When Is The Right Time To Get A Studio

Published by hexfire on June 26, 2008

When does an amateur photographer officially become a professional photographer? That line has been blurred severely with the advent of the high end consumer digital cameras such as the Nikon 300 and Canon 5d. Anyone can go out and buy a decent camera for $1500, and say they’re a professional photographer. Obviously the proof is in the photos, but the real question is when does an amateur photographer decide to throw caution to the wind and lease studio space?

One of the hardest things to do in the professional field is start your own business. If you take a cruise around the internet and search for home businesses, home based photographer is generally up at the top of the results. Its fairly easy to set up a small studio in your garage or basement (provided your wife doesn’t kill you first) and start taking photographs that are passable as decent shots. The real tricky part is getting clients. Not many clients are up for traveling to your home and doing a shoot - especially if your home is creepy looking or your shooting in the basement. So whats the next step? Leasing studio space.

The search for studio space is one that I thought wouldn’t take long, and for some reason I’m an idiot. Of course it will take you time, energy, and in the end lots of money. The overriding principle of business is location, location, location. Ask any seasoned business owner and they’ll tell you that location is 80% of the final equation that will make or break you’re business venture. So when your out looking for studio space make sure its in an area that needs and more importantly can sustain your photography studio. The best studio space you find might be in the worst part of town and as such will hinder you’re efforts in gaining clients. Try and pick a space that is conducive to both clients that book by appointment over the phone, and those that are just walking or driving by your new space. If you take this into consideration when searching out studio space you’ll be much better off in the end, even if you don’t have the biggest or best space that you’ve looked at.

The next criterion you should look at when selecting studio space is the layout of the studio itself. Try to imagine how you would put together a floor plan while you’re looking at the different spaces. If you can’t easily envision the layout in your head as you’re looking at the space then its not going to work out very well once you start trying to move in furniture and backdrops. Also take into consideration various needs of your clients. Is there a bathroom available? Does the space have access to hot/cold water? Is there enough room to build in a changing room? A props or utilities closet?

The biggest concern when looking to lease studio space and move yourself up into a larger location then your basement is the bottom line cost. How much is this space going to cost you a month, and how much are you willing to go in debt to have it. Most photographers that are starting out work a day job, then work as a photographer nights & weekends - much like myself. This leaves a quandary for which the studio space is based solely on the disposable income of whatever is left over after all other bills are paid from the day job’s income. Depending on where you’re located, the price per square foot of space for leasing will vary. In this particular area of the country it ranges from $5 to $10 per square foot for unfinished space. This means that a 1000 square foot unfinished space will run you $420 a month on the low end, and up to $850 on the high end. And thats just for the space, thats not including heat, electric, water etc.

If you’re considering buying studio space the cost factor will be your biggest concern. Most new businesses take a loan out from the bank to offset the cost of leasing space. This is a good idea if you have the time to properly set up your business plan and you can get financing from a bank. I would highly suggest taking the time to come up with a business plan, financing from the bank, and then get the biggest space you can while staying under your budget. Keep in mind that most businesses loose money the first two years of operation.