For many people, regular, intentional use of their camera takes them to the limits of what they imagine can be done. Sometimes for pure creativity. Often times, out of some practical necessity.
Where does one go to take that next small step or giant leap? Assuming there even is such a place, can it be accessed? For what purposes? At what cost?
Think portraits, from the wonder on the soft face of a curious two-year-old, to the wisdom of an old man’s stubbled face where every aged line has been hard earned. And as magical as any wedding venue might be, achieving a perfect halo effect through the bride’s veil required precise lighting. Need an executive headshot for a global industry conference biography? Something for the portfolio of stand-out performer from the last Saline Area Players drama, or accomplished Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic — bow drawn just so? [1,2]
Yesterday was “National Carbonated Beverage with Caffeine Day.” It doesn’t require captioning to spot difference between even the most accomplished amateur and professionals who’d sought to capture the signature fluted Coca-Cola bottle. Moreover, a well-executed photograph is one that grabs and keeps viewers’ eyes engaged (often times among those not otherwise interested in the subject matter). [3]
The same applies to maximizing the appeal of the best malts from Salt Springs Brewery or Stony Lake Brewing Company. And, one would think, far less disruptive to their clientele than it would be to haul all sorts of necessary rigs and gear to the site for setup to do such work, after hours or in the midst of time better suited to serving thirsty customers. [4,5]
Small historical artifacts get the time they need to tell their stories when they can contextually, if not creatively, hook the otherwise casually curious. Compare good on-location images of items displayed at Saline Depot Museum with optimized images of its railroad standard watches from 1891 and 1904. [6,7,8,9]
At the other end of the spectrum, local manufacturers of automobile components and sub-assemblies regularly face the challenges of photographing their contributions in finished vehicles. Truly exceptional photographs can be made of cars on the street, of course. But glass and polish and, yes, even to this day, chrome, is unforgiving in terms of unwanted reflections, harsh shadows, and hot spots invariably picked up by cameras when working what can be had on the streets. [10]
Smartphone cameras have made picture-taking more accessible than ever before. They’ve also planted seeds in the minds of many among them who’d like to make better photographs. Increasingly, these cameras are not the limiting factor. But something else is. [11]
In 1986, D² Enterprises entered into a barter arrangement with what was then called Concordia College to setup its first dedicated studio in the Earhart Mansion on its north Ann Arbor campus. This allowed for a major leap in capabilities and helped establish a business that continues sell its images from a gallery on East Michigan Avenue in Saline now over thirty-five years later. Twenty-five identically lit and composed portraits of separate sorority sisters were thus made possible. [12,13]
And earlier this year, Heidi McClelland — established for her impressive work on location — formally partnered for studio space downtown. [14,15]
Unfortunately for most, barter arrangements are hard to come by and leasing solo space is cost prohibitive by any measure. As a business, it is also space that effectively becomes even more expensive when accounted for as a line item that must be carried twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, whether utilized or not.
Eze Enriquez believes he has a better alternative. He has recently opened Artismo Studio Share, a 2000+ square-foot space with two-story, unobstructed ceiling height, located on West Bennett Street. It’s available for rent by the hour or through monthly membership agreements. Within reason, it can be used for a wide slice of the applications suggested above, and more. [16,17,18]
As an accomplished videographer with his own book of clients, Mr Enriquez not only came to appreciate the need, but knows the logistics that go into making studio space work for working professionals.
“You have complete control of lighting here,” he emphasized to Saline Journal during an exclusive tour last week. “It can go completely dark, then you bring up the lighting from there, exactly as you want. This studio is set up so nothing gets in the way. You are not crowded against your set with your camera. You can put lights on booms and move them over from very high above.
“Imagine photographing a wedding here. Everyone can have their own space to get ready without being in the way of the photography or each other. They can sit. They can go into private rooms to change. We have space above where the bride’s mother can watch over everything and have a coffee while she makes sure things are going alright.
“It works the same for clients and ad agency people who want to see the shoot but not be on the floor with it.”
If this concept seems destined to attract the inherently talented shutterbug looking to break into bigger and better things, it certainly is that.
But one only need look back to the latest Saline Craft Show to imagine the more immediate value to exhibitor applicants that could utilize a proper studio space to capture the best possible photographs of their products for jury consideration. Or how Pineapple House, Little Green Apple Hallmark, and Junga’s ACE Hardware might supplement high-end photography tied to national brands with images of products sourced closer to home — capturing their own images within the walls of Artismo. [19,20,21,22]
More and more companies are also opting to send out press releases in lieu of spending money on advertising. “Hey, it’s free!” goes the argument (as if the time that goes into producing such work costs a business nothing). Unfortunately, the more “more and more” there is, the more competition there is to be seen, to be read. Ten years ago, the Director of Photo Services at PR Newswire said, “Obviously, photos shot by professionals have the best chance of getting picked up.” [22,23,24,25]
Unquestionably true for editors back then, even more true today for individuals targeted to consumer that web-hosted content on their laptops and smartphones. And “professional” may be regarded as indicating a standard of quality as much as an individual who makes a living in the photographic trade.
The addition of Artismo Studio share, then, has just made Saline a much more competitive place for practicing photographers and videographers. That includes those who work in-house as an adjunct to almost any sort of enterprise, those who’ve come into town on assignment, and those very much wet behind the ears.
What could you do with a few hours in a professional studio space? Just imagine.
References
- Saline Area Players (home page).
- Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic (home page).
- “#NationalCarbonatedBeveragewithCaffeineDay” Instagram.
- Salt Springs Brewery (home page).
- Stony Lake Brewing (home page).
- “#19thcenturysalineweddings” Instagram.
- “Saline Depot Museum” Saline Area Historical Society.
- “If You Want To Understand The 1870 Saline Railroad Depot Operation, You Need To Understand Its Timekeepers” Dell Deaton (August 21, 2018) Saline Journal.
- “Were You Early for the End of Daylight Saving Time This Year?” Dell Deaton (November 5, 2017) Saline Journal.
- “Get Down and Dirty to Find the Right Balance of Elements for Your Photograph” Dell Deaton (August 17, 2017) Saline Journal.
- “Take a Class to Make Your iPhone the Best Camera You Always Have with You, Better” Dell Deaton (May 10, 2018) Saline Journal.
- Concordia University (home page).
- “The Earhart Mansion” Grace Shackman (June 1997) Ann Arbor Observer.
- “The Class of 2019 Is Coming Up Next: Who Needs Professional Senior Portraits?” Dell Deaton (May 13, 2018) Saline Journal.
- Heidi McClelland Photography (home page).
- Artismo studio share (home page).
- “Daily Rentals” Artismo studio share.
- “Monthly Memberships” Artismo studio share.
- “‘November Craft Show’ Extends The Reach Of Saline Community, Grows The Audience It Serves, And Teaches Lessons In Business” Dell Deaton (November 3, 2018) Saline Journal.
- Pineapple House (home page).
- “Sweetest Day Is Right around the Corner (but You Shouldn’t Panic)” Janet Deaton (October 20, 2017) Saline Journal.
- “It Wasn’t the Internet That Drove Plans for a New Hardware Store in Saline” Dell Deaton (May 9, 2018) Saline Journal.
- “Is Sending Out a Press Release Really Worth the Money?” Josh Stenberg (November 30, 2017) Entrepreneur.
- “Optimize Visibility with Quality Photos” Rachel Meranus (May 2, 2007) Entrepreneur.
- “Decreasing Attention Spans and Your Website, Social Media Strategy” (June 7, 2016) AdWeek.
