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Leslie Figge and her brother Greg Figge will "do whatever it takes to get the picture," according to Leslie. The siblings own Figge Photography in Newport Beach, which was founded in 1945 by their parents. The family business celebrates its 70th anniversary on Oct 1. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER1 of 38
It's all in the family at Figge Photography. Greg Figge and sister Leslie Figge are the force, along with other family members, behind the Newport Beach business' success. He's the photographer. She's the stylist, makeup artist, photo assistant and does whatever else is needed to get a great picture. Their mom Melba, the studio's "heart and soul," assisted their dad Bill in much the same way when they founded the business in 1945. Their immediate family is framed by the doorway and old black and white images of their parent are under the sign "Celebrating 70." CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER1 of 38
Love and war. Bill Figge photographed it all. The World War II combat Army photographer was also a wedding photographer. In 1963 he started photographing Playboy centerfolds. Bill and Melba Figge would discover Playmates while photographing weddings. They wound up photographing 47 centerfolds and three covers. He, assisted by his wife, photographed this June 1966 Playboy, left, and Nov. 1966 on right. Back then the magazine wanted a photo essay of the girls. The playmate, left, stayed months with the Figge family because it was logistically easier. They are close to this day and the former Playmate even shares the family's USC tickets. She was one of about ten Playmates that lived with the family at different times. They still keep in touch with several of them and many came to Melba Figge's funeral last year. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER1 of 38
Bill and Melba Figge, pictured left and standing in the background right, were resourceful. She would go to the county courthouse, find out who had registered for a marriage license and cold called the couples. The Figges took wedding photos for free and sold prints to those interested. The couple always looked their best, according to their daughter Leslie Figge. She, along with other family members, run the Newport Beach Figge Photography business, which will celebrate its 70th anniversary Oct. 1. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER1 of 38
Bill and Melba Figge, pictured throughout, teamed up to run a very successful photograph studio that started in 1945. When he became sick in 1975, all four children helped with the studio. He passed away in 1976. Afterward, Melba surprised everyone by deciding to move the family to Newport Beach. It was her husband's dream to have a business there. She figured life was too short. Today, their children Greg and Leslie carry on the Figge tradition. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER1 of 38
Who's the boss? Neither. Greg Figge and sister Leslie Figge are a team, she explains. He makes the pictures and she is the support, taking light meter readings, being the photo stylist, organizing the wedding shoots and more. Together they've continued their parents' tradition. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER1 of 38
Greg Figge and sister Leslie Figge have kept up with technology, switching to digital at the end of 2004. Their lights are on ceiling tracks in their well-equipped Newport Beach studio, Figge Photography. They are known for their high end family portraits, special occasions and wedding photography. When the siblings first started they did two Playboy shoots, "to show our street cred," Leslie says. However the family didn't care for the risqué direction the magazine was going so they stopped. They've successfully managed to keep multi-generational clients. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER1 of 38
Melba Figge, matriarch of the family, looks glamorous in many pictures throughout the Figge Photography Newport Beach studio, with the exception of this one, which shows off her humor. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER1 of 38
Melba Figge's glamour and style grace the Figge Photography Newport Beach studio. Her daughter Leslie still has this hat. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER1 of 38
Greg Figge of Figge Photography in Newport Beach learned photography from his dad. Growing up they'd watch sports on TV in the darkroom after his dad devised a way for it not to fog the prints. Greg has fond memories of those times. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER1 of 38
Figge Photography turns 70 on Oct. 1. The calls and letters of appreciation to the family, gets Leslie Figge misty. The family is grateful to all the clients who've kept them in business for seven decades. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER1 of 38
"She was the heart and soul of the studio," Leslie Figge said of her mother, Melba Figge. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
The Figge family outside of their Newport Beach studio. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
The Figge family. In the 1960s, Figge Photography was shooting 500 weddings a year. Now the company only does a handful. Greg Figge said this is because they have fewer photographers and they do not want to shoot weddings every weekend. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Bill and Melba Figge outside of the Rose Bowl. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Bill and Melba Figge started Figge Photography 70 years ago. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
The Figge children stand outside of the photography studio. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
The Figge family stands outside of Figge Photography. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Figge Photography started in Glendale. After Bill Figge's death, Melba Figge moved the studio down to Newport Beach. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
The passing of Bill Figge in 1976 shook the business. The family decided to move from Glendale to Newport Beach. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Bill and Melba Figge founded Figge Photography in 1945. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
The Figge family before patriarch Bill Figge passed away. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
The Figges have taken photos of many celebrities over the years including Richard Nixon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Langdon, Natalie Wood, Bob Hope and Pete Carroll. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Bill Figge graduated USC in 1941 with the goal of working in Hollywood. Then World War II rolled around and he enlisted in the Army's Signal Corps where he served as a combat photographer. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Bill Figge. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Bill Figge poses next to his camera. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
The Figge family. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Bill and Melba Figge married after World War II and started Figge Photography. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Melba Figge and her children. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Figge Photography found success as a wedding photography business and opened a studio in Glendale. They moved to Newport Beach after the passing of Bill Figge. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
The Newport Beach photography studio has pictures and old cameras on display. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
The Figge family at their Newport Beach photography studio. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Five family members currently work at the studio. They are pictured holding a photo of Bill and Melba Figge. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
Bill Figge graduated USC in 1941 with the goal of working in Hollywood. Then World War II rolled around and he enlisted in the Army's Signal Corps where he served as a combat photographer. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
When Figge Photography was still young, Melba Figge came up with an idea: to go to the county courthouse, find out who had registered for a marriage license and cold call the couples. The Figges offered to take the photos for free, selling prints if the couple decided to purchase them. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
After the war, Bill and Melba Figge, college sweethearts, got married. They began photographing debutantes from UCLA and USC. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
The family found success as a wedding photography business and opened a studio in Glendale. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHY1 of 38
"She was the heart and soul of the studio," Leslie Figge said of her mother, Melba Figge. COURTESY OF FIGGE PHOTOGRAPHYView slideshow
Leslie Figge and her brother Greg Figge will "do whatever it takes to get the picture," according to Leslie. The siblings own Figge Photography in Newport Beach, which was founded in 1945 by their parents. The family business celebrates its 70th anniversary on Oct 1. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER BY HANNAH MADANS / STAFF WRITER
Photo tipsThe Figges have taken photos of celebrities such as Richard Nixon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Langdon, Natalie Wood, Bob Hope and Pete Carroll. They offer some tips to capture the best portraits:
• It's all about lighting: open shades to backlight a subject; there shouldn't be any sun in the photographer's face
• It is best to take photos at dusk
• Back up pictures for safekeeping
• Invest in timeless, not gimmicky photos
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Greg Figge, 68, has worked in the photography business his entire life.
