A Strange Compulsion

[mbrager]

I think many people reading this on the forum understand what GAS is for photographers. Gear Acquisition Syndrome: the belief that better, more expensive and just plain more gear will result in better photographs. In my case, while participating in this forum as much as possible over the years, I also bought a great deal of camera gear I rarely, if ever, used. Best examples: Alien Bee 800 strobes, a large 72 inch umbrella, a beauty dish, an 85 mm f/1.2 Canon lens. As I am nearing retirement (nearing being a very relative term as I am in good health and love my current day job, but am eligible to receive my government pension) I have been imagining what retirement might look like. I came to the conclusion sometime over the last year or so that I want to start a photography business, and tried to tell myself that I have actually been working towards this goal for a much longer period.
I started to look for a suitable space for a studio. After months of looking, I found a space that I fell in love with. It's located downtown, near where I work. It's about 675 square feet, with a locking office room. It's on the ninth floor of an apartment building that has a swimming pool in it. It has windows that I have had to cover completely because there is too much light. It's mostly affordable at Calgary rents.
So I fulfilled the requirements to obtain a business license, bought some office and studio furniture, had business cards printed and here I am.

Entrance


From the Windows


Seamless Backgrounds


Couch/day bed and lounge


Children's play area

[mbrager]

I had to buy a better frame for seamless background paper so I could use 9 foot paper. And shoot tall people.


Dressing and make up area


Office and work area


Storage with locking cabinet. I have insurance but my lenses and cameras are priceless, right?


Slowly I am building a website (with my wife's assistance). (She is happy by the way because all the equipment that lived in our house for a few years has a better home outside our home.) Finding out how to use social media to build a presence. Finding models to shoot using Kijiji advertisements. Reading library books about portraits, lighting and the business of photography. I took a brief course from a well known Calgary studio photographer who gave us a lot of tips about lighting and exposure, and told me I should cover the windows completely. I can't quite bring myself to do that as there is a nice view of the railroad tracks that separate the downtown area from the rest of the city. Plus the light is nice and soft some of the time. I can also see The Camera Store from the windows. Trouble...
Jackie from this forum came to visit me one day before I moved in to bring me the photo exchange photo, which is hanging in the office. Much appreciated.
Everyone is a photographer these days, and there are actually quite a few studios around the area. But I'm happy there, enjoying shooting when I can (mostly on weekends), and feel like I have a lot to learn and a lot to work with. And so I have begun to look forward to retirement, instead of dreading it. Come visit if you are in the vicinity.

[Runmonty]

Well done Mike

What a great space. You seem to have given a great deal of though to the set up well with good quality promotional material, preparation areas and props. This certainly distinguishes you from the hoard of others taking snap-shots calling themselves photographers

Looming retirement is indeed stressful and I am glad you have found a way to ease into it.

Please accept my sincerest best wishes and good luck with this endeavour. Please keep us up to date.

[theantiquetiger]

I suffer from extreme GAS as well! (Now wait, what are we talking about?)

[Marko]

wAY to go mbrager!!!!!

[mbrager]

I suffer from extreme GAS as well! (Now wait, what are we talking about?)

At my age, some GAS is inevitable, if not constant.

[asnow]

Congrats Mike on your new venture. Looks like a really nice setup. Wishing you happy retirement (when you pull the plug) and much success in your new business.