Big things are happening at DeLorenzo’s ASP–The Image Factory.
After a five-year break, owner Bob DeLorenzo is thrilled to be back in the photography business, and this month, he is opening his second location in Wrightstown, near Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
He’s back on Olden Avenue after previously selling his photography business to LifeTouch, a national photography company specializing in school portraits and sports pictures, a deal that included a five-year non-compete clause.
“People remember us,” he said. “We are re-booking jobs because people remember how good we are. ‘Thank God you are back. This is the smoothest job we’ve had in five years,’ they say. It is rewarding. I’m glad to be back.”
The timing for him is good.
“A lot of my people who worked for me five years ago are coming back,” he said. “My kids are older and appreciate working. They still like doing this and they enjoy it. We try to make it a fun experience.”
His youngest is a junior at Notre Dame and is on the ice hockey team. DeLorenzo says three of his four children played hockey, and he loves going to the games and photographing them.
It’s clear that this 1984 graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York City has a passion for photography.
DeLorenzo worked in Manhattan for famous still life photographer Gary Perweiler. In his last year of college, DeLorenzo became Perweiler’s studio manager, and was a union camera operator for about seven years. He had on the job training about lighting.
“That’s what photography is all about,” DeLorenzo said. “I learned lighting from a master in New York. We lit everything from cars to liquor to arenas. You need to know how to light to do it right.”
DeLorenzo’s ASP has been in business for over a quarter of a century. He is now working with people he used to photograph when they were Little League players.
In addition to photography, DeLorenzo’s ASP is a one-stop shop for sports-related merchandise from embroidering team letter jackets to engraving trophies to making custom-made candy bars as fundraisers. In addition to working with Little League teams, DeLorenzo’s ASP outfits professional sports teams and college dance teams, including those at Rutgers University, the University of Maryland and the University of Massachusetts.
He adjusts what he offers based on customers’ requests. Newer requests include life-sized cutout boards of young athletes. He also creates life-tribute videos for funerals from photographs provided by family members.
The brother of DeLorenzo’s Pizza owner Rick DeLorenzo, who moved his restaurant into a bigger space on Sloan Avenue a few years ago, Bob DeLorenzo also has been expanding his own business. He acquired Browns Engraving in Pemberton last month, and has decided to move it to a custom designed storefront in Wrightstown.
“I’m always willing to take a risk with things,” DeLorenzo said. “This came up and I felt this was the right time.”
The new store is close to the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, and he looks forward to working with military-related items.
“My toughest challenges are coming up with the military,” DeLorenzo said. “Swords and different objects they bring in to be engraved. There is nothing I have not been able to do.”
He quickly amended his statement, saying his biggest challenge actually was learning how to thread a needle.
“I need a magnifying glass to see the hole. After a while you get a feel for it.”
DeLorenzo’s ASP-The Image Factory is located at 1146 S. Olden Avenue in Hamilton. Phone: (609)586-9123. Web: daspimage.com.
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