Flash in the Past wants to take you back in time.
This local studio and shop specializes in vintage pin-up photoshoots, providing an empowering experience to women who want to emulate and embody the classic pin-up dolls of the past.
Since 2008, this shop has occupied three locations and has remained in its third, in downtown Tucson, for over a year.
Its purpose is to make over everyday women from head to toe, providing everything for a complete transformation: hair, makeup, clothing, sets and props.
The shop has a strict focus on vintage pin-up, with themes based on the 1940s through the 1960s.
“Any photographer could maybe do the things that we do, but because we specialize in this theme, it’s all we do,” said Ramsey Borrego, the owner and photographer for Flash in the Past. “It makes us different because we pay attention to lots of the little details that are specific to vintage pin-up and the theme chosen by the client. Also, we’re the only ones in Tucson who do this, as far as I’m aware.”
The shop offers over 50 shoot themes ranging from beach to burlesque to patriotic. Pricing information can be found on the shop’s website at flashinthepast.com, with package prices starting at $200 per model. The most popular package, according to Borrego, is the base package at $300.
“We work with anybody—all shapes and sizes—and you don’t need any experience,” Borrego said. “You can do this as a gift for a loved one or for fun as a way to treat yourself.”
When asked what makes the shop unique, Borrego said, “We do our own photography, and the front of our shop is also a vintage clothing shop. We hold retro beauty classes once a month. We have some really neat clothes—stuff in the same style that Marilyn Monroe wore.”
The shop is located at 43 S. Sixth Ave. To make an appointment, call the shop or contact its employees through the store’s official website at least a month prior to the desired shooting date. A $100 non-refundable deposit is required for all reservations. You must be 18 or older to be photographed.
Flash in the Past is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.