26 Aug 8th-Aug 14th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Camera’s general manager, looks back fondly at the 45 years she worked along- side Wojcich and the impact he made on the community. “He helped so many people in the industry and education. He donated a lot and was kind and very generous,” she says. Jeff Kida, photography editor at Arizona Highways, remembers Wojcich fondly as well. “Joe Wojcich was one of the kindest people I have ever known. He treated everyone with equal amounts of respect no matter what their level of photography,” Kida says. “He loved everything about the business, the art, the artists and the equip- ment. He really enjoyed the challenge of keeping photo gear working long after its expiration date. I think he really loved being a part of the photo community.” When asked about what Wojcich was most proud of, DeLanie Smith simply responds, “He was just proud of every employee he had, and his customers.” Although he never had children, she jokes, “He had 33 of us” — his loyal employees. Eric Maus, who has worked at Tempe Camera for more 14 years, also describes him as a happy leader who taught him to “love what you do (and) always enjoy the moment.” In addition to Wojcich’s many acts of service and educating countless photogra- phers, he also helped the local photog- raphy community keep up with changes within the photo industry. He advocated the importance of both analog film and digital photography approaches, which in turn kept Tempe Camera afloat. “He rode the whole wave from film to digital. We were wondering what was going to happen to the industry,” Smith recalls. “Film started to fall off, and then there was a resurgence, and it’s gone more student and art in that direction. It got picked back up again.” “I remember him showing off a large print made with his cellphone maybe 15 years ago. It was mainly to show the quality available from a phone,” Miller explains. Andrew Urban, a previous Tempe Camera rental department employee, who has since found success as a freelance fashion/lifestyle/advertising photogra- pher working with the likes of Adidas, Lacoste and Sony Music, reflects on how Wojcich’s approach to photography influ- enced him. “One day, he brought in a new camera he just added to his collection and placed it in the lobby downstairs (at Tempe Camera). It was an early 1900s Eastman Kodak 11x14 studio camera. A giant wooden behemoth of a camera,” Urban remembers. “Myself and Jez, the rental dept manager, took it upon ourselves to take some Polaroids with it on a Saturday. When Joe had seen what we had been up to, he smiled. I think watching us take on the task of creating images with this giant wooden, over 100-year-old camera of his and giving the Polaroids to his friends made him happy.” As a photographer, Wojcich enjoyed capturing landscapes and images of people. Whether it was using his analog Fujifilm or his digital Leica camera, he snapped photos that fed into his love for travel. It’s evident his memory lives on through his photo- graphic achievements and the many lives he touched. Tempe Camera’s staff is committed to preserving his spirit through their continued service and dedication to the photography community. “I will miss him, but keep working for him,” Maus says. “Joe didn’t just have a camera store, he created a place where photographers new and old alike could go to learn, be inspired and build relationships with other photog- raphers,” Urban says. “The continuation of that itself I think would be the continua- tion of his legacy.” Wojcich opened Tempe Camera in 1972. (Photo by Angela RoseRed) Lasting Impression from p 24