This is probably one of the most common questions that people DM me about every week. “Hey Julie, Do I need to have my own photography studio to be a successful and profitable photographer?”

My answer for people who don’t have time to read on – – definitely not! You can be a successful photographer no matter where you work!

And before you ask the inevitable, yes, I do have a studio that I love. But the studio does not make me more profitable or successful anymore than a really expensive piano makes me a concert pianist!

Here are a few images of my studio – – and to be clear – – it took me 6 years in business before I was able to have my own photography studio space.

Before we get into the fine details let’s talk about some the Pros of having your own photography studio:

Pros of having your own photography studio

• It’s a dedicated space that’s always available to you that you can learn and master to eliminate variables in shooting
• Convenience! No more setting up and breaking down between sessions #i’mlazy
• It establishes you as an expert – there is a perception of being more experienced and successful (and don’t yell at me if you don’t have a studio – you may also be very successful – I’m just talking about first impressions)
• If your studio is in a popular area you will be exposing your business to tons of new people every day.

Cons of having your own photography studio

• Studios are very expensive! I’m sure I don’t have to remind you about the COVID closures that happened/are happening. If you can’t work you still have to cover your rent.
• There are more expenses than just the rent – – utilities, furniture, maintenance etc. Having a studio no longer makes your photography an option – you have to work to cover the expenses
• As a creative, you might start to feel stagnant working out of the same space all the time
• Rental terms – if you lease your studio you are bound to the length of your contract even if your life changes. And as a mom, I can tell you that my life is always changing!

Ok – so what’s a girl to do? As you can see there are definitely pros and cons for both having a photography studio and not having a photography studio.

As with everything in life you have to answer what works for you! There isn’t one universal rule.

If you are at a stage in your photography career where you are charging enough money to cover the additional expenses (remember ALL the expenses) and still make a profit then a photography studio is definitely a great option. Here’s another article that talks about pricing photography for profit. It may help you increase your prestige, attract new higher end clients and provide consistency in your work (which is HUGE for newborn photographers).

If you are just starting out and don’t have the profit margins that you need / want then you absolutely don’t have to have a studio. You can still provide an amazing customer experience, offer convenience (turn your lack of studio into a perk for your clients) and variety (again – use it as a selling point to your clients!)

Let me just say this one more time – you definitely do NOT need a photography studio to be successful. Wondering what you do need? BUSINESS SKILLS!!!

Wondering what my photography path looked like? I worked both my full-time job & part-time in photography for 3 years. When I was part-time in photography I did NOT have a studio and went from 40k to 60k in 2 years. At that point I was still traveling into people’s homes for newborn sessions. I realized I couldn’t make more in photography on my part-time schedule because I was just out of time. I then quit my corporate job and went full-time into photography. I converted a part of our basement into my photography studio . . . it still wasn’t ideal because it didn’t have a separate entrance or it’s own bathroom. It wasn’t perfect but it was doable. I was then able to scale to around 80k and hung out there for many years. I started to outgrow my in home studio and 6 years ago was able to purchase the studio that I’m in now. I was determined to break that 6 figure mark and with some strategic business decisions several years ago I did. And I want to help you do the same! How would it feel to wake up every day being your own boss? Pretty freakin’ cool!

Now it’s your turn! Let’s turn your day dreams into reality!

Leave a comment or shoot me an email if you have any questions or want to connect! Wondering what it would feel like to have your me as your coach? Let’s book a no-commitment discovery call. Check it out here: Photography Business Coach