For five decades, Apitz ran a photography studio and printing business in New Ulm. For a time he even owned a frame gallery. On June 4, 2024, he formally closed the last of three business ventures, the printing shop. His last day of work was 50 years and three days after his first day working at Shayds of Color, which was June 1, 1974.

In his 50 year career, Apitz was best known as a photographer. He photographed wedding, high school senior portraits, high school athletics and any other event that was requested. He even photographed former U.S. presidents and vice-presidents.

Apitz remembered the first photo he ever took was at age 7. It was a Christmas and he took a picture of his father and sister.

“I cropped their heads off,” he said. “I got a little better after that.”

In his 50 year career as a photographer, Rick Apitz said one of his favorite photos he ever took was of his three boy; (L to R) Chad, Brad and Tim. All three boys grew up in and around the photography studio until they graduated from high school.

Apitz’s interest in photography grew when in high school. He said at the time, he was not built to be a football player, but could photograph the team. He went so far as to build a darkroom in his parents basement to develop photos. Throughout his high school career he took sports photos for The Journal. Apitz had many fond memories of working for sports editor Don Brand. There was even a time he considered applying for Brand’s job after he retired, but a different business opportunity came up.

After graduating from high school in 1973, Apitz attended college at Southwest State. In that first year he became editor of the college newspaper. During summer break he went looking for a job and was hired by Mike Shay who ran a photography and printing studio.

Apitz said after he was hired, Shay ordered him to come to the studio Saturday and wear a suit. The two of them were going to photograph a wedding. For the first wedding, Apitz served as Shay’s backup.

Apitz was originally hired to run the printing press side of the business, but because he already had a background in photography he was asked to do both.

Apitz worked for Shay for two years and almost quit to find a higher paying job. He told Shay he was planning to quit, but then his boss surprised him and offered to sell him the studio.

One of Rick Apitz most memorable photoshoots was the time he photographed former President George Bush. He and his studio manager Kay Meinzer (right) were hired to photograph an event in Minneapolis that Bush attended. After the photoshoot, Bush approached Apitz and Meinzer and ofter to take a photo with them too. One of Bush’s assistants used Apitz’s camera to take the photo.

“I remember I was barely 21 years old, I had no money,” he said. “I was sitting in Dan Gislason’s office and I am signing papers to buy the studio.”

Though Apitz took over ownership of the business, he kept the name Shayds of Color. Though he was relatively young to own a business, Apitz was ultimately successful at it.

In the early days, the studio was located on the south side of New Ulm, but Apitz would later move the business into his house, which was located closer to downtown.

By running the studio out of his home, Apitz was able to remain close to his family. He raised three boys, Brad, Chad and Tim who all grew up with the photography and printing business.

Apitz said he never formally hired his boys to work in the studio. “I would be a lousy boss,” he said. He would probably be too lenient. They did help out with some projects in the home.

“When I had the studio in the house it was kind of cool because it was all right there, they were only a door or two away,” he said. “I could be a dad and business owner.”

Despite his hectic work schedule, he always found time to take his boys on a week long vacation in the summer.

Looking back on his photography career Apitz views it as a success story, but he tried not to think about it when he was working.

“I think being successful is something you have to look back on,” he said.

Apitz worried that if he started to get comfortable with his success, he might not try as hard and the work could suffer.

Apitz said during his career he tried not to turn down any work. If he was offered a photography job, he tried to take it because the business could be unpredictable.

There was a certain cycle to the work. In the fall and winter he was hired to do student athlete photos and senior graduation photos. Between Easter and Christmas, wedding photography was popular. Nearly every weekend had a wedding scheduled. Apitz remembered one weekend in which he had to photograph five different weddings. After that he tried to limit it to one wedding per weekend.

In his 50-year career, Apitz said he found himself photographing multiple generations of the same family. He would start with one wedding, later photograph that couple’s kids, then that kid’s wedding and then the grandchildren. Some of the kids he would photograph multiple times as they got into various sports

He enjoyed getting to know the kids and seeing them growing up. Often the students he photographed would as adults, bring their kids to be photographed. He ran a multi-generational business.

“That’s the fun part,” he said. “I got to know people.”

Apitz said he stayed in the business so long in part because of the challenge. He tried to approach every photo shoot fresh.

“Everyone had a different story,” he said. “I remember having eight seniors in the room, but I treated each as a separate appointment.”

Being able to communicate with different people was one of Apitz’s best assets.

“You need to know how to talk to people,” he said. “I would photography people that were 90 and I would photograph people that were newborns. You have to learn to talk to everybody.”

Apitz said some of the most unique jobs were when he was hired to photograph famous people. He once attended a fundraising event in which attendees were able to get their photo taken with Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf. Apitz was in charge of taking the photos, but he let Schwarzkopf decide on the best pose. Apitz said he didn’t want to give orders to a general.

Later he photographed President George H.W. Bush. He said after the shoot, Bush talked with Apitz and got a photo with him. One of Bush’s assistants took the photo. Apitz would also photograph Henry Kissinger and vice-president Dick Cheney.

Apitz was forced to close his photography business in the fall of 2022. He was photographing the New Ulm High School football team and suffered a stroke. He did not realize it was a stroke at the time and continued working and finished the photo session with the help of the coaches.

A few days later he went to the hospital and confirmed it was a stroke. Mobility issues made it impossible to photograph events like before. Though he abruptly retired from photography, Apitz was able to continue the printing business for a few more years. He completed his last print contract in June.

In the two months since completely retiring, Apitz has helped some former clients transfer old print files to his successors.

Apitz said the hardest transition has been going from working full-time to retirement.

“I am trying to figure out how to be retire,” he said. After being self-employed for so long it is a weird mindset.

One of his favorite hobbies is flying remote control airplanes. Apitz owns a garage space full of radio controlled planes, which he continues to build and fly.

That is the one thing he is enjoying most about retirement. When his friends call and ask him to fly with them, he can take off without checking his schedule.