Tabitha Johnston/Chronicle Dawn Dunbar, of Shepherdstown, looks at Cooper Captures Gallery’s wildlife photography with her seven-year-old granddaughter, Sienna Dunbar, during Saturday’s pop-up-shop event in Shepherdstown.

Cooper Captures Gallery, a wildlife and scenic photography shop on German Street, hosted a pop-up shop in its store Saturday with jewelry vendor The Golden Thistle.

The gallery plans to highlight local talent and provide customers with additional buying opportunities by hosting similar pop-up shop experiences within its store one Saturday a month.

“I met a man at a coffee shop who told me this was an awesome town to visit, and he was so right,” said Lisa Shields of Manassas, Virginia, as she browsed the gallery. “I went to the Black Dog cafe after I visited the Burr House festival, and was trying to find something else to do while I was up here.”

“I love exploring, and I’m happy the C & O Canal comes through here,” Shields said. “Maybe when I retire I can move to Shepherdstown-this is exactly the kind of town I like.”

Tam Ilg, owner of The Golden Thistle, said the store had seen “quite a few” visitors throughout the day. Ilg primarily sells pearl and beaded jewelry, and custom makes pieces for clients throughout the U.S.

“I do four juried craft shows a year, some of which I have been doing for nine or 10 years,” said Ilg for whom jewelry making is a part-time job.

Full-time, she works at Reality Farm in Kearneysville.

“My jewelry is elegant and makes an amazing Mother’s Day gift,” said Ilg, who will also be selling her jewelry today at Black Dog Coffee Company.

Diana Cooper, owner of Cooper Captures Gallery, said Shepherdstown is an ideal place to sell her photography.

“We were in a location in Martinsburg for seven years,” said Cooper. “It was a very nice place, but we’ve always wanted to be here. This is a great location.”

Cooper shares her shop space with husband and fellow photographer Tony Cooper, of TLC Photography, and Harley, their Yorkshire terrier. Both Cooper Captures Gallery and TLC Photography are open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We moved our businesses here in mid-February, but I’ve lived here since 1990,” Cooper said.

According to Cooper, she often puts her own life in the balance for her business.

“I’m an idiot. I put myself in dangerous situations more than I should,” Cooper said. “I once saw a bear show up while I was fishing at a lake, and both me and my husband ran to grab our cameras to capture the moment.”