Are the studios closing down?

I've just done a search for studios near Risca and the results show about six or seven within an hour or so's drive from you. 

Try Google:

Use Google to search for studios on PP in a certain area

It returns both VIP and free studios (but not members-only profiles), although you will need to sift through the results.

For example, first on the list:

Studio 99 Newport, Studio from NP19 7BY.

Edited by FiL

Running a studio isn't cheap, I think a number of Studios within 50 miles of me have either closed (over the years) for one reason or another, or just stopped renting out to photographers and models. 

I found most of the studios I have used on Google Maps, but the one I use more than any other in Tewkesbury I got from PP since joining recently which was the best move I ever made. I don't think the studios really watch the castings.

As with all studios we have to diversify and do a variety of work within the studio. We also offer deals on a regular basis to make shooting within a studio a more economically viable option for photographers as belts tighten etc.

I know a few studios locally have had to close down as fuel costs etc rise but its a case that we are in a slightly more fortunate position than some with our rent costs being lower.

But we also do a lot of advertising outside of PP as well on our website and social media and people do find us from that as well.

Around me (Duesseldorf, Germany) almost a dozen new studios opened over the last two years.

Except for one all of them are the "loft style daylight" type.

Fancy furniture, doorway arches, fake terrace steps and stuff like that.

But no professional lighting except for the occasional single LED or a used studio flash.

Works as long as the furniture is new, has rarely been shot before and not
everyone local to it has shot there once. After that, the studio owner usually
fails in rotating/refreshing furniture and archways fast enough to stay attractive.

For comparison, my studio is empty. Cyclo top and bottom, white.
And tons of lighting equipment, both flash and continous. People booking
my place create their own sets, make their own ideas (or the assigned subject)
reality. They are not relying on me as studio owner to build a set for them.

No pret-a-porter prefabricated ideas, that everybody then shoots very similar.

Stuff shot at my place will not yell that it was shot at my place.
The other places can easily be identified by their props, combined with the model's
posings (seen in the port of the previous user of that studio....).

The new car smell of such studios quickly fades, and then reality sets in.
Two of the new studios have already shut down again, and one just yesterday
posted that they are looking for long time tenants now (= business model failed).

So unless you can make sufficient use of the studio yourselves and
just rent it out in downtimes, or you being able to cater to professionals
with commercial budgets, your studio will likely wear of its novelty status
and then fade.

Covid did it's own part in killing studio places. And AI is another
factor reducing the need for a studio. Take any crappy photo against
your bedroom wall and then AI it to death.

So yes, there is a lot of fluctuation in studios catering for the hobbyist
and low budgets.

I ran a studio in Hertford for 7 or 8 years.  

It was fairly substantial: waiting/chill out room; office area; changing room; two shooting areas both with max width coloramas; one with a huge infinity curve/cove; one with loads of daylight; five sets of lights (all Bowens - 2 x 1000s) and all the gizmos.  So not too shabby and not inexpensive to set up and run.

But it worked (financially) for me for three reasons:

- I was at that time an avid photographer and it saved me the cost of hiring studios (open air photography? nah, not for me)

- I ran my (non-photography) consultancy business from the studio office.  Clients loved to come to me as the setting was so different.  So I saved office and travel costs.

- As well as hiring out to photographers I attracted paying clients.  And rented to local bands as a practice space.

Without the ‘multi-use’ aspects I couldn’t have got it to work…..

I found myself with a building, originally a house, retired from business use.

I'd played studio in a large room that came free a while before that, and decided to expand that a bit and invite other people to play.

The building was intended to be converted into a couple of flats, and/or sold, but there was less rush about that than sometimes.

It was fun, paid for a bit of rates and heating.

(That original studio room had been entertaining to use for a couple of seminars, widened the students' minds a little.

If anyone is contemplating setting them up, try to stick to a size which avoids the business rate, see if you can be a group cooperative company fellowship or suchlike of 5, and if you are, hire a cleaner.

Martin Sotelano

On the original question: that's a data question, which ross Freeman could answer with a little SQL or whatever.

Studios arise and depart, what the dwell time and any secular trend are will be reflected in the current population.

Edited by MidgePhoto

Edited by MidgePhoto

Pay for a month, discover what you want to find. It’ll probably cost not much more than 5 minutes at one studio you’ll find?

ADWsPhotos said

Pay for a month, discover what you want to find. It’ll probably cost not much more than 5 minutes at one studio you’ll find?

+1

When I'm looking to shoot, I get premium membership for a month. It's worth it to find the right model and/or studio.

Orson Carter said

I've just done a search for studios near Risca and the results show about six or seven within an hour or so's drive from you. 

You probably have a premium account. I did it, and the search shows none.

Martin Sotelano said

Orson Carter said

I've just done a search for studios near Risca and the results show about six or seven within an hour or so's drive from you. 

You probably have a premium account. I did it, and the search shows none.

Yes. I do pay to be on here. 

FiL said

Try Google:

Use Google to search for studios on PP in a certain area

It returns both VIP and free studios (but not members-only profiles), although you will need to sift through the results.

For example, first on the list:

Studio 99 Newport, Studio from NP19 7BY.

Edited by FiL

Interesting. Thank you. But that studio looks like it is closed. It was last on PP 3 years ago, and there are reviews from 7 years ago.

Martin Sotelano said

FiL said

Try Google:

Use Google to search for studios on PP in a certain area

It returns both VIP and free studios (but not members-only profiles), although you will need to sift through the results.

For example, first on the list:

Studio 99 Newport, Studio from NP19 7BY.

Edited by FiL

Interesting. Thank you. But that studio looks like it is closed. It was last on PP 3 years ago, and there are reviews from 7 years ago.

I'd say so. Website gone, FB page not updated since 2021. A lot of studios simply didn't make it through pandemic era uncertainties.

Saracen House Studio has always been open for me