Tom’s One Hour Photo Studio & Lab

The Space and Atmosphere

Tom’s One Hour Photo occupies a modest storefront on Beverly Boulevard in Koreatown. The exterior shows its age with faded signage, and the interior maintains that same time-capsule quality. Walls display decades of family portraits, passport photos, and celebrity snapshots alongside vintage cameras and photography equipment. The front area handles film development and passport services. The back room houses Tom’s portrait studio with its collection of hand-painted backdrops rolled up and ready to drop into position.

The shop feels authentic because it is. Tom immigrated from Vietnam in 1979 and worked various jobs before opening this location in 1991. He taught himself backdrop painting and refined his photography style during the pre-digital boom years when one-hour photo labs thrived. The patina and wear you see come from three decades of continuous operation, not from deliberate vintage styling.

The Portrait Experience

Tom runs portrait sessions personally, guiding customers through pose selection and backdrop choices with a directing style he calls “old school.” He physically adjusts positions, turns faces, arranges limbs, and makes decisions about what looks best. Some photographers take a hands-off approach. Tom does not. His method produces the composed, carefully arranged portraits that defined 1990s studio photography.

Sessions last about 30 minutes. Tom discusses backdrop preferences first. The clouds remain popular. So do the roses, hearts, and rainbow designs. He works with both digital cameras and film, depending on customer preference. The digital option provides files quickly, while film sessions require development time but deliver authentic grain and color characteristics.

Tom occasionally includes short video clips when inspiration strikes. He adjusts his approach based on customer comfort levels, though most visitors appreciate his directive style. The portraits deliberately channel yearbook photos, family studio sessions, and mall glamour shots from the 1980s and 1990s.

The Viral Story

In August 2019, country singer Kacey Musgraves and her photographer sister needed quick film development. They found Tom’s shop and decided to book a portrait session. Musgraves loved the experience so much she posted the photos on Instagram and created a dedicated appreciation account for Tom’s business. The posts went viral immediately.

Tom didn’t know who Musgraves was when she visited. He and his wife Lisa don’t use Instagram themselves. But the attention transformed their struggling business. Appointments filled up. Celebrities started visiting. The Instagram account Tom’s children help maintain now has over 100,000 followers.

Business had declined sharply during the digital transition. Lisa worked full-time as a nail technician to supplement income. They paid rent but barely covered expenses. The viral moment changed their trajectory without changing Tom’s approach. He still hand-paints backdrops, still directs poses the same way, still operates cash-only with no website.

What to Know Before Visiting

Call ahead to book an appointment at (213) 389-2677. The shop doesn’t accept DM bookings. Arrive with cash since cards aren’t accepted. Pricing varies based on the number of backdrops used and any retouching requests, but sessions generally cost around $45.

Bring props if desired. Coordinate outfits for group sessions. The 90s aesthetic works best with period-appropriate clothing choices, though Tom photographs clients in whatever they wear. Consider the backdrops when planning wardrobe colors.

Tom closes on Tuesdays and maintains regular hours the rest of the week. Weekend appointments book quickly. His small space means limited capacity, so scheduling ahead prevents disappointment. Parking on Beverly Boulevard uses metered street spots.

The experience takes you back to an era when getting portraits made required visiting a studio, choosing backdrops from a catalog, and trusting a photographer’s eye. Tom preserves that tradition not through nostalgia marketing but through continuous operation. He never stopped doing what he’s always done. The world just came back around to appreciating it.