By Ellen Robertson
Published: April 25, 2009
As chief photographer for Caston Studios, Albert Wilder Brown Sr. had his share of excitement, from being bitten by a Chihuahua brought in for a family shoot to getting in trouble with the state police.
He drew the attention of Virginia State Police while photographing his uncle, L. Douglas Wilder, who at the time was Virginia's governor. "He was carrying battery packs for a film camera that looked like little packages of C-4 -- plastic explosives. They allow you to shoot a couple hundred photos," said Laney Caston, co-owner, with his wife, Stephanie, of Caston Studios.
When they saw the battery packs, "state troopers jumped him. He had a lot of explaining to do. Al told them, 'I'm photographing my uncle. He'll vouch for me!'"
Mr. Brown, who had never missed a photo session in the 28 years he had worked for Caston, failed to show up for one on April 16. A friend found him dead at his Richmond home the next day. The 58-year-old photographer, who had suffered from heart problems, diabetes and high blood pressure, died while cooking bacon.
"Al loved to cook," Laney Caston said. "He'd bring stuff he had cooked to work and say, 'Want to taste this?' He loved risotto and shrimp and garlic and tenderloin on the grill."
A funeral will be held today, Saturday, at 11 a.m. at First African Baptist Church, 2700 Hanes Ave., the church in which the Richmond native grew up. Burial will be Oakwood Cemetery.
Mr. Brown, whose great-grandfather founded Brown's Photography Studio at Second and Leigh streets, came to Caston in 1981 after studying fine arts at Elizabeth City State University and Virginia Commonwealth University. He became part of Caston's franchise at Miller & Rhoads department store and photographed legions of children visiting Richmond's Legendary Santa.
He also worked at Caston's studios at 219 E. Grace St., Regency Square, Chesterfield Towne Center and at 9000 Quiocassin Road.
"We taught him a lot about lightings," Laney Caston said. "He was one of the best photographers in the state. He was really, really good with brides and with animals."
Stephanie Caston said the many brides Mr. Brown worked with remembered the little "Al-isms," especially: "Ma'am, make sure you have something to eat before you come for your pictures," and "Break in your wedding shoes. You don't want to tell your husband your feet hurt on your honeymoon."
He had photographed animals ranging from dogs and cats to an iguana and a llama.
She said that when families calling to book Mr. Brown to shoot a wedding found out he already had an engagement, they often would change the date of the wedding to make sure he could be there.
"One of the nicest things about Albert was his sweetness and niceness as a man," Laney Caston said. "He made everyone feel comfortable. A family would come in to see him to book a wedding. Four hours later, after they'd discussed all the shots, they'd still be there talking and laughing. He was so personal that they wouldn't have gone anywhere else."
When he set aside his camera and his spatula, he loved to build model cars and followed the Baltimore Orioles, the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Survivors include two sons, Albert W. Brown Jr. and Justin M. McCauley; and a brother, Michael G. Brown, all of Richmond.
