When my photographer friends Frank and Mary Pat got tired of paying an ever-escalating rent for a downtown studio space, they took a good look at their own residential property and decided that a studio was a better use of space than a garage—so they built one from scratch. Note the roll-up door to one side for easy equipment loading. It’s even got “curb appeal.” No more rent increases to worry about.
More and more, photographers are maximizing the potential of their own property . . .
While there are still premium studios open for business adjacent to some of the country’s priciest residential neighborhoods, the rest of the industry has changed. More and more, photographers are maximizing the potential of their own property by rehabbing an existing garage or utility building or creating a new space on their own residential property. While some neighborhoods have ordinances that don’t allow home offices (check with your lawyer), things in many parts of the country are less restricted and photographers are taking advantage of this to create spaces that offer nearly everything needed to launch a business. Back in 1995, when I moved from a 2500 square foot building near Austin’s downtown business district into my current space, I was concerned what clients might think. In the many years that have passed, though, I’m happy to say that not a single client has complained about our studio or its location in a residential neighborhood. THE INSIDE STORY ON LIGHTING INSIDE 23