But neither Figge nor the bride was prepared for what happened at this particular wedding, some 40 years ago.
Just as the bride and groom were about to cut the cake, Figge realized he was out of film. Not wanting him to miss the moment, his sister Leslie Figge, now 60, grabbed a roll of film and tossed it his way.
The film landed right on the top layer of the cake. After a brief moment of shock, the bride started laughing.
It was but one of many memorable moments for the Figges, whose family business is celebrating a 70-year history that has seen countless family portraits, Playboy centerfolds and a huge shift in technology.
WEDDING PHOTOS
Bill and Melba Figge, pronounced "figgy," created the family business somewhat by accident in 1945.
Bill Figge didn't envision owning a photography studio. He graduated USC in 1941 with the dream of working in Hollywood. Then World War II rolled around, and he enlisted in the Army's Signal Corps where he served as a combat photographer.
After the war he married Melba, whom he met at USC. Dreams of Hollywood shifted to photographing debutantes from UCLA and USC.
Eventually Melba Figge came up with an idea: They would go to the county courthouse, find out who had registered for a marriage license and cold call the couples. The Figges offered to take the wedding pictures for free, selling prints if the couple decided to buy them.
The family went on to find its niche as wedding photographers and soon opened a studio in Glendale.
PLAYBOY MAGAZINE
In 1963 the Figges met Hugh Hefner and a new era of portrait work began for the business.
Playboy magazine photographer Edward DeLong introduced the family to Hefner and his team, and soon the Figges were scheduling Playmate photo shoots between family portraits and weddings.
The family would go on to photograph 47 centerfolds and three Playboy covers. Bill Figge is credited with discovering many Playmates at the weddings he photographed. They stopped working with Playboy in the early 1980s.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Leslie and Gregg were teens when they joined the growing Figge Photography.
Leslie earned $10 a photo book; her brother 25 cents an hour for studio work.
In 1969, Bill Figge told Greg he could shoot a wedding.
"I told him he better teach me how to load a camera," he said. At the time, you could only take 12 photos on a roll, making it easy to miss shots if you were unable to load a camera quickly.
The passing of Bill Figge in 1976 shook the business. The family decided to move to Newport Beach.
"Our mom said 'life is too short, let's do this.' Our accountant thought she was crazy but we moved the studio," Leslie Figge said.
The family kept one studio in Glendale and one in Newport Beach until the Orange County location became the more popular of the two.
About a year ago, Melba Figge passed away.
"She was the heart and soul of the studio and big shoes to fill, but I realized I didn't have to fill her shows, I had to fill my own," Leslie Figge said.
NEXT TAKE
In recent years the company has shifted gears, in more ways than one. The staff is smaller (just five family members), the wedding work is minimal and the film is long gone.
The Figges said that while wedding shoots are lucrative, running $7,500 to $12,000, they are labor intensive. The time invested in the event and post-production work can whittle the profit margin.
The company in 2004 switched to an all-digital operation. The work once done in the darkroom has switched to a computer.
"Everyone has a lot more to do with digital photos. There's a lot more editing, creating slideshows and presentations for meetings," Leslie Figge said.
The business has added head shots and real estate photos to its portfolio, but the portrait work continues to be its bread and butter. The Figges said many of their clientele come back over the course of their lives to capture milestone moments. The business shoots around 450 sessions a year.
Both the Figges say the best part of their business is capturing their clients' celebrations over the years.
"We have the responsibility to take images that capture people's lives. It's a huge responsibility and we take it seriously," Greg Figge said.
Newport Beach resident Scott Burnham is one such example. He's been going to Figge Photography for more than 40 years.
The Figge family has photographed his engagement, his wedding and his daughters' weddings.
"The Figges have captured really magical moments in my family's history and I love those guys and am grateful for all the lasting memories they've given me," he said.
As for the next generation of Figge Photography, Leslie sees her stepdaughter, Celia Lerum, taking over the company someday.
"If she's not careful, she could end up like my mother doing everything," Greg Figge added.
Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans
Source: Newport Beach's Figge Photography has a 70-year legacy of smiles and centerfolds
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