My studio now has a waiting area.


I've been thinking a lot about how to make a successful headshot studio. I tend to fixate on the image itself: the shadows, the highlights, the background, the person's posture and expression. I ramble often to my partner about these granular details. She's endlessly patient. Which is why I was really thankful when she widened the frame to a more practical matter: give people a comfortable waiting area.


I hadn't considered that, not even once. She's so smart. Even though I intend to have a fairly consistent lighting set-up, there's always minutes of last-minute adjustments to the position of the lights, their intensity, and the client always has to wait. So on her good advice, I got a rug, a comfy chair, and a small table where people will be able to comfortably sit, drink some water, and warm-up to the space. It's brilliant. She's brilliant. This is what it looks like.

Always listen to your partner.