Open House - Luke Photography Studio

This past weekend was the official grand opening of the new Luke Photography studio.  While arranging for the catered food and shopping for supplies, I had visions of taking 98% of it home and eating cupcakes…delicious, alcohol-infused cupcakes…for weeks.  But we’ll get to that momentarily.  Don’t let me forget.

Over 250 postcard invitations were printed and mailed out to family, friends, existing and potential clients.  I also walked through the village near my studio and hand-delivered many more to other businesses that might benefit from cooperation with my studio.  I even lured people with the promise of out-of-this-world cupcakes made the W.C Fields way (“Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker”).  The cupcakes were delivered an hour before the opening, and after tasting one, I didn’t care if anyone came…I could have eaten all of them.  Bailey’s Irish Cream in the icing, Jameson whisky in the ganache in the middle…do I need to say any more?

Customer Waiting Area

The first guest, a former client, was the first to arrive, promptly at 1pm.  It steadily picked up until a steady throng of people were coming and going for the next three hours.  My daughter and her friend were keeping a tally of the guests, and she happily told me at the end of the afternoon that the total number of guests more than doubled what I expected.  And they came bearing gifts of wine, champagne, flowers, house plants, and duct tape.  You have to know my nickname of "MacGyver" to appreciate the duct tape gift.

Main Shooting Bay and Head Shot Booth (behind column)

Many guests commented on the nice color scheme in the studio, from the waiting area to the vintage Hollywood changing room to the Preview Room, where guests get to see their images on a 7-ft. wide screen.  It’s a nice extension of our own home, where my wife and I collaborated on the whole color scheme of our home.  Many visitors to the studio mentioned that it is such a warm and inviting space…somewhere where they would feel comfortable right away.  And they liked the fact that each person that uses the dressing room gets their name on the door.

Daylight Shooting Bay

I think this is important for people that are coming in to have their portraits taken.  It gets them to let their guard down and be themselves, which is important.  I don’t want to take a photo of what people look like…anyone can do that.  I want to take make portraits of who people are, and you can only do that if they are comfortable with who you are, and where they are.  And if they don’t feel comfortable, then I could always duct tape them to the chair. I have a new roll...

Preview Room