After 37 years in business, Pictureline owner Jens Nielsen still loves Mondays

SALT LAKE CITY — Like many shops, Pictureline started small. Really small.

"It was literally a 10-by-10 room," said owner Jens Nielsen. "And I remember having a little desk. We probably had 20 products ... It was film, it was white gloves, it was canned air ... All the little supplies that people use in the photo lab."

After a year or so in business, Nielsen had a banner week. "I went home to Denmark, and I think we'd sold $3,000 for that week ... I remember going back and telling my parents that I had made the American Dream.

"I don't know what the profit was," he said, laughing. "Maybe a couple hundred dollars."

Later, Nielsen added cameras to his inventory. A successful Nikon dealer already existed in town, so he turned to an up-and-coming brand.

"I was downtown, so I was close to the Salt Lake Tribune, the Deseret News ... and I got them to look at Canon. So, Canon became my first brand camera," he said.

Much has changed since Pictureline – named for Nielsen's mother Eline – was launched. In 2022, the flagship store opened at 305 W. 700 South in Salt Lake City.

The two-story, 23,000-square-foot building includes a massive sales floor, with all the major camera brands, lighting and accessories a photographer or videographer might need. The second floor, lined with windows for plenty of natural light, is dedicated to workshops.

In addition to the Salt Lake location and online business, Pictureline has a second retail store in Boise, Idaho, and will open a third in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2027.

While it's a far cry from the early days, the tremendous growth isn't surprising when you meet Nielsen. His enthusiasm for the industry is palpable.

"Photography is just such an exciting, exciting invention," Nielsen said. "Monday is my favorite day because I get to go to work. And that's something to be said after 37 years."

Learn why Pictureline has become a go-to source for both amateur and professional photography enthusiasts in KSL's Beyond Business video.