Header photo: Image by model Lucia Needham and studio Saracen House Studio

We love shining the limelight on fabulous creatives in the PurplePort community and sharing their unique journeys and creative processes.

In this episode of FEATURED, we interviewed Saracen House Studio, a full-time studio on PurplePort based in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom (which is due to celebrate its 20th anniversary in April of next year!).

Main Studio Space with White Wall, Natural Light, Black Out Blinds, Wood Flooring by studio Saracen House Studio

Main Studio Colorama Backgrounds by studio Saracen House Studio

Colorama Rolls in Main Studio at Saracen House by studio Saracen House Studio

White Wall and White Flooring (4m wide) at Saracen House Studio by studio Saracen House Studio

About Saracen House Studio on PurplePort

Saracen House Studio is a photographic and video studio facility based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom.

The studio has some of the finest facilities and equipment available, including a large and versatile shooting space and a separate, light and airy natural light boudoir set with a large north-facing window that is ideal for natural light portraits and boudoir photography.

With central heating throughout the whole building, plenty of free onsite parking, Wi-Fi, a private dressing room and the top of the range Broncolor lighting system all included, Saracen House Studio is the premier choice for photo studio hire in the area.

Image by studio Saracen House Studio

Broncolor BronControl App - Wifi Studio Flash Control at Saracen House by studio Saracen House Studio

The studio is owned by photographer Andrew (who has been running it for nearly twenty years) and offers a safe, clean and creative space to all photographers, whatever their skill level, whether they shoot commercially or as a hobby - everyone is welcome!  

Having retrained in 2003-4 as a photographer, Andrew saw the transition from film to digital. 

He realised that this gave fellow creatives an opportunity to create photographs much more easily, which in turn would allow their flair and ideas to come to fruition.

This is what Andrew wanted from a studio, and it turned out that others did, too.

Dressing Room Make-Up Facilities, Hollywood Mirror Lights by studio Saracen House Studio

Private Dressing Room and Make-Up Facilities by studio Saracen House Studio

Rear of Dressing Room with Hanging Space, Dressing Gown, Clothes Steamer, Hairdryer. by studio Saracen House Studio

Over the years, the studio has gone from strength to strength and is often described as one of the busiest studios in the UK!

It's no wonder that hundreds of images taken at Saracen House Studio have been featured in the Front Page Image (FPI) Collection on PurplePort.

Sharing a passion for creating amazing photos is what drives Saracen House Studio, whether it's helping people with ideas achieve them with lighting, offering assistance with setting things up, or just making a fabulous cuppa.

Everything this studio does is about helping others achieve their goals.

Rear of Main Studio Spare, Window Light with Black Out Blinds. by studio Saracen House Studio 

Wood Pallet Wall with Industrial Pendant Lights, Exposed Brick Wall and Leather Chesterfield Sofa by studio Saracen House Studio

Rustic Wood Pallet Wall with Filament Light Bulbs and Chesterfield Sofa - Saracen House Studio by studio Saracen House Studio

Interview with Saracen House Studio on PurplePort

How did you get into running a studio?

Having retrained as a photographer between 2003 and 2004, I wanted to get more involved in studio work and needed a location to practice. I found a local studio that was operating at the time and became friends with the then-owner.

Colin was looking to get out of the business, so we reached an agreement for me to run the studio for him. A few years later, I bought the business from him with a view to developing the business, facilities and services offered, such as training.   

Floor to Ceiling Window - Natural Light at Saracen House Studio by studio Saracen House Studio

What did you do before running a studio?

Having always worked in creative industries since leaving education, prior to becoming a photographer, I was running a team of producers that created radio programmes around the world.  

Boudoir Studio Set at Saracen House by studio Saracen House Studio

Boudoir Studio Set at Saracen House by studio Saracen House Studio

Blue Wood Panel Wall at Saracen House Studio by studio Saracen House Studio

How do you prepare for photoshoots at your studio?

Making sure that our studio is clean, tidy and ready for others to use is an important part of running a studio. Sometimes, people will tell you what they want to shoot before arriving, and sometimes, we'll help them create their lighting setup when they get here.

Everyone has their own way of working, and it's important for us to recognise that and be flexible enough to understand our customers' way of working.  

One thing pretty much everyone has in common, though, is that every shoot starts with a cuppa. Our tea-making skills are a thing of legend now!

Eye Lines by model Immogen Claire (not on Purpleport), make-up artist Natalie Wood and studio Saracen House Studio

What's your favourite style of photoshoot?

In terms of what I like to shoot, I absolutely love working with a creative team where a model, make-up artist, stylist and photographer work together to create a look.

I particularly love working with portraits, whether it's a beauty shot or an image that tells someone's story. 

As a photographer, as well as a studio owner, a lot of my photography jobs are headshots, both for businesses and for actors, dancers and performers.

Sparkles by model 1hannahlou, make-up artist Gwen Reece Makeup and studio Saracen House Studio

What's the most interesting photoshoot you've ever worked on in your studio?

Over the years, we've had a massive range of shoots in our studio. We've had fashion brands, cosmetics companies, celebrities, sports stars, musicians, world-famous photographers, camera manufacturers, lighting companies and TV programmes being filmed in our studio.  

The most interesting shoot at the studio was a massive team that came to us to shoot for the BBC's Sport Relief campaign.  

