Most AAFES Exchange stores based overseas will not approve home based photography businesses because they explain that it is in direct competition with their photography studio or photography services. Many of these bases offer one studio photographer or a studio photographer who comes on post a few times during the year to offer studio portraits.
With the growth of the photography industry within the military spouse community this has created a large issue for many who attempt to move their businesses overseas and serve their surrounding military community.
There is no reason that AAFES should consider home based photography businesses to be in competition with their studio services, as most military spouses offer natural light, outdoor lifestyle photography, which is an entirely different type of photography from the service AAFES provides.
We are petitioning for AAFES to allow the approval of home based photography businesses at overseas duty stations because their services do not adequately meet the qualifications of being in direct competition with us, and because their photography services are not abundant or diverse enough to fulfill the needs of photography consumers.