My very 1st official studio...;)

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

07/02/2008 06:46:34 PM · #1

Hi everyone...;)

I have decided to take one step further!!
A vacant shop has just been adv and I had a look at it.. nice size and it has an office to..
I do photos from home at the moment and my client base is picking up!! It seems very unpro and just doesnt feel right as I have to set up and take down everytime someone wants photos done..
We live in a small town but that makes no diff.
I am very ex'ited and alot of hard work lies ahead.. I have already got the go ahead from the landlord and now I have to look at where to start first;)
Maybe someone could give some advice from important things they have learned with having their own studio and mistakes that I dont want to make.. hey, if I could avoid it , why not ;)

Very ex'ited
El-Dez

Prof_Fate

07/03/2008 11:31:23 AM · #2

DO a business plan - rent, utilities, insurance, phone, etc - the ongoing recurring monthly bills you don't have now. Ass in the initial startup costs - furnishings (client and office), signage, remodeling, phone system, computer and networking, etc.
Decorations - paint, flowers, rugs, sample photos, lights for those photos, etc.
Sound - you need music. Legally you are not allowed to play music to the public in a store, even a radio! There are licenses you can buy, services you can subscribe to that let you do it - be legal or beware - you're doors are open to everyone and you never know if that client that comes in works for some music company and has an axe to grind. I had a musician as a client and when it comes to RF muisic vs 'stolen' music on slideshows he has VERY strong opnions on the issue, just like you do if someone steals your photos.

Do you need a business license, occupancy permit, business class internet/phone (a LOT more costly than home services), etc? Do you need to have hours? Malls all require every store to be open the hours of the mall, some shopping centers are the same, and some 'downtowns' are just about as adamant, especially if there is an evening a week where everyone is open - so you may need to have staff to sit at the desk and meet, greet and answer phones (hence the need for a phone system - multi line w/ extension, hold and voicemail).

If rent and utilities etc is $800/month and the initial sign/remodel/furn/etc is $5,000 and you plan to be there 2 years that's $1200/month right off the top. And in January you may not bring in $1200 so be prepared for that! If you need to draw a paycheck figure that in there too. Also figure more advertising expenses - it is the gas pedal that controls how fast your business runs. 15% of sales is a good ballpark to work with.

Hey, we've not even talked about the camera room, changing room, bathroom and if anything needs (by law) to be handicapped accessible!

drewbixcube

Canon EOS-7D

07/03/2008 11:42:43 AM · #3

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

Legally you are not allowed to play music to the public in a store, even a radio!

Not to knock the rest of your post, because it is all good info...but I never knew this little tid-bit. I guess that is why Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Home Depot, etc have their own broadcasting system. Hmmm, learn something new every day!

El-Dez, listen to the Prof. My wife and I have talked about going back to our small hometown and making a run at a business, and you should see the pile of notes I have just from Prof's posts on things to look into, plan for, etc. If only this were as easy as the lemonade stands we used to run...set up a table, put out the product, rake in the quarters! Best of luck to you and keep us posted on your progress.

-drew

Man_Called_Horse

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

07/03/2008 11:54:23 AM · #4

Originally posted by Bellissimo0106:

Hi everyone...;)

It seems very unpro and just doesn't feel right as I have to set up and take down every time someone wants photos done..

Not so.

Location work is just as "pro" as studio work.

In the career that I have chosen, and today love, we are always on location. Even though our home is at the stage, there is a lot of things that can not be done, or conveyed on stage because of expenses within a budget.

The only difference between the stage, and a location is time and man power.

Locations always take more time to set up because of the equipment and the logistics, and locations always require more man power to keep the production day on schedule.

Message edited by author 2008-07-03 11:55:16.

Louis

Nikon D800

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

07/03/2008 01:20:44 PM · #5

Location work for film and taking studio photos in the home don't seem equivalent to me.

Man_Called_Horse

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

07/03/2008 01:43:26 PM · #6

Originally posted by Louis:

Location work for film and taking studio photos in the home don't seem equivalent to me.

You make it as hard, or as easy as you want...it is all relative.

Prof_Fate

07/03/2008 06:38:48 PM · #7

YOu lose a certain amount of efficiency when you have to set up and tear down for every shoot. In my case my sales area and shoot area are seperate, but the shoot area is shared with production (framing, order sorting, etc) and for every wedding (2 to 3 times a month) i have to pack up and tear down and reassemble things and it can take 10 to 15 minutes each time - time that produces nothing.

Also I have one area for BGs, so to swap BGs means 10 minutes - move lights, etc. I hope to be in a larger shooting space this month and be able to shoot 3 or 4 BGs without moving much of anything...that's the plan anyway.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

07/03/2008 08:20:01 PM · #8

Originally posted by drewbixcube:

[quote=Prof_Fate] El-Dez, listen to the Prof. -drew

Thanks Drew..
I will look at all the aspc'ts of this and taking into consideration all the 'fine' detail as that could sometimes be the most important..

At the end of the day I will have to move to another place other than home.. I have 4 busy kidos and having a babysitter everytime someone wants to do a shoot is a hassle.. Space is very lim at my home..

I will still continue to offer my clients to option to have their photos done on location of their choice as well if I have the studio. ..

The other option I could look at as well is buying a 'wendy house' ( A cottage like building that you may put up in your back yard.. It looks really nice and I would have a seperate entrance from the outside of my home as well.. It is almost like a big shed just wayyyyyy more pretty..!! ( Being a woman I go for someting that looks pres'able to0)lol ;)

I will keep yous posted on my progress..

chesire

Canon EOS-60D

07/03/2008 08:25:36 PM · #9

I wanna to wish the best of luck with it all. We're moving into a new studio in the next month or so too. Though our long term plans are to find an older house to work out of. Hopefully something with a garden, but completely seperate from our home.

Keep us posted on how it goes!

Carl Zeiss 35mm ZF f/2.0 Distagon T

07/03/2008 08:27:41 PM · #10

Thanks Chesire..

What a wonderful idea.. an old house.. Loving creativ'ty I could only imagine old wooden floors and all..
Veryyyyyyy Nice..

Will keep you posted;)

Man_Called_Horse

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

07/03/2008 11:26:10 PM · #11

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

YOu lose a certain amount of efficiency when you have to set up and tear down for every shoot. In my case my sales area and shoot area are separate, but the shoot area is shared with production (framing, order sorting, etc) and for every wedding (2 to 3 times a month) i have to pack up and tear down and reassemble things and it can take 10 to 15 minutes each time - time that produces nothing.

Also I have one area for BGs, so to swap BGs means 10 minutes - move lights, etc. I hope to be in a larger shooting space this month and be able to shoot 3 or 4 BGs without moving much of anything...that's the plan anyway.

Hence my post that it takes more time and more man power for a location to stay with in the production schedule....am I the only one that reads these posts?

virtuamike

Nikon D2X

07/04/2008 12:34:47 AM · #12

Some of my thoughts are posted here -
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=768393&page=3