisänen joined the photography shop in the late 1940s and eventually bought the entire company into their own names. At the same time, they changed the name to Mikkelin Valokuvausliike Oy, which is still in operation.
During the war, Onni was a war photographer and the company then developed these images into paper prints. The company's premises were destroyed in bombing and later a new building was built on the same site, to which the Photography Company returned.
Everyday life consisted of taking photographs in the studio and on location, as well as selling a wide range of cameras and films. At that time, the images were made by hand in a darkroom.
The next generation, Eila and Erkki Valjakka, joined in the 1950s and continued to run the company until the early 2000s. Erik's son Pasi Valjakka's journey in the company began in the 1980s at just over 10 years old, when he began learning the tricks of the trade in a photography shop. He is currently the company's CEO.
Photography began to become more common after the wars and cameras began to appear more widely in families. At Mikkelin Fotografiausliikke, the production of photographs was transferred from the large-format production in Lahti to the company's own hands in the early 2000s. At the same time, the revolution of digital cameras began.
“When I have seen the development of photography from working in a darkroom with black and white photos to producing color photos in one's own space in an hour, and the development of cameras to today's technology, it has been quite a journey, really interesting,” says Pasi Valjakka.
The pixel count of digital cameras increased year by year, image quality improved, and the size of the cameras decreased from the first quite large versions to pocket-sized ones. Soon, system cameras also began to be digitized, and this brought new momentum to sales.
The idea to start an online store came about in the early 2010s, when this alternative to commerce began to emerge. The decision to become an online retailer has been significant for the company's continued existence.
We have worked purposefully, taking small steps, serving our customers with a respectful attitude and the best possible expertise.
On the photography side, we still have a passport photo to take. Otherwise, our time and energy are focused on the functionality of the Kameraliike.fi online store, fast service, and customer encounters in the store as well as via phone, chat, and email.
Today, Kameraliike.fi employs around ten people, while also maintaining a brick-and-mortar store in the center of Mikkeli on a parade ground. Our gaze is firmly focused on the next hundred years as a partner for photographers!
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