Published: Monday, August 3, 2009, 12:01 a.m.
Christopher Fotos, owner of CL!X Portrait Studios
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Mark Mulligan / The Herald
Christopher Fotos, owner of CL!X Portrait Studios, in his Mill Creek office recently.
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Age: 34
City of residence: Mill Creek
Q: How did your name direct your career path?
A: I don't think it did. It was a happy coincidence more than anything. I've taken my own kids' pictures for eight years and then taken pictures professionally for the last two years. The name is Greek, and we think it was originally ‘Fotopolous' and it got shortened when our grandfather immigrated here.
Q: Would you change your name if you could, and why or why not?
A: I do get tired of the puns I listen to every single day about my name, but I wouldn't change it. For me, it seems the name really binds your family, and when it's all of us together, our larger family all together, it's neat — sitting around the dining room table, and my grandmother is there and every one of us is a Fotos. My son is directly named after my father and his name is Tony Fotos, and we always call him that all day long. It's never just Tony, it's Tony Fotos.
Q: If you could choose another career, what would it be?
A: I used to be in the Navy, so I'm a veteran and spent 10 years in the Navy. But if I could choose anything and change, it would probably be some form of teaching. Both of my parents are teachers and that was pretty intense having Mr. Fotos for one of my high school teachers. Yeah, that was pretty intense.
Q: How do you know when someone has picked up on the fact that your name is an aptonym?
A: Whenever I hand someone a business card, it's usually, ‘Is that your real name?' and usually they are very direct and offer a pun like, ‘You know your business pretty well, don't you?' I do my best to laugh each time. People have told me that I ought to play off the name more, but every time I come up with something (a slogan), it just doesn't sound good enough. I'll come up with something like, “Fotos By Fotos,” and doesn't that just irritate you?
Maybe someday I'll have a grand idea that strikes me.
Q: How do people react to the combination of your name and job? Do they get it? Any funny stories as a result?
A: When I started in the Navy, you know they've got a tough few weeks in the beginning, and when I first started they were calling me “Pictures,” and it really took me a while to figure out why they were calling me that because to me it's just my last name. I'm like, ‘Why are they doing that? That sounds like a dumb name for me.'
The most often thing I hear — ‘Is that really your last name?' — then I usually end up discussing the whole immigration thing. Maybe if I had a better sense of humor about it, but I'm never able to pull it together.
Well, at least it's distinctive and memorable.
Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424, goffredo@heraldnet.com
City of residence: Mill Creek
Q: How did your name direct your career path?
A: I don't think it did. It was a happy coincidence more than anything. I've taken my own kids' pictures for eight years and then taken pictures professionally for the last two years. The name is Greek, and we think it was originally ‘Fotopolous' and it got shortened when our grandfather immigrated here.
Q: Would you change your name if you could, and why or why not?
A: I do get tired of the puns I listen to every single day about my name, but I wouldn't change it. For me, it seems the name really binds your family, and when it's all of us together, our larger family all together, it's neat — sitting around the dining room table, and my grandmother is there and every one of us is a Fotos. My son is directly named after my father and his name is Tony Fotos, and we always call him that all day long. It's never just Tony, it's Tony Fotos.
Q: If you could choose another career, what would it be?
A: I used to be in the Navy, so I'm a veteran and spent 10 years in the Navy. But if I could choose anything and change, it would probably be some form of teaching. Both of my parents are teachers and that was pretty intense having Mr. Fotos for one of my high school teachers. Yeah, that was pretty intense.
Q: How do you know when someone has picked up on the fact that your name is an aptonym?
A: Whenever I hand someone a business card, it's usually, ‘Is that your real name?' and usually they are very direct and offer a pun like, ‘You know your business pretty well, don't you?' I do my best to laugh each time. People have told me that I ought to play off the name more, but every time I come up with something (a slogan), it just doesn't sound good enough. I'll come up with something like, “Fotos By Fotos,” and doesn't that just irritate you?
Maybe someday I'll have a grand idea that strikes me.
Q: How do people react to the combination of your name and job? Do they get it? Any funny stories as a result?
A: When I started in the Navy, you know they've got a tough few weeks in the beginning, and when I first started they were calling me “Pictures,” and it really took me a while to figure out why they were calling me that because to me it's just my last name. I'm like, ‘Why are they doing that? That sounds like a dumb name for me.'
The most often thing I hear — ‘Is that really your last name?' — then I usually end up discussing the whole immigration thing. Maybe if I had a better sense of humor about it, but I'm never able to pull it together.
Well, at least it's distinctive and memorable.
Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424, goffredo@heraldnet.com
Story tags » • Mill Creek • People
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