The Studio
Like many photographers starting out, my first studio was in my home in NJ. We converted a spare bedroom to a space where I could photograph newborns and milestone sessions. When we relocated to SC we decided that the studio should be outside of our home, so I found a room to rent on the 2nd floor of a house that had been converted to office suites. The space was 210 SQFT, it had two windows and a closet. For two years it was perfect - I didn't need much more. But as I was evolving in my craft, and began spending more time in the studio, I outgrew the space.
Over the next year I began envisioning a larger space that had plenty of room to shoot, lots of storage for all of the props I had collected and a comfortable area for families to wait while the session was taking place.
In February of 2020 I found the perfect space - a clean slate per se, a space that I could design into exactly what I needed and wanted.
I wanted the studio to have a modern comfortable light and airy vibe. I envisioned tall ceilings, white walls with maybe an accent wall that I could use as a backdrop with natural light, and a functional space that would allow me to work the way I wanted to. The space would be divided into three main areas: shooting, storage and a waiting area.
Storage was the next focus. I had so many props that I would sometimes forget what I had (don't tell my husband). Many items were buried or tucked away and I couldn't see them, and its true what they say - out of sight out of mind - so I would never use some of the props I had. For the new space I wanted the props to be displayed in such a way that they were part of the decor; easy to see, plan for a session and readily accessible.
Lastly, the waiting room, which I like to refer to as the living room because that is how I wanted everyone to feel when they walked in. I wanted the space to be inviting and comfortable for new moms, dads and kids of all ages. I wanted there to be some entertainment and comfortable seating. So if the whole family wanted to stay for the whole session, they could, rather than be hurried out after the family pictures were taken because there wasn't enough space for everyone.
The new space is 672 SQFT and is located at Riverwalk in Rock Hill, a rapidly growing area in SC. It is only 3.7 miles away from my previous location and is conveniently located off of I-77.
On May 19th, 2020 I received the keys to my new space and officially opened the doors to IBR's new home on June 1st, 2020.
It has been a fun and rewarding experience to bring my vision of the new space to life and I am excited to share the space with all of you and my clients.
Studio images taken by Jamie Carney
