Ten years ago, Michael and Chelsea Granger opened the doors of a business here in Astoria for which any reasonable person would have predicted failure within two years. An art gallery showing only photographs seemed dead in the water. Launched during a recession, to boot.

Now here we are, a decade later, LightBox Photographic Gallery & Fine Printing has mounted more than 100 exhibitions, and the gallery has a reputation for showing high-quality photographic art that has put them on the radar of many photographers nationally, as well a internationally. Amazing.

As a local photographer, LightBox filled a void that I worried about when we decide to move here from Portland. It has provided a community meeting place for like-minded folks to exchange ideas and share their passion for photography.

A core group meets twice a month at the gallery to show our work and hear speakers on education night. It provides the networking with other photographers that has been important to me, and has produced a close bond among those who attend.

Much of the credit for LightBox’s 10-year run is due to Michael’s mastery of the Internet. LightBox has a beautiful webpage (lightbox-photographic.com) on which you can read about current exhibits as well as view all of the photographs from the exhibits going back to LightBox’s opening exhibition. Check it out. Congratulations, LightBox.

ROGER DORBAND

Astoria