Setting up a Studio

“Time to find a studio space”, my husband declared one evening recently. I had spent the day working with my portable studio which was now taking up most of the front room. We proceeded to discuss the idea while folding up backdrop sheets and collapsing light stands. It seemed the most sensible way to proceed so, enlisting the help of a friendly internet search engine, we began looking for suitable premises.

The following week, after a few viewings and some form filling, I was handed the keys to a unit within a local business centre. A room of around 300 square feet of white walls and stone floor was now mine to set up in. In my previous life as a civil servant, I managed multi-million pound budgets, negotiated on behalf of the UK, and worked in some of the largest departments in Whitehall. However, standing and looking at the room, keys in hand, I felt daunted. A new career, and the biggest challenge so far.

A couple of evenings later, I returned to the studio with both dogs, my husband, and a fellow photographer. Measuring up for paint and flooring, we talked about how best to set the studio space up. The aim is to prepare a pet photography studio which will offer an alternative to on location shoots. I find pets often like to be photographed in a place that they know – home or on a favourite walk, for example – but having a dedicated studio to work in provides more flexible opportunities for the fine art portraiture I produce, and for some of my personal photography projects.

Initially, I saw a mountain. Now, I feel the excitement of the challenge and am breaking the mountain down into more manageable portions. I’ll keep you updated as work moves forward.