Do you have a studio?

I am curious how many pro photographers still have a studio? Are most working from home and not doing formal portraits any more?

Here's why I ask - I do theater photography and my studio is the stage (or a portable backdrop for head shots). But my wife is be relocated to New England next year and I will be moving my business there as well. One of my thoughts is that I would like to have a studio to work from, and could probably rent the space to other photographers or videographers on an hourly basis for those times that the phoographer/videographer needs a studio to bring a client for an indoor shoot.

(Actually, my wife wants me to move my business out of the house and into a studio. One bedroom is an office, one is a storage room for gear, our living room is where I meet clients... You know the scene. The complaint is valid - My teenage daughter cannot have friends over when I am expecting clients and since the office is ten feet from the kitchen, I frequently work until 1:00 or 2:00 AM).

So - opinions anyone?

Steve

Depends on how many clients you have for the studio per month?

Is this part of your theater work?

I can't see how we could do without our home/studio although it is
small and actually the entry room, it is what sells, or at least helps with
our wedding work and necessary for portraits and some magazine work.
It also serves as part of a small commercial product income.

I don't want to move to full overhead of an outside studio unless that
was in the income stream that paid the frieght.

Having a studio that holds your income just that much higher can make
all the difference. It would be hard to do without one for most people
type and small commercial pros.

Stephen Mann said:

I am curious how many pro photographers still have a studio? Are
most working from home and not doing formal portraits any more?

Here's why I ask - I do theater photography and my studio is the
stage (or a portable backdrop for head shots). But my wife is be
relocated to New England next year and I will be moving my business
there as well. One of my thoughts is that I would like to have a
studio to work from, and could probably rent the space to other
photographers or videographers on an hourly basis for those times
that the phoographer/videographer needs a studio to bring a client
for an indoor shoot.

(Actually, my wife wants me to move my business out of the house
and into a studio. One bedroom is an office, one is a storage room
for gear, our living room is where I meet clients... You know the
scene. The complaint is valid - My teenage daughter cannot have
friends over when I am expecting clients and since the office is
ten feet from the kitchen, I frequently work until 1:00 or 2:00 AM).

So - opinions anyone?

Steve

Click to expand...

Keeping the home office is a distant option. My wife would like for me to move the business from the house. So the question that I am facing is one of do I rent a cheap office or storefront that serves my needs only, or if I spend the extra money and effort to build a studio, could I make the rent by subleasing the studio on an hourly basis for other photographers or videographers use?

I guess another way of asking would be, what do the home-based photographers without a studio do when they are faced with a client who wants a studio sitting?

Steve

for 8 years, and will be buying my own building in a month

--
Regards, Phillip @ Keepsake,

I've never carried bags for anyone, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night

Pretty much all are a locat pro that knows who you are if you
rent for a day. They are not advertised, but word-of-mouth. The
ones I know directly have lights and a certain amount of equipment,
so there is a trust factor.

Look for local photography groups or even a local college when you
get there and ask around for this type of studio. Others here are co-op
run by several pros who are like you and only need to book/sign-in
for the hours of use. Don't just stick to photographres because there
are many artists who would do the same. Such a person has a part time
gallery and there is a corner for a hairdresser and photography wall.
This same gallery/studio brings in artists and painters who want to
reserve the spot for a day or two and pay that day/rent. Artists tend
to get along on that level. Actually, some of the large abstract paintings
make cool blurred backgrounds and the artists know that is happening.

I would look around for those situations before plunking down on a full time
rental and/or devote a smaller part of your home to a studio.

Stephen Mann said:

Keeping the home office is a distant option. My wife would like
for me to move the business from the house. So the question that I
am facing is one of do I rent a cheap office or storefront that
serves my needs only, or if I spend the extra money and effort to
build a studio, could I make the rent by subleasing the studio on
an hourly basis for other photographers or videographers use?

I guess another way of asking would be, what do the home-based
photographers without a studio do when they are faced with a client
who wants a studio sitting?

Steve

Click to expand...

Don't have a studio, my buddy does. I have more work, he has to pay rent. I feel that I'm better off even though I may lose a bit of work. I do weddings all on location.
--
Life is not a dress rehearsal !
See Cuba & NYC at http://www.jonrp.smugmug.com

Stephen Mann said:

Keeping the home office is a distant option. My wife would like
for me to move the business from the house. So the question that I
am facing is one of do I rent a cheap office or storefront that
serves my needs only, or if I spend the extra money and effort to
build a studio, could I make the rent by subleasing the studio on
an hourly basis for other photographers or videographers use?

Click to expand...

You didn't say if you'd continue working in the same manner in your new location. If you are able to work well on location, you only need a bit of office and reception space and perhaps a small gallery. That need not be a retail storefront (you pay more for space with "foot traffic"), but can be a small space in a professional office suite away from the retail areas.

If you can't work on location any longer, then you will need studio space, but the trend these days is NOT a studio in a retail location. Basically, a photography business model that depends on foot traffic puts you in competition with Wal-Mart, Sears, and other high-volume outlets. You are going to have to work by appointment or commission (as you have been doing) to earn a living--which means, again, space outside the retail area.

--
RDKirk
'TANSTAAFL: The only unbreakable rule in photography.'

