In her early 20s, Joyce Alspach was beginning to make a name for herself in the professional photography scene.

That was in the I 940s. The Columbus Symphony Orchestra -- then called the Columbus Philharmonic -- had its beginnings, and Alspach was asked to take pictures of the conductor and its members.

"It was in Memorial Hall on East Broad Street, which later was the site of COSI." she said. "It was after a performance, and I had to take the photographs quickly. I used flashbulbs and an 8-inch-by-10-inch film. I was scared to death about how it would turn out, but it went well."

For that shoot, she used a Deardorff camera, then considered top of the line. Today, only a few a year are produced, she said.

Now 60 years later, Alspach continues to be busy with her profession, recently winning awards for four portraits from the Mid-East States Regional Competition in Columbus, and which included entries from a seven-state area.

A Berwick resident, Alspach has a studio in Bexley at 543 S. Drexel Ave.

The location is the same site where she had her original studio from 1946-1951. Rent then was $35 a month. In following years, Alspach later moved to Lancaster and had a studio on South James Road in Columbus for 35 years.

Alspach returned to Bexley in 1997.

"1 feel that Bexley residents have the taste for fine photography," she said. "When I decided to move from James Road, I knew I wanted to go back to Bexley."

Alspach had been a Bexley resident for several years and is a Bexley High School graduate.

Specializing in custom-design portraiture, she has photographed -- over the years -- parents, children and grandchildren from the same family.

Alspach received the majority of her training by attending the former Winona School of Photographers in Indiana and was sponsored by the National Association of Professional Photographers.

The school offered a two-week course that lasted from 8 am. to 9 p.m. each day.

She first attended in 1944 and continued to participate for about 10 years.

"We all had a really good time," she said. "I remember that early on, only three students had cars."

Although her family was concerned that photography would be a tough business, Alspach pursued.

She got her start photographing animals. She loves dogs, has always had her own dogs and photographs animals on a consistent basis.

"Bexley is a dog-lovers’ community," she said.

A car accident has resulted in three surgeries for Alspach, but it didn’t stop her from entering the recent competition, in which she has been an annual winner. She went into her studio shortly after hip surgery and took portraits off the wall for the show. In addition to getting them in the show, she received three ribbons.

"If I can’t win with everyday work, I shouldn’t win," she said. "This means that customers know they are getting the best."

Alspach said she has no plans to retire. She said she particularly enjoys photographing children and has a long tradition of taking graduation photos of Bexley High School seniors.

She also has been the photographer for the Bexley Education Foundation fund-raisers and said she gets business from several Columbus communities.

In her work, Alspach uses a 35-millimeter Hasselbald and has used a digital camera.

Noting that digital photography has speed, cuts costs and does a great job, she said she intends to continue to try it out.

"Working with young people makes me feel young," she said. "I want to keep doing this because I enjoy my work. It is a real pleasure to take pictures and make people happy. When people walk out my door feeling good, it makes it all worthwhile."

Alspach said that even if it were not her studio in Bexley, it is a service the community should have.