Studio Sessions Survival Guide — Shabby to Chic: 3 Elements of a Successful Studio

Keeping up with trends can be a daunting task for any photography studio.
In the Southwest, Studio Art Photography is successfully creating its brand through its studio decor. When you walk through the doors you are greeted by its stylish look and design. My mother, Nancy Emmerich, and I have chosen decorating elements like dark wooden furniture and warm detailed walls as inspiration for an approach to our marketing pieces. It is not just about pretty pictures anymore. For our studio, we focus on three important elements in creating a fashionable look to senior photography: studio decor, photography style and an irresistible marketing campaign—all of which are key ingredients for a successful photography studio.

Studio owners are swept away by the fact that we are losing our time in the digital era we live in. It is easy to try to be all things to all people, just to get clients in the door. Start with a plan of action if you want to achieve greater progress in your business. Try implementing these three elements and you will find a better return on your brand within your target market.

We could not say it any better than fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker: “Fashion is not a luxury.”

Element 1: Your Studio Decor
One of the first things to decide on is your studio decor. This should be one of the easiest things to do for a studio owner because it should reflect who you are as a person. Your decor should reflect your style of photography as well as determine the kind of clients you want to attract.

Find colors that attract the style of photography you want to shoot. For example, if you love photographing young kids, have fun, bright and playful colors throughout your studio. Try to incorporate things they would have in their rooms.

If you do not have any of the things that would make the space work perfectly, you can repaint an existing wall. Or even perhaps, cover a flat piece of furniture with wallpaper as an accent. Keep in mind, you do not have to get rid of what you have, you can always throw in a couple new pieces to spice things up. Pillows add a lot for example. Check out corporate retailers selling home decor like Pier One, Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrel to keep up with the latest color craze. If decorating is not your strength, ask some of your friends who are not afraid of telling you what your studio says to them. This may be hard hearing the truth for some of you, but it will pay off in the end.

For Studio Art, our target market is seniors. Nancy loves shooting high school seniors. It’s a fresh approach to her style of photography. With that, she has to stay current with what’s hot in fashion. She says, “I have to be creative and innovative to keep up to date with the latest trends. Where they’re shopping is where I’m shopping, where they’re going is where I’m going. It’s totally fabulous.”

Element 2: Your Style
Now that we have set the stage with our style of decor, we gear our photography shoot to coordinate with our portrait sales. We only display what we want them to buy. When you walk into our studio, the layout is that of a typical family home. A nice, oversized couch with a corresponding-sized wall portrait. Collections or smaller custom pieces can be found only on transitional walls (e.g. hallways/small corners). Through this, we are educating our clients about size appropriateness when it comes to pictures decorating their own home.

When photographing each session we know what to shoot for: the large wall portrait, a collection frame and an album. We coordinate our backgrounds to match the look of the end result. First for the large wall portrait, we place our client on a neutral background that will complement any home decor. Second, our collection of frames caters to those irreplaceable personality shots that parents always love. Third, our 40-image album is a bonus for our clients who are excited about an album that holds everything. This unique product is tailored to their session, showcasing our style.

Element #3: Your Marketing Campaign
Your marketing campaign should be the last piece of the puzzle. Keep in mind it should reflect your style of photography and also the look of your studio. It is pertinent that all three things match, helping to solidify your brand within the market. Keeping up with the fashion industry assists you in designing a successful campaign. You must know what is going on in the world of fashion if you want to have an explosive senior year.

Your employees are marketing your company as well. When hiring senior models or staff that work directly with your clients they should look and feel the part. For example, you cannot have a employee giving makeup consultations when she doesn’t wear makeup herself. And people need help. Seniors don’t always know what is best to wear or even know what to ask for from their portraits. Having a highly trained employee that loves fashion will not only make your client’s experience a better one, but will ultimately contribute to the final product in their portraits.

Rose Coleman began her photographic career at the age of 14 when she began assisting her mother, Nancy Emmerich, at weddings. It was love at first click, and Rose soon decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Upon graduating high school, Rose became a full-time portrait artist and together, this mother-daughter team sets the bar in the Southwest for lifestyle portraits. Rose has continued to hone her skills and has, most notably, made a number of exciting innovations in the realm of senior photography.