studio question

[C!LLY]

does anyone work with a studio from home?

[shanstu]

All my "in studio" work is done in my formal living room. I don't keep it set up all the time, but will set up at home or on location as needed.

Having a home-based studio (or home-based business, for that matter) has it's pros and cons. I've been keeping my eye out for a good business retail location, just to know what's available, but I don't foresee leasing an office space any time soon. I don't work 40 hours a week, and don't want to pay rent all the time if I'm not shooting all the time. When I get to that point, I'll be ready to take the plunge.

[bondarnes]

I live at my studio. Does that count? I started out doing on location photography and occasionally shooting in my home.

Next I rented space in a strip center and did the regular studio for a dozen or so years while frantically looking for the ideal location to buy.

I finally found a grand old house with another building on the same property that we were able to convert into a studio. That was the ideal situation for about twelve years until we bought this property in 1998. We sold our house last year and moved into the studio while looking for a new house.

Did you have some particular questions?

[ara.bentley]

Cilly,

I have put a lot of research into this home studio stuff and there are a lot of local laws that people would have to follow to have a legal home studio.

I started a thread here that might help out:

http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum...ad.php?t=81190

I would rewrite some of the stuff I learned but I am home sick and not feeling up to it :( hope the thread helps and good luck with the studio :)

[shanstu]

Ok, I'm going to suspend any customer visits to my home until I read the ADA requirements again. Luckily, the next few weeks are filled with on-location appointments.

There is no way a person in a wheelchair could get in my house unassisted. I physically can't put up ramps to my house that would allow access because we are on such a high hill. This is one of the reasons I've been keeping an eye out for another location - to be MORE compliant with ADA. I actually might not be compliant right now.

Thanks for the wake up call - I was thinking more along the lines of taxes and business permits.

[ara.bentley]

Shan,

I also see that you are in DFW... I am in Arlington and I have looked up the zoning code that says it is ok to have a studio in a home in a neighborhood... you might want to look that up for your specific location as well. You can go the city website and usually somewhere there is a link for "zoning".

also after you make your house ADA compliant you will need an inspector to come out and look everything over and then issue a permit... or something like that. Also you need to check with your home owners association...

And all of this is why I don't see clients in my home ... plus since I am a woman it's safer for me. Good luck with your search. Mine ended when I found the cost it would take to upgrade my house to ADA standards :( don't have that dough right now.

[scuddy]

The house we are in has a three car garage and I have taken over a "bay". I have about 12'x22' to work in but then mostly what I shoot are artifacts for stock libraries. Any model shoots are location shoots for me. Something about having random people (I have yet to make a good network of reliable models here) know where we live makes the wife a little nervous.

[C!LLY]

So far the only thing I've been told is that I have to dedicate the space for work only and I cannot advertise or put a sign in my yard, but if I have a sign on my car that is fine. The house I live in has a garage conversion with french doors to the driveway and that is where I plan on setting up the studio. Even though the laundry room is still in there, I will be curtaining that off and of course wont be doing laundry while customer are here, unless they're friends. I am also offering on location shoots as well.