I have it both ways...I have a 2k sq ft studio w/ 30' cyc wall outside my kitchen through the french doors...four-six months of the year I rent 10-12k sq ft warehouse for several large projects. There is no need to pay for overhead unless you need it...it's a large nut to feed. If you own it, that would be a different story...my wish is to get a 60'x200' building w/loading docks and street level door. Maybe one day...getting closer...
--

have my own building (built with my own hands) on my property. It is a 24ft x 40ft pole building with 10ft ceiling (do wish I'd gone 12ft high). I have acrage in the township, so had the room to build.

The building, and everything in it, is more than paid for. What's really nice about having my own building is during the slow times I can simply turn off the lights, dial down the heat, and close the door.

If I were to decide to close down the photography business that building will make a hell of a sweet garage (but, that isn't too likely for some time yet).

Depending on how busy you want to be, or how large scale, I'd recommend this type of arrangement to anyone that has any remote chance of doing so.

George Law
http://www.images123.com

Unless you have enough money for at least 6 months of rent, better wait.

A rental studio is a big gamble. Unless you get a killer deal on a space.

The nice thing about having your own studio off site, is that you actually get to leave work.

Personally, I think you work harder and take a more professional approach to your biz when you have an off site studio.

I have always had my own studio, except when I lived in NYC. The thought of meeting someone in my home, just never seemed to be a good thing.

I plan on buying my own building after my lease expires in 3 years. One with other tenants, to help offset the mortgage, if possible.

You alone, know if you can afford it.Moving to a new city is tough, unless you already have connections there.

Good luck!!
--
http://www.kevinfocht.com

Building a studio now on my property (have small 2 ac. to use). Building is 2 story and 42x63. Starting out with 18x42 area with celing open 2 levels. The remaining lower area will be used as garage/workshop or for large projects when needed. The second level will have 1 bedroom, bathroom, wet bar and common area that looks down onto the studio.

Rent was way out of line for the area I live in for the condition. Made more sense to use my property (3 miles from interstate) and when I am done with photography I can turn it into a guest house or something.
Keeping the computer in the house/home office to do the post work on.

There is never enough space for all the gear. It will be so nice to get it and the clients out of the house and have everything set up all the time. To much time is spent keeping kids out, packing it all back up, setting up and cleaning the house now.

Build, buy or rent and everyone will be much happier if they are like my family. Your budget will decide what you can do.
Good luck!
--
ckb
visit my sites at http://www.photographybychris.net
and at http://www.pbase.com/ckb

I started in my home which was purchased for it's available separate entrance and work spaces. After 7 years I outgrew that and moved to a 22,000 sq.ft. commercial space that was lovely until the local economy went belly up. So 15 years after I started there, I moved back into my home for 6 more years. Now I'm back in studio space 1/10 the size of the first studio. I personally think that if you can support the cost of the space by yourself, then do it. Depending on other photogs to rent your space is iffy at best, according to the size of your market area. And don't forget, photography is cyclical, and if you're slow, it's likely your prospective renters are also. The flipside of that is that when your busy, they want your space, too. That was my experience with the large studio, anyway. I really used 10-12,000 sq.ft. most of the time and wanted to rent out the other 10K to others, which only happened rarely.

Is your wife able to pick up the slack in the downturn you'll likely suffer in getting restated in a new market? Would it be wise to stay with an in-home set-up until you're certain of your business after the move? At that point you'll have better information as to your prospects and be able to do more research on locations in the meantime.

Just a thought...
--
jrbehm
http://www.studiob-productions.com

New England is a big place.

I imagine some little town in Maine with residents who look like they belong in Bob newhart's old TV show with the hotel in it.

And then there's Boston.

Anyway... I combine several kinds of management consulting with some photography. I used to have a three-room office set up with about 15 x 15 feet emptly and usable for photos.

I rarely used space, and moved next door to a 20 x 20 room, with a small shooting area where I can do any kind of shot of one peson, and lots of different shots of two people. Same room has my desk, files, mini-kitchen, etc.. Dyna-lite and Courtney strobes system (three lights), background cloths, umbrellas and softboxes, etc.

So, yes, a studio, but small.

One of my partners runs a graphic design operation, and he has a good sixzed shooting room that's a subway ride from here. It has more Dyna-lites (they used to be mine, here) etc., and it's a "cleaner" room than my combo office-studio.

In the five years when I had the larger space, I never really got around to trying to develop my business to take advantage fo the space. Instead, I was doing almost all location work.

Most of my work involves taking pictures of business people, in their own surroundings, or authors, often in some place related to their books.

IN YOUR CASE, the real key is what are you going to shoot.

I would not assume that local photographers who got along OK before you arrived and offered to rent them studio space would now decide, upon your arrival, they needed to rent this space from you.

The reverse might be true -- you rent from them.

Americans seem to have a lot of trouble with municipal by-laws regarding working from home, so make sure you're OK in this regard. The smaller the town, the more obvious you are, of course.

If you want to build up your own wide selection of props, your own studio is a good idea. Victorian furniture for some poses, fence posts and hay bales for "cowboy" shots, and so on.

And what are rents like? $400 a month rent plus -- do you need a phone? cable TV? Heat? -- means you cover your expenses with one portrait you could not shoot on location. $1400 a month means your first portrait each week goes to pay for the location.

BAK