When William Cripe Sr. purchased the building at 45 N. Main St. on Zionsville’s brick street, he operated a local barbershop for several years before his love for photography changed his legacy.

“My grandfather, Herbert Cripe, had a vast knowledge of photography. He had cameras and movie cameras and really enjoyed that, so dad always dabbled in photography as well,” Bill Cripe said.

Bill’s mother, Ann Birdie, was the art teacher at Zionsville Community High School and led the yearbook team.

He began working with her, photographing school athletic events, activities and other occasions. They set up a darkroom in their Zionsville home and that’s where he caught the bug.

“In middle school I was a paid employee of the Zionsville newspaper,” Cripe said. “I’d process their film and they’d select the prints they wanted and I’d go back home and print them.”

By 1973, Cripe Photography was an official mainstay on Zionsville’s Main Street.

Cripe was the go-to photographer for weddings, events and senior portraits. By the early 1980s, he was known as the senior photographer for ZCHS.

After graduating from college and working for Herff Jones yearbooks for a short time, Cripe returned to his Zionsville roots and became owner of his father’s photography business in 1990, making a few changes along the way.

“We only work with schools now. We do all the senior portraits – the formal head and shoulders photo for the yearbook,” Cripe said. “We do events like graduations and work within the elementary, middle and high schools for several districts in Central Indiana.”

Of course, for the family who has called Zionsville home for several generations, Cripe enjoys revisiting Zionsville schools on a regular basis.

“I love working with the people,” he said. “You go to an elementary school on picture day and the little ones are so excited. Mom has them all fixed up and the smiles on their faces make the job fun.”

It’s been a successful five decades but when Cripe chooses to retire, he knows Cripe Photography will be in good hands.

“Stephanie Keehn has been with me for 19 years now and our clients know her well,” he said. “She’ll continue the business far into the future.”

In celebration of 50 years, Cripe Photography will host an open house from 3 to 6 p.m. Nov. 2.

It’s a chance to open their doors, socialize with members of the community and local businesses in the area while celebrating the Cripe legacy. Light refreshments will be provided.

“This is something I couldn’t have done without the support of the community or my family, particularly my wife, Stephanie Cripe, and photographer Stephanie Keehn,” Cripe said.

For more information, visit the website at https://www.cripephoto.com/.