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EDITOR’S NOTE: In recognition of Black History Month, The LaGrange Daily News is featuring Black-owned businesses in our community.

The next time you want to take a good selfie, you may want to check out Chatman’s Media Photo and Selfie Museum.

Owned by husband and wife duo Derrick and LaTisha Chatman, Chatman’s Media Photo and Selfie Museum is a photo, video and audio production center that features over 19 booth stations where clients can take professional-style photographs with their choice of over 50 different backdrops.

“Customers can come in and do videos for TikTok and the other types of social media,” Derrick said. “Of course, we do the traditional family portraits for business and school. We also do music videos, movies, documentaries, commercials, and offer DJ services.”

Initially, the business started as the brainchild of Derrick.

“I’ve always had a love of electronics. Growing up, I used to tear up stuff and take them apart just to see what made it work,” Derrick said. “For a while, I got involved in that when music took me abroad and just started speaking to me. I really got into it dealing with music and electronics, from there taking pictures, and it picked up from there and grew.”

Derrick said the art of photo-making and taking is like a form of therapy for him.

“It keeps me calm and speaks to me in various ways. It does a lot of positive for me,” Derrick said.

Derrick said one of the key things that make the business stand out is its want to help people be creative and share the knowledge behind their craft.

“When we made the business, I wasn’t trying to compete with every photographer because I wanted to interact and share what we can do as well as learn what other people were doing too,” Derrick said.

Derrick said the center is working on a movie called “Chosen” that is currently filming in the studio and parts of LaGrange. He said he expects the movie to premiere in May on streaming platform Tubi. 

Derrick said his advice for anyone wanting to open a business similar to Chatman’s Media would be to put God first, don’t be afraid to ask questions and be 100% committed.

“It’s about what you give God, so he can water it and make it grow. After that, find out what you can do, and dominate it and go after it 100%,” Derrick said. “If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

Chatmans Media Photo & Selfie Museum is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday through Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. and closed Sunday and Monday. For more information, call (706) 962-6552 or visit https://www.facebook.com/chatmansmediaselfiemuseum.