Running a small studio snap photographers come back to
- Snap shoots are often booked an hour or two at a time. Try fitting your minimum booking and time increments to photographers' schedules.
- Put window direction, light by time of day, changing space and your policy on outside photographers on your location page and you'll get fewer questions.
- Photos photographers take become location photos that bring in your next guests. Get permission and feature them.
Advertising and video teams rent a big space once, for a long time; snap photographers rent small spaces briefly and often. They book an hour or two per client and come back to places they like for their next shoot. Here's how to turn them into regulars.
What photographers look at when choosing a place
| What photographers ask | What to put on your location page |
|---|---|
| When is the light good? | Window direction, photos by time of day (morning, afternoon, dusk) |
| Where can we change? | Where the dressing room, restroom and mirrors are |
| Are outside photographers OK? | Whether outside photographers are allowed, and any extra fee |
| How many people does the base rate cover? | Whether the base headcount includes the photographer, clients and hair and makeup |
| Can we move props? | List of furniture and props that can be moved, and the rule for putting them back |
| Will we overlap with the next booking? | Changeover time between bookings, waiting area |
As on the AMETAGE STUDIO location page on ROKE, marking the sun's position by time of day on your floor plan lets photographers plan their route before they arrive.
Booking increments and rates
- Time increments — Snap shoots often take about an hour per client. If your minimum is long, snap photographers will look elsewhere. You could take short bookings only in quiet slots such as weekday daytimes.
- Changeover time — Leaving time to tidy up between bookings means the next group doesn't wait and the previous one isn't rushed.
- Repeat bookings — If the same photographer comes often, you can build the relationship by taking multi-date bookings in advance or letting them know your quiet times. For rate design, see how to build a studio rate card.
- Card payments — You may not charge more because someone pays by card (Korea's Specialized Credit Financial Business Act Article 19). Build your rate card so the amount doesn't change with the payment method.
Using photographers' photos to promote your space
Photos a photographer took in your space are the most convincing location photos for your next guests. But the photographer owns the copyright, and the people in the photos hold the rights to their likeness. Get the photographer's permission before using photos on your location page or social media, and for photos with people in them, check with the photographer that those people consented to posting. Crediting the photographer by name promotes them too.
Keep rules short and clear
Many snap guests are first-timers. Cover shoes, food, putting props back, pets and overtime fees in five lines or fewer, and send them with the booking confirmation. How to write rules is covered in writing house rules and a cancellation policy.
With permission, feature regular photographers' shots as ‘photographers who shot here’. The photographer and the space end up sending clients each other's way.
Based on operating information from places listed on ROKE and how snap shoots typically use spaces. Article 19 of Korea's Specialized Credit Financial Business Act prohibits treating customers less favourably for paying by credit card.
