Fotos Forward hoping to ‘gift’ more memories

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

When Wayne Stadler started the ‘Pay it Forward’ project three years ago, the aim was to provide people with beautiful professional photos without the cost attached.
His goal was to offer the service for people who couldn’t otherwise afford it.
“It was kind of getting to the point where it was almost addicting to make people that happy,” said Stadler.
“I thought if I could do that for a few days at a festival, why can’t I do that for people that actually may have something to celebrate but can’t afford do it.”
The idea stemmed from the Burning Man festival, which takes place in Nevada in late summer every year, but Stadler was unable to attend in 2012.
But it was thereafter at Black Rock City that he learned the 10 ethics about Burning Man and one of the principles that piqued his interest in this project was ‘gifting’.
“I didn’t want to be a ‘tourist’ my first time there, so I started thinking of something I could gift to my fellow burners,” said Stadler.
“I eventually settled on a gift of photography.”
Stadler is going off the word of mouth to get more business out about the project and will only stop in a town once.
He scheduled himself into Strathmore a couple of weeks but unfortunately did not get any interest, but hopes maybe if he gets promoted in the area that he will get a better turnout.
“I might add it back to the list possibly in September or sooner if I happen to get bunch of interest,” said Stadler.
The business is accompanied by many struggles in regards to promotion, and Stadler is planning on focusing more on his photography, while keeping the project as a side job until he can gain more traction.
“I do a lot of abandoned fine arts stuff like old fields, cars, barns and that sorts of stuff,” he said.
“This was going to be a side project that I could do two or three days a week, a different town every week, and take it along with me but because the crowd funding thing isn’t going so well, I’m holding off and saving more money and kind of go out and do my art, I’ll do this as opportunities arise.”
For more information visit www.fotosforward.com.