In 1970 my grandparents, Marshall and Evelyn Bridwell, retired to their new home they built on 160 acres near Hillsboro, Missouri.  Using a Native American word that means "the place where the heart desires to be" - tonglito (tahn-GLEE-tow) - they named their new land Tonglito Farm.  I spent most of my childhood visiting the Farm with my parents, brothers, and extended family throughout the year, but particularly for the Thanksgiving and Fourth of July holidays.  It is the place of many childhood memories; a place all of us grandchildren still remember fondly today.

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It was in that spirit that I first created Tonglito Photography Studios in 2011. However, after several years, a new studio name (Mikivus) evolved and sort of took on a life of its own, eventually becoming the brand my photography is now known by today. You can read all about that name here. It was an extremely tough decision to formally head that direction back in 2025; but the original meaning of Tonglito and the spirit under which I professionalized my photography stays just as strong with me today as it did when I was a kid. And so, just as it was true back then, it's still true now...

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There is no physical studio here; that 'place' is up to you.  My hope is to capture those moments in the faces of you, your loved ones, and your art that you'll cherish for a lifetime... those moments and places where your heart desires to be.