Local Photographer's Show Debuts at Black Cow

Chad Kraus of Pleasantville has been shooting photographs since he was a pre-teen.

"I sold cookies and lemonade in front of my apartment building in Manhattan," he recalled. "I bought my first camera when I was about 12 and have been shooting ever since. I'm self-taught."

Kraus has worked for a record label in New York City for 18 years and thought about photography as just a hobby until a few years back.

"I kind of had my light bulb moment when I went to my cousin's daughter's bat mitzvah about four years ago," he explained. "I took a bunch of photos just for the fun of it and they said, 'These are better than the professional photos!' That was the moment I decided to give it a go."

Now, Kraus runs Chad David Kraus Photography as a side business, which he said is "just a nice way to supplement my full-time job and do something I love and that I am passionate about."

He sees this approach as a positive thing for his clients, as he's able to pick and choose his gigs.

"It's not just another wedding every week," he explained. "As a result, it's fresh."

And now, the photographer's first public exhibit is gracing the walls of the in Pleasantville for the month of September.

"It covers a whole range of subjects," said Kraus. "Some of the shots are from my travels around the world, some are shots of my kids, some are landscapes and artistic shots from around Pleasantville."

Kraus also regularly shoots photographs of the , which publishes his photos on its Facebook page.

This type of work has helped his photography business grow, which he said is largely due to "people spreading the word."

To date, Kraus has covered weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs and done family photo shoots in Pleasantville and the greater Westchester area.

"I have three young kids, so I'm not sure I would want to make it my total fulltime gig because it would mean [giving up] every weekend," he explained. "That's time I still like to enjoy spending with my family."

Kraus credits his outgoing personality and natural eye for his business' success so far.

"Also, a lot of my style for photography is more [like a] photojournalist and candid as opposed to the old school real static portrait style," he explained. "I even catch myself smiling as I'm capturing someone smiling or laughing and enjoying the day. I think that sort of speaks to my love of life."

There will be a reception for Chad Kraus' Black Cow exhibit on Friday at 7 p.m.