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I've been shooting for a LONG time (dang I'm old) and at various times have had a studio and at times shot location only.
I'm in a new city now and facing the decision of starting a commercial studio here or not. My first thought was not to do it, just rent a space if i needed it and shoot mostly on location. My bread and butter are manufacturers or big retailers and I can shoot at their warehouses so I don't really need a shooting space as such but for shooting fashion I kinda do need a space of my own I'm thinking...
What do you guys think?
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What are some of your options for renting? Is a smaller space available for you since you do most of your photography on location? I am sure this will be influenced by your thoughts on the pros and cons of adding a studio.
Barbara - Life is what you make of it!
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There are several spaces available for rent here in Denver as well as a co-op kinda deal. When I had my studio in Florida I would rent out my space as well but stopped because it was mostly guys wanting to shoot skanky women. I'm not opposed to shooting fine art nudes, I do it myself, i don't like the more skanky stuff being shot in my space.
The problem renting a space is when clients are involved that want to be there during the shoot. I just am not comfortable with having people I don't know hanging around which happens in rental studios. It also paints a "non professional" picture of you in a way.
It is a lot cheaper though.
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Like you said, it depends on your clients. If you'll only shoot on location, a studio would be a waste of resources. If you'll shoot fashion, it'll prove most useful.
Why not try making a list with pros and cons, grade them and them sum it up. I do that when looking for a new camera model.
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Yup, I've done that and I think I need to go with a studio. There are just too many positives that go along with it to ignore.
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You already know that having your very own shooting place will present you better, so I won't go there.
I believe every photographer who has the opportunity to have his own shooting place should have it. Even if he's shooting at client's warehouses most of the time. Having your own quiet and calm place and the knowledge that you can come and shoot whatever you like whenever you like is a great thing and will for sure make you feel better and enjoy photography more.
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quote='photokev' pid='85802' dateline='1361457687']
I've been shooting for a LONG time (dang I'm old) and at various times have had a studio and at times shot location only.
I'm in a new city now and facing the decision of starting a commercial studio here or not. My first thought was not to do it, just rent a space if i needed it and shoot mostly on location. My bread and butter are manufacturers or big retailers and I can shoot at their warehouses so I don't really need a shooting space as such but for shooting fashion I kinda do need a space of my own I'm thinking...
What do you guys think?
[/quote]
Hi Kev
As far a fashion goes, I've done fashion work for years and rarely used a studio, probably half a dozen times. There are some instances where a studio might be preferred and I guess that will depend on client demands. An argument might be a more controlled environment in a studio but for me if you have decent equipment (including lighting/reflectors/assistants as needed) you can't beat the outdoors. I find that models are generally more at ease and relaxed outdoors too as there are far more natural props for them to work with than what you would need to furnish a fully functioning studio. Even the weather doesn't have to be an issue - I've done plenty of fashion shots in the rain. Product shots would invariably require a studio of some description and can be accomplished in some surprisingly compact places. Perhaps it might be worthwhile taking on the work gradually and as the demand increases (and consequently your budget) expand accordingly. Nothing worse than an extravagant and fancy studio with insufficient funds to finance it. I know many photographers who have trodden that path. In the "Body Art" gallery on my Websiste, all the images were taken outside. I have a specific fashion portfolio too but that is aimed at models and not as a "for sale" site.
(This post was last modified: Feb 27, 2013, 10:57 by
Barbara G..)
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Hello paulG,
Nice to have you here in the forums! Thanks for becoming a member and joining in on the conversations!
Barbara - Life is what you make of it!
