Studio for rent

[mrlarter]

Hello Everyone

I need some opinions on this and figured this may be the best place to post and ask questions.

I am looking into starting a new small business that would allow local photographers to rent out studio space as well as lighting equipment. The city I live in has two universities that teach photography and we have a very large abundance of local photographers without studio space.

I figured it may be a good idea to open up my own studio with the main focus of it being rented out to others along with the equipment. This in turn would give my self access to a nice set up and potentially start a profitable and much needed business.

I am currently in the middle of writting my business plan out and now into the research part of the plan. I am trying to find other studios that may be doing this as wellso I can compare prices and find out what other services these companies may provide.

Any suggestions or ideas?

[cmason]

My local store does this...essentially they have extra space in the building they rent, so they have backdrops, lights, light stands etc there, and you pay by the hour/day. Here is their info and prices:

http://www.jjpictures.com/studio/

[mrlarter]

Thanks

[cambler]

I often rent out my studio, but it's typically taken by amateurs and semi-professionals in my area who don't have their own studio, and who request that I be there to help them set lights and generally act as a second pair of eyes, though I often question their sanity at wanting *my* opinion :-)

$120 for a 4-hour block with their equipment, $150 with mine (I determined that the wear and tear on my equipment, especially if I'm there helping them set it, is minimal, at best).

One other thing I do, that you may consider, is helping them arrange for models and/or makeup/hair artists if they need such. They're on their own to negotiate and pay, but I'm glad to use my network to help with this, and many of the models with whom I work are happy to get a paid gig and feel comfortable working with someone they don't know because it's in a studio and I will be there. That's another service you might consider.

Wait... you might be competition... you're not in Seattle, are you? :-)

[mrlarter]

No I'm way up here in cold Canada [lol]

I just came from a meeting with the other two individuals that are interested in this project and one of them suggested the model/markup artist network idea so we are going forward with that.

Thats a great price, right now we are thinging $50 cdn an hour (discount for students). There is one other studio now in now doing something the same but not quiet.