Sooooooooo, I love having a fairly big enough studio in my home. I love the freedom it gives me in my business. I can’t even imagine how much I would have to charge if I was having to pay rent, utilities, and taxes on commercial studio space (eeeeeeeeeeeek)!
BUT… the downside to an in-home studio is that the size and background constraints somewhat limit what you can do — especially with more than a couple of people. Typically, the majority of my studio work is with newborns, a couple of start-off senior photos, and glamour. It works great for just one or two people.
Families are more of a challenge because I am NOT a “huddle up in a perfect triangle and say cheese” kind of portrait poser.
I like people to look and feel relaxed — comfortable engaging with each other — spread out and easy. So, space and background area become the challenge. Once, for a wonderfully large family with 10 kids, I took pictures of everyone separately and made a composite photo in photoshop after the fact. I’ve done that with my own family too, and it has worked well.
But, the studio idea wasn’t really an issue with Robyn and Florin’s family because our plan was to go to an urban area on the Riverwalk to get some edgy photos with peeled paint backgrounds, old colored brick walls, rusty aluminum backdrops.
Yummmm! My favorite! Except… well… it is winter (on some days anyway — certainly on any day we tried to do the shoot). So, on a rare for San Antonio, bitterly cold day with a sick baby, we rescheduled for a wishful warmer day. But, life happened, and we found ourselves in a situation where we couldn’t do the reschedule date either, and our only choice was to take the family portraits one evening in the studio. I have to admit to having been a little nervous about shooting 4 “adults” and a baby in the studio — as well as how to combine studio photography with the urban edgy look they really wanted as their first choice. I had the privilege of having shot Robyn’s wedding, and because I respect so much her value of photography as art, I really wanted to do a good job for her!
Ta-daaaaaaa! We did it! And what fun! There are a couple of composites, but mostly, just paying reeeeeeeeallllly close attention to angles and space made it work just fine. We’re actually all pretty delighted with our urban studio look.
Thank you so much, Robyn, Florin, Josh and Nicole (and of course sweeeeet Baby Asher)!! I was amazed at how photogenic you guys were! Such easy natural smiles, obviously evident of an amazing family! I love our accomplishment! And what a BLESSING to do this follow-up shoot after having taken the photos of your beautiful wedding! ♥



