If you were starting a studio from scratch, what would you need and want? Obviously lights, reflectors, backdrops. Maybe pocket wizards. What else would you want? What else would you need?

I have been having some random thoughts in my head, and just wanted to get some ideas from you guys.

can I bump this post? I am in the same position and would love to hear other's feedback as well.

I would by a building.

Ryan

Me personally (Of course, I would need some serious cash for this stuff!):

Canon 1D MkIII
70-200mm 2.8 L IS
24-70mm 2.8 L
85mm 1.2 L
50mm 1.2 L
24mm 1.8
15mm 2.8
2 Canon 580 Speedlights
Lightsphere
Canon 40D (backup)
2 Battery packs for Speedlights
2 Alien Bee 800's
1 Alien Bee 1600
Giant Folding Softbox from Alien Bee
White Backdrop
Tile Board
Black Backdrop
1 5 in 1 Reflector
A good tripod (Light, quick)
A monopod
Several good light stands (10' tall, air cushioned)
A good backdrop stand system
A good bag
A couple of good straps
Pocket Wizards
And a studio that I can rent by the day! (I don't do a lot of inside studio work, but it would be nice to have it when I needed it.)

That would be my ultimate studio wish list.....oh...and I would want a beach nearby!

Steph

Money... and lots of it

Ok, sorry... it is too late for me.

How many of you would be willing to rent out a studio by the hour if you had that as an option? Also, if it was, what would you be willing to pay for that?

Jason, when I lived in Denver, I was shooting a lot of commercial work, and there is a great rental space close to downtown that I rented frequently. I appreciated having that option, and it saved me a lot. However, there is a certain prestige, and satisfaction, of running your own place, but the overhead can get high pretty quick.

If I remember correctly, I think I paid $25 p/hr, or $150 p/day, and that included almost everything I ever needed.

When I was in Phoenix, studio rentals were higher than that, and in NYC they were very expensive (even back in the late 80's when I was there).

Do you have rental spaces available like this?

No, not that I'm aware of. I don't think my area has any studios available to rent. It's a thought though.

What kind of budget are you imagining operating under? That really changes everything..... that determines are are you shooting with two Mark IIIs or two 40Ds.

There is a place like that here. We haven't rented it, but I know that there are several photographers that now basically use it as their place of business. We have tried to reserve it a couple of times when we had a group coming in that was bigger than we could handle in our space, but it was already reserved each time. They also have a lab at this place. We use the lab occasionally when we need something faster than we can get it through Millers or WHCC. It is an interesting concept.

If yer leasing/buying a building for full-time use, don't forget to put aside money for:

-paint
-furniture
-(possibly) environmental lighting
-filing cabinets
-office equipment such as fax/printers/telephones/computers... and so on.

I was asking this question because I've been crunching numbers, and talking to a lot of other photographers about the possibility to open up a studio just to rent out in my area. Unfortunately, the numbers simply don't work. It wouldn't be profitable enough to make it worth it.

We would have offered pretty much everything available to rent, except cameras probably. With the up front costs of it, and the ongoing monthly expenses, it's simply not profitable enough.

Jason, I have often wondered if it made sense to go in on a studio with another photographer that would not be your direct competition. Such as, you do weddings, the other does portraits and commercial work. I am wanting to be in a studio myself within a year. I will be curious to hear the advice you get. See, I am itching to get a studio again b/c I have most of the equipment...it would be great to get it out of storage

Sunk costs notwithstanding, I'd imagine the insurance alone would make this a losing proposition off the bat unless you needed a "losing" business to offset more profitable ones...

It seems to work best in larger metro areas with a high concentration of photographers, including pros, advanced amateurs, and photo students. The rental facility in Denver was doing very well (not sure how it is these days), but their investment was significant (they also sold gear). I recall Pittsburgh having something similar years ago, but they have long been out of business. You would really need to know the market and do the critical research to determine the feasibility of such a venture.

Jason,

I live in a small area and tried sharing studio space with other photographers for a while. We all split the rent, shared the studio and office space. It did not work well at all.

None of us really competed. I was doing mostly commercial work and a few portraits, they were doing mostly sports stuff and schools (they worked together). Occaisionally we crossed over on portraits, but not much.

The problems started popping up when clients either visited or called. I started hearing from my clients about the poor ways they were being treated by the other photogs. Problem was, since we are in a small area, and we worked out of the same building, many people thought we were working together.

I now share space with a potter and we're about to add another tenant - a fabric weaver.

Now just because my situation didn't work by no means yours wouldn't. My only advice is make sure you only use the space for shooting, not office work, so that your clients don't get confused over who they are doing business with (though I have no doubt you'll be very good at that end of things)

I now own my space, and I've run the gamut from having a lab, to sharing with other photogs, a coffee shop even, and now sort of an artists' co-op. The co-op has by far been the best solution.

Good luck to you. I'm sure what ever decision you make will be the correct one.