[Rupert]

Almost to the day, I posted this one year ago.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-photography-industry/196906-build...-business.html

Now, one year later I am closing my little downtown studio and moving on to do some traveling and much needed chores around home that have been neglected for the past year. If anyone is interested in their own studio, maybe I can give them some reflections on what having your own studio is like.

First, let me explain that I am not a Pro shooter, I am retired and not dependent on studio income, and on top of that I'm busy with other duties so only had the open hours of Tuesday/Thursday afternoons from 1-5 pm...or by appointment anytime, day or night. I did no advertising, and dealt strictly by word of mouth. Profit? I sure as hell didn't make any, so you better do more than I did if that is your goal!

*The setting was near perfect, the furnishings were excellent and it was warm and comfortable inside, very friendly open atmosphere, and everyone commented on that. I think that is important.

*Ordinances (stupid ordinances!) did not allow outside signs, so this was a big negative, although I did cover my windows with photos that could easily be seen from the road and did have a nice door sign etc. Make sure you can have a sign......preferably a nice large neon type that will draw attention night and day.

*Expenses ran about $600 a month including insurance and utilities, which is pretty cheap. The lower the better, you will need every dime you can make if you are going to try to make a profit. I think my total expenses including furnishings was somewhere around $12K for the year.

*Just throwing this in.......I had all my outside printing done at Adorama, and they were superb. Excellent quality, fast and reliable service, and the pricing was so reasonable! Never had an unsatisfied customer, they all loved the prints. My preference was the Kodak Metallic, but they are all very good.

*Fun.......Well, I could write on this a long time! I had a great time! I met a lot of new people, kids, dogs and cats, young and old, and if you are a "people person" you will love it! Very interesting and always makes a boring day come alive when you meet a new client.

Negatives: This is a work-hard business. The shooting is the easiest part, if you have good equipment, and I did. I had great lighting and my K5 and Ltd lenses performed better than I did! The processing and other related work can take days in some cases and is hard on the eyes and mind. You will not have an easy job,it takes a lot of effort...more than I was willing to give more than a couple of days a week.

You need a plan, and you need to be aggressive at fulfilling it, not like me. I just "winged it" and never took advantage of my business skills that I acquired in my years of having my own plumbing business. You do need to advertise, have the right signs, and better hours of operation. An assistant that can help on the posing and with children and other related duties is also a very useful addition. I did have an assistant on many shoots and it was a real benefit.

Keep in mind....you are selling ice to Eskimos. In this world everyone has a camera and everyone is a photographer. Young people in particular see little if any need for a paid photographer. Even many weddings are now shot by the combined efforts of family members with their Canon Rebels, guests with their cell phones, and they see little need for a paid photographer. You better have a plan that will get you some of that business, and a price that will sell the deal. I only did studio shooting, ruling out weddings and events, but there is still opportunity there if you will pursue it aggressively.

It is no cake walk if you intend to make money, it's a tough business. It is no Pizza Parlor where everyone is a potential customer. The demand is not anywhere hear a Fast Food joint or like my plumbing business where you could always count on a broken water line in the winter or a failed water heater, clogged toilet etc. every day of the week...and weekends too!

I've kept a few memories of my little studio here, from the bare walls when I got it to the last a days before closing. Great memories I will always cherish! Fun shots, serious shots, they are all lumped in here for the memories......
My Little Studio - a set on Flickr

I want to thank Mrs Rupert who financed this entire project and insisted I had fun above all else, including making a big profit. I did, more than you can ever imagine!
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My next goal is to travel America.......Mrs Rupert bought me this to do it in when she retires soon. Maybe you don't need a little studio, you just need a "Mrs Rupert" like I have??? She's the best part of me, no doubt about it!
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Best Regards!
Rupert

[timpile]

We all need our own Mrs Rupert, and have a great trip, looking forward to seeing some images from it

Interesting read, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[RonHendriks1966]

Well that was a nice adventure. Indeed earning money with photography is getting harder these days.

[patrick9]

It sounds like a year well spent.. Enjoy you road trip. I assume Otis is not making the arrangements for you I too look forward to your shots from the trip.

[lesmore49]

A lot of us think about starting a small business when we retire...or start one when we still are working.

I've thought of it, particularly a photography business...but never took the plunge.

Thanks for the story on your experiences. It will provide many of us with food for thought.

[daacon]

Well done Rupert it's better to have Studio'ed and lost than to not have Studio'ed as all ;-)

[KJon]

Thanks for sharing your tales of the studio, Rupert. Very informative and enjoyed the shots you shared on flikr.

Best,
Kevin

[Rupert]

Thanks Guys, Girls, Undecided!

With my big mouth I could write a book on my one year experience in my little studio, but I think I hit on the heart of it all. Mrs Rupert encouraged me to stay open one more year (and offered to fund it!) but it was time to move on, I am so far behind on everything else in my life.