Sunshine by model Montana Darby (not on PurplePort) and studio Saracen House Studio

What do you most enjoy about running a studio?

The main strength of running a studio is being able to listen to what people want.

For some, it's a social event having a shoot, and it's like catching up with old friends when they come to the studio. Whereas for others, there's a focus on getting straight to shooting as there might be a deadline or a lot to shoot during their booking.

Some people might want to get a lot of help with the lighting setups, but others might know exactly what they want and how to get it or just experiment with lighting without our assistance.  

So, being able to ask a few key questions to understand our customers' needs is so important as it helps me do my job better and ensures that our customers get exactly what they want—and being able to make a half-decent cup of tea.

Petals Around A Rose by model Megan Cash, make-up artist Natalie Wood and studio Saracen House Studio

What would you describe as your main strengths as a studio?

Running a studio is a very social experience. You're mixing like-minded people who enjoy their photography the same as you do, so it's fantastic to be able to talk about kit and shoots, but the best part is helping people bring their ideas or inspirational images to life.  

Seeing the recognition that others get for their photos created at Saracen House is always incredibly satisfying.

Image by model Rheo (not on PurplePort) and studio Saracen House Studio

What's your absolute favourite photo?

Favourite photo of all time? Isn't that like asking which child is your favourite?  

When I was studying photography, I had to write a dissertation on Eadweard Muybridge. I delved deep into the works of his studies into movement, so I will always have an appreciation for what he managed to achieve with very basic equipment.  

One of the portraits that always stood out to me was David Bailey's portrait of the late Queen in 2015. He had always declined the offers from Buckingham Palace to photograph the Monarch for the reason that he did not feel it was possible to capture the essence of the person with a ten-minute photoshoot.

For his 2015 portraits, he was granted half a day, and it was clear from the photographs that he had a connection to his subject. He showed a glint in her eye and a smile that was different to the painted one that we have all seen a thousand times. In short, he'd captured a true portrayal of the person.

After Dark by model TimeForWhiskey, make-up artist Sister Of Sinister and studio Saracen House Studio

But if I absolutely had to name an image that I always go back to, it's Mario Testino's 1996 photograph of Kate Moss looking at the rearview mirror, watching guys in their swimming trunks getting changed.

The true essence of a photographer and muse, Testino and Moss clearly had trust and comfort in shooting together, which is clear given the sheer amount of iconic images these two created over the years. But for me, this one always stands out as classy, cheeky, stylish and fun. Pure genius.  

Is there anyone in particular who inspires you?

As a photographer, I take inspiration from so many sources, but in a photographic sense, those whose work I admire tend to be the photographers who tell the subject's story or can convey an emotion or message with just a face.

I've mentioned Bailey, and I would put Lord Litchfield into this camp, too. His ability to put his subjects at ease and take an image that was relaxed and flattering was wonderful.

For creativity, I admire many of the crazy beauty portrait shoots that Rankin and his makeup geniuses created. For storytelling, you cannot beat Helmut Newton - Sumo is always on display on my coffee table at home.

Image by model Lucia Needham and studio Saracen House Studio

What advice would you give to a studio just starting out?

Many photographers feel they need to have their own space that they can create when they want to, and this leads many to start their own studio space, which they might want to hire out to others. But as with any other business, there are a few key things that you need to do before going down this road.  

As the old adage goes, location location location is fundamental to running a studio where people come to you. Parking, public transport and accessibility are all very important.

Whilst it may be tempting to turn a few rooms in your home over to running a commercial operation, there are rules on having members of the public visiting your home-based business, so always seek the correct advice from the local Council or planning advisor. When going into commercial leases, always get the advice of a specialist commercial property lawyer - it will save you a lot of worry and money later.

The Next Day by model Amber Tutton, Photoshop wizard Iulia David and studio Saracen House Studio

As with every new business, you need to do your sums:  how much can you realistically charge, how many hours can you realistically hire out each month, and how much do you need to earn to pay your bills and salary?

Be meticulous on your costs - it's not just paying the rent, it's paying commercial energy bills (which are more expensive than domestic ones right now, and last year they literally quadrupled), it's your insurance, equipment and maintenance, toilet rolls, tea bags, breakages and so much more. It's Business Rates, phone lines, websites, subscriptions... the list is endless.

Image by model Elle Baldwinson, make-up artist MUA Ray Jessi and studio Saracen House Studio

Once you have done your sums and all the commercial admin, then you'll need to work hard, look after your customers and be open at times when people need you (which may well be 9 o'clock at night or over a weekend). 

In return for that hard work, you'll be rewarded with mixing with some truly brilliant, creative people who are some of the nicest or most interesting people out there.  

One final question. Pineapple on pizza, yes or no?

If you need to ask this question, you don't like pizza. However, I do own a proper pizza oven and do like to experiment with flavours. I created a spicy sausage, blue cheese and grilled nectarine pizza the other day, and it was the bomb!

Venus by model Katey Model and studio Saracen House Studio

Thanks again for speaking with us and sharing your creative journey, Saracen House Studio. 

We hope you all enjoyed this interview. Check out the links below for more beautiful work created at the fabulous Saracen House Studio!

Here's where you can find more of Saracen House Studio's work

PurplePort: Saracen House Studio

Prpl.pro page: saracenhousestudio

Web: www.saracenhousestudio.co.uk 

Facebook: Saracen House Studio

Instagram: saracenhouse

Twitter: saracenhouse

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