Need your advice please!!! (Opening a studio)

SabrinaO · Feb 22, 2011

I'm thinking about renting out some space for a studio for about a month or two just to try it out. I'm tired of my "portable studio" and lugging my equipment everywhere and setting up and taking down each session. It takes a lot of work and time. Especially fiddling with the lighting. So if I can find someone that willl rent out to me for a month or two should I just jump into it? I'm not sure... because another thing is that I live in Connecticut and the weather is gonna get warm soon so I don't know if people are going to want indoor, studio type sessions? I don't know... what should I do? Has anyone ever just jumped into opening a studio? How did it go/is it going?

Olympus E300 · Feb 22, 2011

In my opinion, you have nothing to lose but the money and if you can afford to throw a little green away, then why not? It may turn out to be a priceless experience. In any event, at a minimum it should render itself into a learning experience. Isn't that what we're all after? If you approach this venture as money spent with little or even NO money returned - then in my opinion you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I would consider it! But that's me...I might not be the brightest bulb in the shed...lol.

cnutco · Feb 22, 2011

^ What he said ^

If you do, then post up some pics of the before, during and after of the studio!

SabrinaO · Feb 22, 2011

Olympus E300 said:
In my opinion, you have nothing to lose but the money and if you can afford to throw a little green away, then why not? It may turn out to be a priceless experience. In any event, at a minimum it should render itself into a learning experience. Isn't that what we're all after? If you approach this venture as money spent with little or even NO money returned - then in my opinion you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I would consider it! But that's me...I might not be the brightest bulb in the shed...lol.

If we could still "thank" in this forum I would've because you have given me the motivation to go through with this! :hug::I wasn't sure because i don't know how much business i'm gonna get especially since weather is warming up. But like you said there is really nothing to lose, and a learning experience to gain! I also figured the worst I could do is break even.

Anyways... here is the space im looking at. Its $365 per month for 275 square feet. All utilities, services and taxes included! Its in a good high traffic downtown area and its on the second floor.

Here are some pics....
Studio/Office

lobbies

exterior

Is the space big enough? Is it bad that its on the second floor, and there's no off street parking? What do you all think? :blushing:

Big Mike · Feb 22, 2011

That is a really small space....but it you're creative, you could probably make it work. The good part is that it's not too expensive and could give you the studio experience without sending you to the poor house.

One idea that strikes me, is using the space primarily as a sales office and mini-studio. Many of the successful studio designs, are geared just as much to sales, as they are to shooting. They have a nice reception area (plenty of opportunity to show of some large prints), maybe they have a more private meeting area and maybe even a separate sales area etc.
This looks like a nice building and space and I think it might be impressive enough to help clients book you. But if you pack it full of studio gear, then it just might look a bit more 'small potatoes'...if you know what I mean.
In other words, I think that a goal might be, to use this as your sales & administration space, but shoot somewhere else. That might work well if you do a lot of your shooting outdoors...but I do also see that you are looking for an indoor place to shoot as well. So if my idea for the usage of this space did work, then you would/could find another (bigger) space to shoot...and it wouldn't necessarily have to look fancy or be in such a good location, because you would already have impressed and booked the clients.

I sort of know a photographer who rented a similar space in his town's downtown district. He only used the space for impressing, booking and selling clients. Plus, the storefront was a good way to exert a presence in the town. He is mainly a wedding photographer, so he didn't really need the space for studio shooting.

As far as opening a studio, in general....the important thing is that you can expect/generate a steady stream of clients. I've seen a few photographers open studios, and they have had great success right away...especially if they have a large client base that they can count on for business right away. One idea was to throw a party for all their clients (and friends etc) so that everyone was aware that they had opened the studio. That's all great...but the trouble comes a few months later when all your clients are up to date with their photo needs and you're struggling to generate new clients. Then it comes to a decision of whether to start dumping money into advertising & marketing...and that, on top of the studio costs, can really run you dry.

So besides the monthly cost of the space, you should also consider the costs of what you may have to do, to justify the original cost of the space. So $365 per month is one thing, but for example, you may have to spend $1200 per month on marketing, in order to get that steady stream of clients that you may need.

2WheelPhoto · Feb 28, 2012

So Sabrina,

Did you finally open that studio, and is it next to Rub!?

MLeeK · Feb 28, 2012

That is no where near enough space for me to shoot in!
I'd say YES, jump on it if you said you had a business plan and some thoughts on how to make it succeed, but your attitude is so "see if it flies" that it won't fly. Business is what you MAKE it. If you don't MAKE it, it won't fly.
You can't go into something thinking "we'll see if it works..." you have to have a plan to MAKE it work. And that plan is constantly evolving and changing as you learn and grow.
My answer? The space is to small by more than 1000sf and the plan doesn't exist. You'll be wasting your money.

MLeeK · Feb 28, 2012

And you shouldn't be fiddling if you are shooting a studio style setup. I can set my strobes up anywhere and know exactly what to dial into my exposure. Doesn't matter if the room is dark or the sun is out.
If this is your problem-invest in a good light meter instead of wasting your money on a space that isn't going to work for you. A LOT less $ and headache. A LOT easier!

blackrose89 · Feb 28, 2012

MLeeK said:
And you shouldn't be fiddling if you are shooting a studio style setup. I can set my strobes up anywhere and know exactly what to dial into my exposure. Doesn't matter if the room is dark or the sun is out.If this is your problem-invest in a good light meter instead of wasting your money on a space that isn't going to work for you. A LOT less $ and headache. A LOT easier!

Umm it's a year old thread. Pretty sure the OP's made up their mind lol.