Shooting in a Studio? For me, yes!

In 2020, I opened a photo studio, which for four years was not only a place for photography and filming but also hosted events on photography and fashion. It was here that the intimate residential theater EMA was also created.

I had envisioned this multifunctional space for some time. Back then, a friend from Mumbai visited me, and I shared my ideas with him: I wanted it to be a place for photography, but also to include a small sewing workshop within the studio. I wanted to host lectures and create a space where people could meet, connect, and grow together.

"But such a concept doesn’t exist," I added.

My friend responded to my dreaming with:

"Everything you can imagine exists."

And you know what? He was right.

We often build barriers only in our own minds. The fact that we haven’t encountered something yet doesn’t mean it’s impossible. The Atelier 21 project showed me that our thoughts and determination are far more important in realizing visions than we often allow ourselves to believe at the beginning. It was an incredible journey.

Poster for the theater production EMA, created at Atelier 21 in Ostrava.

For four years, I collaborated with people from various fields, each with their own unique story. Some needed photographs because they wanted to start their own business or were looking for a new job. Others were trying to dive deeper into the world of acting, and some were photographed simply because they wanted to be captured here and now — as a memory of who they were at that moment.

With every shoot, I visited a different world. Sometimes actors would tell me about their experiences on set, other times I would listen, fascinated, to stories about experimental lettuce cultivation using only water.

Everyone who came to the studio had one thing in common — they wanted to grow and be captured in the way I would see them through my camera lens.

That’s why I don’t see other photographers as competition. Photography isn’t just about technique or location, but also about the relationship with the person being photographed. In the end, everyone chooses a photographer with whom they feel comfortable during the shoot, and through mutual trust, they create images that reflect the subject’s vision.

It’s okay if someone prefers clean portraits while another chooses a photographer who works with a richly arranged scene. Everyone finds their place in photography — both the photographer and the client.

Besides portrait photography, the studio is an indispensable space for product photography.

And what are the advantages of shooting in a studio? Honestly? Many.

But it also depends on the type of photography you prefer.

1. Safe and Comfortable Space

Shooting in a studio is primarily about having a safe space where you can relax and be yourself. You don’t have to worry about a red nose or whether the sun is too harsh, forcing you to squint. Outdoors, light changes literally every second — the sun shines and the photo is bright and radiant. A cloud passes by, and the shot suddenly transforms into a gray-green image with a completely different atmosphere. Similarly, the surrounding environment can be distracting — people walking in the background, city noise, or random objects divert attention from the most important thing: the person in front of the lens.

2. Time Just for You

Shooting in a studio naturally deepens the relationship between the photographer and the client. A brief chat before the session or a coffee together while planning the shoot serves as a moment of connection — and this has a direct impact on the resulting photographs. Above all, shooting in a studio gives you the feeling that, right now, it’s all about you.

3. Working with Light

A professional photographer can set the lights so that the photographs perfectly reflect the desired atmosphere, unaffected by changing weather. Personally, I work by starting with a bright background, capturing lightness and naturalness. Gradually, with the help of a lighting scheme, changes in clothing or makeup, we move to a more intimate shoot, creating images with an atmosphere close to that of a painting.

At the moment, I don’t own a studio — paradoxically, this actually gives me great freedom. In every major city around the world, there are professional studios available for rent, which allows me to travel to a client almost anywhere and create a shooting environment that matches both my work and the quality I’m accustomed to.

How about you? Which environment suits you best for a photoshoot?