Say 'Cheese' for Bloomingdale's MoSissa Photography

Bloomingdale is getting big smiles ready for chronicling at MoSissa Photography, the new studio at 55 Main St. The brand-new business holds its official ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Borough Mayor Jonathan Dunleavy is expected to be on hand for the event.

Danielle Konopinski is a married mother of two who lives in Butler and loves taking photographs so much that she made it her business. MoSissa, her interestingly named passion, is all about giving her customers "the best photography experience and products."

The entrepreneur-artist has lived in the Bloomingdale/Butler area since 1990 and raves about its "perfect home town setting."

She said her biggest challenge with MoSissa is juggling the business with her spouse and children—and a part-time gig.  

"We have two sports-active children," she said, "and the schedules are simply crazy."

When Patch struck up an email chat with Konopinski, she was full tilt excited about the ribbon cutting, dealing with scheduling issues and making final preparations for Wednesday's event. So we were pleased that she generously agreed to take a few minutes to sit in the Tri-Boro Spotlight.

1.  What in the heck is a MoSissa?    

This is a GREAT question and one that I simply love to answer.  The company name became a combination of the nicknames our twins, Matthew and Melissa, called each other when they could not get the whole name out.  Matthew could not say Melissa and called her “Sissa” and Melissa could not say Matthew, so she called him "Mo."  That is how MoSissa came about.  

2.  What led you to start a photography business, and have you run into any challenges getting it off the ground?

Photography has long been a love of mine and approximately two years ago I decided that I was finally going to go after that dream.  I have been working toward a bachelor’s degree in photography and with the limited space a home studio would provide I started looking for studio space.  I looked at many options and knew I needed the right combination of space and location. 

3.  What makes Mo Sissa stand out from the crowd?

Standing out from the crowd in the photography field takes a great personality, personal style, quality images and products, knowing your equipment inside and out and never stop learning.  The industry has changed significantly over the last 30 years with digital technology, and we as professional photographers need to stay on the cutting edge.   As the owner and photographer at MoSissa, I offer all of these qualities to my customers. As a member of the Professional Photographers Association, I have been attending conferences, master classes and trade shows to keep my ideas fresh and create business partnerships that are the best the industry offers. 

4.  What are you planning for your ribbon cutting and for your first official days being open?

The ribbon cutting will be the “official” opening ceremony.  I have had the studio open for business and have been running a Mother’s Day special that people have taken advantage of.  It is a great opportunity to give Mom the perfect long-lasting gift. 

5.  Why the Tri-Boro?

This is a great area to settle and raise a family.  My husband, Mike, grew up in Bloomingdale and our families live in Butler.  Selecting this area was the perfect choice. Why not strengthen the business community and offer a service not seen before in the Tri-Boro?