Tonya Brisson, Business Owner and Full Time Photographer
Background: I hold a degree in Art and design from Antonelli Collage and I have worked for companies such as Disney/ABC studios, Trager Art Gallery, Listings in Motion, Cauldwell Banker, Carolina One, The Charleston Historical Foundation, Charleston Wonderland, Intrigued Events, Charleston Intimate Events, Ray Wedding Services, Mount Pleasant Magazine, Charleston in a nutshell tours, and many more.
Personal Info: I’m proud to be a Charleston-born native who has lived in Mount Pleasant most of my life. I attended James B. Edwards Elementary, Moultrie Middle, and Wando High School (class of 1992!). Yes, for those into the generational labels, I am a proud late-stage GEN X’er! Quiz me on anything late 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s!
Anywho….I married My childhood sweetheart (Heath Brisson, see below!). Together we have raised two amazing kids and now enjoy being grandparents to a set of identical twin boys!
Hobbies: Photography(obviously right?), Watercolor painting, sketching, crocheting, Cake Decorating, and anything creative!
Guilty Pleasures: I have always had a deep love for animals, which is evident in my (slightly embarrassing) menagerie of pets. I have a Standard Poodle, a 17-year-old beagle mix, a cat, and I inherited my son’s two ferrets when he moved away! I love them all and they are now my human child replacements! Being an empty nester is hard!
What else about me??? Well, I love Mexican food, iced coffee, listening to the waves at the beach, and binge-watching shows like Game of Thrones, The Vampire Diaries, The Way Home, and so many more. I love pop music, and Pokemon Snap is my favorite video game! If you know, you know!
My path to photography: It was a series of multiple baby steps leading to this destination! First, it started as a hobby. Then my father-in-law started challenging my competitive nature with who could take a better picture. This led me to wanting new gear and more “toys” as my husband called it. He finally said this was getting too expensive to be a hobby and told me if I wanted new things I would have to earn money with the camera to pay for them. Well, I’m not one to back down from a challenge and I hate being told “no” or that “I can’t” so…challenge accepted! In 2015 I got my first business license and started charging for my skills, and here we are today! I love all my new and not-so-new photography toys! Ha! Ha!
As for my style, I’ve always enjoyed looking at magazines like Time, Life, National Geographic, Vogue, Cosmo, And many others. They are a source of inspiration in my photography work.
I believe that a portrait is something everyone should get gussied up for. Ladies, get your hair and make-up professionally done. Wear your best outfits or splurge by renting designer duds! A studio portrait is something special. It’s a day of pampering and an experience that will leave you looking and feeling like a million bucks. Think of it as a low-key Glamor Shot from the ’90s, without the tall hair and caked-on foundation! PLUS you leave with timeless imagery to remind you of how the day felt, and just how beautiful you truely are!
Team Work Makes the Dream Work!
Heath Brisson, Assistant & Business Accountant
Background: Heath is an honorably discharged Combat Veteran who served as a medic in Operation Iraqi Freedom III. His background includes construction and carpentry work. Heath currently works as a Foreman for the Town of Mount Pleasant’s Stormwater division.
Personal Info: Heath was born in North Carolina but raised in Mount Pleasant since he was five years old. As a boy and young teen, Heath would help his father pour concrete in the scorching Charleston Heat. He and his father helped to build many of the homes in Mount Pleasant and on the Isle of Palms beachfront. In 1988, at a Friday the 13th dance held in the Moultrie Middle School Cafeteria, Heath met his future wife (ME!). He charmed me with his (not so) Impressive break dancing skills and his cool skater-boy fashion. Something must have worked because we have been inseparable ever since!
Hobbies: Flying his Mavic Pro Drone(not professionally), Woodworking, Gardening, Cooking, and on occasion…fishing.
Guilty Pleasures: Heath is fascinated with Norse Mythology and loves to learn Viking Lore. Heath’s favorite things to eat are Lassangna (only his late mother’s homemade kind), Banana Splits, and Sweet Tea. Heath loves being near the ocean and relishes every second he gets to spend with his grandchildren!
Peter Denshaw, Character Actor
Pete Plays Santa Claus and Dumbeldoor for portrait sessions with our company.
Pete is amazing with children. We are always impressed when he remembers our return clients by name and what they asked for the previous Christmas. Sometimes it is difficult to not think that he is the real Santa!
Pete works full-time in the IT field and only works with 3 photographers in Charleston. Pete enjoys the out-of-the-box Santa Experiences that our company provides and is instrumental in designing the sets every year.
Pete is an amazing baker (would you expect anything less??). Every year he brings our team the most delicious fudge!
Pete lost his Mrs.Claus a few years ago. Bringing Joy to children and families is his guilty pleasure, and we are so lucky to have him on our team!
Pixel Studios in West Ashley
Located at 1040 Gardner Road, Pixel Studios is a 4,000 sqft Commercial Video and Photography studio rental facility. Movies, Television commercials, and fashion shoots have been held here for decades. The studios are rented hourly and include the use of their lighting equipment and a limited number of props. Pixel Studios is ADA-accessible.
We regularly rent time at Pixel for Large group sessions, Milk Bath sessions, for mobility-restricted clients or any time we feel like we need more space for action imagery.
Click here for pricing information.
Kala Kannisto, Make up Artist
Kala started doing makeup on herself in 2020 during the pandemic. The lockdown allowed her to cultivate her skills and tap deeper into a love that has always been there. Since then she has done work for local dance shows, events, SFX Makeup for an independent film, and has studied under 3-time Oscar winner, Ve Neill in LA. She loves to help people pull out their inner child and have fun!
Click Here to see her work!
Mike Perry, Shaman Perry Marketing
Mike has been a long-time friend of the Brisson Family. It was a happy accident that he was able to join our team and help us with website building, SEO, and Social Media advertising. Mike’s approach is both analytical and philosophical. Mike has worked with several mom-and-pop businesses, helping them build their brands and turn their dreams into their realities. You probably wouldn’t be reading this without his help, so we are very thankful to have him on our team!
Click Here to see his website!
The Mount Pleasant Studio
I prefer to do as much studio work as possible, from my Mount Pleasant Studio. This is the most cost-effective option for clients, and there are no restrictions on time. Everything is more relaxed and we can concentrate on having fun and getting great shots.
This studio is perfect for newborn sessions, headshots, Santa Sessions, and for groups of up to 6 people. For anyone needing more space or ADA accesability, I rent time at Pixel Studios in West Ashley.