I will say this, if you get the opportunity, take it. You will have no regrets and a ton of great memories whether you make any money or not. Money is not the spice of life, maybe it will get you a little spice, but the spice is in the great memories you pile up during your lifetime. If you are waiting until you can make memories somewhere down the road, you will miss out on the best part of living. Today....enjoy!...it will never come again.

Regards!

A few of my best memories from my little studio...

Mrs Rupert liked to come by at lunch and eat a bite, we had a nice dining table, microwave, and refrigerator...just like at home!

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It wasn't unusual to see her take a short nap on the big comfy sofa....
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Fridays were always "Pizza Day"
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Poor doggies, we posed and shot until they just wore out!
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My Mom even dropped in a few times....
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If it was my Birthday she would even bring me my favorite...a big cherry pie!
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Of course there were all those pretty girls.....who could forget!
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Not least of all...Mrs Rupert.
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Then there were my favorites, all the kids! Too many to post, but they were great fun!

No......old Rupert never did any nudes, not that there wasn't the opportunity, but Mrs Rupert would have shut me down and padlocked the doors...after my funeral!

I did get on the wild side once and shot a cameltoe shot with Shelby.......(Mrs Rupert still doesn't "Get It?" )

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Go make some fun! I've made a ton and have a ton more to make. You don't have to be perfect, you just have to enjoy what you do!

Best Regards!

[gaweidert]

I'm glad you enjoyed your business. Traveling the country is a great idea. Could be retired within a year myself. If you ever get to western NY, let me know. Plenty of great photo ops besides Niagara Falls.

[ToyTank]

Wait....For 12k you get all those pretty girls coming and posing for you. I'd say you got your money worth

I hope you enjoy traveling! I have gotten paid to travel most of the US, and I can't wait til I can do it on my own clock.

I had been toying with the idea of turning my RV into a mobile studio on the inside and phototbooth like set up outside. Hit those tourists at the scenic spots and give them prints/CD right there.

Of coarse I'm all talk

PS Does that camel toe make this NSFW?

[Schraubstock]

...Mrs Rupert still doesn't "Get It?"

Hi
Ignorance is bliss and don't even think of lecturing her otherwise you will have to explain how you acquired this knowledge.

I still have not learned from my mistakes, that's why I am in the sh**ts every day, it's only the depth that varies.

Greetings

[ihasa]

Interesting read, Rupert (and very nice shots!) Do you think you could convert your garage or build a workshop in your garden to convert into a 'home studio'?

I've been thinking about the studion idea, and the only way I can think of making it work would be to go in with a couple of other photographers and split the costs.

[ihasa]

I had been toying with the idea of turning my RV into a mobile studio on the inside and phototbooth like set up outside. Hit those tourists at the scenic spots and give them prints/CD right there.

Awesome idea!

[Rupert]

Thanks again ALL! It was a fun and interesting adventure, I thank Mrs Rupert for the funding and the support she gave, never asking for anything in return but for me to have fun. I did!

ToyTank---- You could make that work, go for it! All that is lacking is you and some dedication to getting it done.

Schraubstock---You ares so right, and we do make mistakes, and sometimes we even learn from them....amazing! Sometimes it's amazing Mrs Rupert hasn't shot me!

ihasa-----This is sad.....I tried to get a few locals to take over my studio, I'd even pay half the rent and leave all the equipment and very nice furnishings, they could pay the other half of the rent, the electric bill (very low electric bills here) and the liability insurance. It would work out to about $250 a month, and they would let me use it once in a while, maybe once or twice a month.....I'll be traveling or busy with other things most of the time. No takers. Times are tough but that looked like a great opportunity to me? Mrs Rupert even offered to pay a year in advance and let it sit idle while we were traveling or just use it when I had an opportunity to shoot portraits, but I felt the need to separate myself from the responsibility at this stage of my plans.

I do have enough property to build my own studio, I could tell Mrs Rupert I need a garage for my Audi TT she gave me, and make it a double...one side for a nice little studio? I know it's wrong, but I think of it sometimes.....we'll see after we get traveling out of our system. There are advantages to being right next to your own studio, it would be like it is being right next to those Woods of Otis!

If some of you guys had been here, we could have worked a great deal that would benefit all of us....I would have loved that! Man alive! Couldn't we have fun on Pizza Fridays with all those girls!

Best Regards!

[Class A]

Thanks a lot for sharing, Rupert.

It is nice that you had so much fun and a little sad that it ended that way.

You are quite right with your statement "...you are selling ice to Eskimos". Even if you make really good ice, people usually are not prepared to spend a lot for ice, as the one they can get for free often serves their needs just fine.

It is a global phenomenon, of course, that affects photographers of all sorts. That's why, I believe, many photographers now spend more time in educating aspiring amateur photographers than they spend shooting. The photography education market seems to be bigger than the photography market.

P.S.: One day you'll have to share you secret regarding Ms. Rupert. She seems to be too good to be true. It can't be the d*mn squirrels.