A Portrait Studio Near You
Settling into the New Photography Studio
Time flies! I’ve been in my new Troy headshot studio for over a month. It’s hard to believe.
Portrait Photography Conference
To keep things interesting, I decided to attend a conference and tradeshow right after opening the studio.
I was at the WPPI Conference + Expo in Las Vegas. Check out the full post. I’ve been to this conference in the past, but attending this year so soon after the studio move has given me a different perspective as I grow my business. Besides getting the opportunity to enjoy some warmer, sunnier weather, I also learned a lot about new trends and advancements in the portrait photography industry. One trend was very clear — headshot photography is only getting bigger. Nearly everyone I talked to in the wedding or portrait disciplines either has started offering professional portraits or is seriously considering it. The jump is not seamless, though — I would encourage you to stick with a specialist.
I’m excited to integrate some new ideas or approaches as the year progresses. Stay tuned for a separate post on the conference and my takeaways.
Troy Portrait Photography — Finding The Perfect Space
Before moving to Troy, I shared a space in Rochester, which, while cozily located right in the middle of downtown Rochester, didn’t provide as much freedom for me to permanently set up equipment or create a custom layout. Of course the tradeoff was lower overhead. But with a growing client base, the tradeoff was outweighed by the need for a fixed space.
When I was first scoping out my current studio in the Mercantile Bank building, the open space immediately jumped out as a major perk. It needed almost no buildout. Just some new flooring and a fresh paint job, and I was good to go. Painting a studio is pretty easy — the choices are white, or black. Gray is an option too, if you want to live dangerously. The idea is to stay neutral and avoid any potential light contamination or color casts created by the studio lights reflecting off walls, floors or ceilings. So having a fun accent wall isn’t really an option.
And as more and more photographers have begun working either exclusively on location (like local parks) or out of their own homes, photo studios have become increasingly hard to find — so the good ones have to be really accommodating. The fact that my space can hold a vanity area, client meeting space, print display, and changing area is important in offering a full portrait experience. With the convenience, efficiency, and flexibility I can offer now that I’m right in the Big Beaver corridor, I know more great things are in store for 2019.
As far as the décor and finishings, there’s still work ahead, but I’ve aimed for a comfortable, minimalist style that allows my clients to relax and their personalities to really shine in the final portraits. With lots of new clients enjoying the space already, the value has come through in every shot.
As I continue to work on the first impression my studio conveys, how’s your first impression management coming along for the year? Has it been a while since your last business portrait? Make your appointment today! Or if your business is growing and could use a little marketing attention, I’d love to help you with some custom stock images.
