In 1984 James Photographic Studio started operating in Sigatoka Town. The family business was managed by brothers Rajendra and Surendra Prasad. But three years later, Surendra decided to move the business to its current location in Nina St, Suva.
He now operates the studio with his wife Risemeen Nisha and two staff. He said they moved to Suva in 1987 because the coup forced some business owners to migrate overseas.
“We decided to relocate to Suva after a shop was available and the monthly rent was $400,” Mr Prasad said.
“When business owners left Fiji after the coup, there was a vacuum and this was an opportunity for us to open our business in Suva.”
He said they operated the photo studio behind the shop and sold Video Home System (VHS) tapes at the front.
“The VHS tapes was thriving at that time and we used to sell them at $2 each. “Some people would send boxes of tapes to the islands, while others would rent the tapes and return them the next day.
“After that the Video ComWhen business owners left Fiji after the coup, there was a vacuum and this was an opportunity for us to open our business in Suva – Surendra Prasad pact Disc’s (VCD) came into the business we would watch movies on three VCDs like disc one, disc two, disc three for the duration of one movie.
“But it didn’t took that long and after a few years Digital Video Disc (DVD) was released.
“It started with one movie in a DVD and after it expanded to 3 in 1 DVD. He said after the 1990s technology in Fiji was evolving faster.
“And then in mid-2000 there were many DVD shops, VHS tape and VCD were slowly becoming unpopular.”
Ms Nisha said in the photography business they did passport photos for school students and people migrating overseas.
“My husband use to do it alone and with their employees, and I would come to help them sometimes,” she said.
“I learnt a lot from my husband. So that was in the 1990s and in 2010 the movie business slowly started to erode from the shop.
“These Smart TV, smartphone came into production and people would watch movies on their phone or laptop.”
However, the business still managed to thrive on their photography business. “We took passport photos and back in those days we use to give it to a lab and they would print it.
“We did not have compact machines.
“So in 2000 we had small portable machines you could print photos and give to customers on the same day.
“People don’t have to come the next day to collect the passport photo, people do not have to collect it in the afternoon, it was all done in five minutes.
“We started paying rent with $400 rent, to $1500, $2500 and at the moment its $4500.
“The photography studio is still there, but the movie business we are no longer doing it. “I have ventured into a variety shop in 2011 and still offering our photography services for customers.
“With a variety shop I can sell different products all together.
“Even though there is competition with other variety shops on Nina St, but for us we still have the photographic studio to also keep the business going.
“Our opening hours are from 7.30am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday.
“The location is convenient, however, we also have criminal activities from youths who roam around in town and who would walk in and grab something from the shop.
“But the police have been helpful when we come across situations such as stealing and vandalism.”
Ms Nisha said she does not plan to expand her business anytime soon. “The way it’s operating now we will survive on that to pay our rent, bills and groceries at home.”
She advises people to make use of digital technology. “Nowadays there is a lot of digital technology to use in order to expand your business.
“Young people know how to utilise on the latest technology and you have to see that you are making profits and not going in a loss.
“During our time we didn’t use digital technology but we used our brains to open a business.”
