Photography Studio Ownership has been an adventure and I wanted to share my thoughts with you!

Hi there! If we haven’t met, I’m Jordan West- owner of POP Studio and Jordan West Photo in Pensacola, Florida. On February 1st, I got the keys to POP Studio in Downtown Pensacola. I took a month to transform the space and advertise. Then, I opened the doors on March 1st. I can’t believe 3 months has already flown by. We’ve hosted events and talks, had newcomers in the photography industry as well as seasoned photographers, and so much more. But, I wanted to kick off the blog by talking about what I’ve learned in the last month. There’s not enough space to go over ALL the things I’ve learned, and this will focus on photography studio ownership as a whole. But, I figured this is a start. If you’re a photography studio owner, let’s connect!

1. The day you open is the last day your studio will look perfect.

Any other perfectionists out there? I’ll admit, I’m not one. But, when you put a lot of money and hard work into something, it’s really hard not to cringe when things get messed up, when someone leaves napkins or bottle caps on a table, leaves expensive equipment on the floor, etc.

It’s important to keep things in perspective. I have to remind myself the studio is meant to be used. Accidents happen. A messy studio means the studio is being used and I need to be grateful. Letting go of the small things and making it easy for people to clean up is key. Keep trash cans in obvious places, Clorox wipes, etc. Be approachable so people can tell you if there’s an issue or a mess.

2. You will learn a lot about yourself as a photographer.

I didn’t see this one coming, but it might be my favorite. I didn’t anticipate being so inspired, getting so many ideas, and talking with others so much. But owning a studio has completely changed who I am as a photographer. These photos below? I never would have taken them or offered them up without the studio. It’s given me an entirely new avenue to serve my clients. I hope I can offer this same service to others.

3. You will get a plethora of advice. Take what you need from it.

So many opinions. Overwhelming amounts of options. So many experts. A lot of people will pour out best practices, logical business solutions, and valuable advice. Just remember- they’re not you. You’re not them. What works for one person might not work for another. It’s okay to put your spin on things and carve out your own path.

4. Mistakes are costly but sometimes necessary.

Some lessons you must learn on your own. I’ve ordered the wrong size ceiling lights ($300 non returnable), realized half the studio paper was unusable because it was exposed to moisture (10 @ $120 each), I could go on and on. These mistakes have been engrained into my being and made me a much more thoughtful, careful studio owner. I’ve learned to lean on my family and friends as much as possible for help. I’ve asked for second opinions before making purchases. Mistakes have costed me a lot but in the long run, I’m better for it.

5. When you get a physical location, a large amount of your time will be taken up by talking.

You’ll spend hours showing the space (unfinished). You’ll tell other people all of your ideas (while your eye twitches because you’re actually there to paint). People will knock on the door because they’re swinging by to check on you while grabbing coffee downtown and stay for two hours to catch up.

All of this really eats into your time. When I was in the final stretch the week before we opened, I decided to do all of my errands and “at home” work during the day and I came to the studio at night time. It decreased my run ins and allowed me to grind it out. That being said, the people who popped in to check on me were a Godsend. Bringing me a coffee, saying “hi” and catching up kept my head above water and allowed me to breathe. These were the same people who showed up to every single event I first hosted at the studio. Keep them close!

6. Understanding when to say yes and when to say no will come with time.

In the beginning, I felt like I needed to say yes to everything. Every idea was an opportunity for people to come in to the studio. Then, I started to develop a better understanding of how people work, their availability and what they’re willing to commit to. I’m still learning, but we’re getting there.

7. Your studio will have a culture, it’s important you set the tone of community up front.

Photography Studio Ownership comes with responsibility. Up front, it’s important to decide the overarching theme of your studio. Some play on natural light, creativity, both are important. I felt that those needs were already being served in my area. POP Studio was going to focus heavily on experimentation and allowing people to feel less intimidated by off-camera flash. I wanted people to know they had a place to come at a great price to play around and experiment without being nickel and dimed for their time. I’ll go more into this on another blog, but I think I’ve said enough for now.

8. Get systems in place before anything else. It will be the protector of your time and peace.

The computer side of the work is never fun. Setting up the contracts, recurring invoices, house rules, automated e-mails. But wow, it is so necessary. Without it, things will fall apart- and quickly.

Aside from that, use your own studio. Walk through a photo session and see what things you might naturally do because you know the studio. Explain these things to your renters. If not, you’ll be bombarded with text messages during every rental. Where should your renters and their clients park? Where should they take the trash? Are they required to vacum or sweep after their shoots? What will happen if they don’t? If you’re allowing them to use seamless paper, are they allowed to cut it? Should they notify you if paper is running low? Will you allow them to change out the paper?

All of these questions I didn’t know would be asked but they were. It’s best to have it all answered up front.

Welp, that’s all for now. Stay tuned for more photo ideas, education, and inspiration and follow along with us!