STUDIO HIGHLIGHT: The Studio at Union Square
Todays tip is a Studio Highlight! If you’re looking for places to shoot as it gets colder, a studio is a great way to go, and Utah has so many amazing options!
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SHOOTING IN A STUDIO? (or shooting in general?) I OFFER ONE-ON-ONE MENTOR SESSIONS FOR PHOTOGRAPHER’S OF ALL LEVELS! IF YOU’RE READY TO INVEST IN YOURSELF, LET’S GET IN TOUCH!
Today’s Studio Highlight is The Studio At Union Square
FAST FACTS
Located in Sandy, Utah
Natural Light
$50 per/hour
Find them on instagram: @thestudioatunionsquare
LOCATION
This studio is located in Union Square Shopping Center in Sandy, Utah.
The Address is: 688 East Union Square, Sandy, Utah 84070
It is located above a Storybrook Cafe. Look for the white building with bay windows next to an insurance agency. There is a lockbox with a key to the studio outside the building (instructions and codes are given at booking). You take the key from the box, and walk through Storybrook, up the stairs inside storybrook, and to the studio on the second level.
Parking: Parking is easy-breezy here. There is a large parking lot for all of the shops at union square and I’ve always been able to find a spot right out in front of the studio! Plenty of parking for you and your clients!
The Studio at Union Square entrance through Storybrook Cafe
WHAT’S INSIDE
The Studio at Union square is one L shaped room with north facing bay windows. The entire space is white including the floors and the ceiling.
They have several prop options including a white leather couch, a blowup mattress with interchangeable headboards and white bedding, stools, a bench, multiple throw pillows, plants, a white baby crib, and movable colored walls which get painted new shades each month. They also have a clothing rack for your use during your rental and several backdrop options!
Check out this studio tour from their insta to get a full look around:
WHAT I LOVE
The Walls.
The moveable walls are probably the most iconic feature of the studio. They are big enough to shoot anything on (you can put the bed or couch in front of them) and they have the best most creative feature of BASEBOARDS!! I’ve shot moveable walls in other spaces where full length photos aren’t ideal, since the gap between the wall and the floor ruins the aesthetic. These walls have detachable baseboards painted to match exactly and you can place them to close that pesky gap and make it look like an actual wall in your photos! Follow along with their instagram to see what colors are currently available!
moveable walls WITH baseboards
moveable walls WITHOUT baseboards
The backdrops.
While they do have paper backdrops available, the ones that aren’t to be missed are their gorgeous painted canvas backdrops. They are absolutely stunning!
The Bay Windows
The bay windows are PERFECT for flat lays. You can lay things on the large window sill and have even, bright lighting for detail shots placed in the window seat!
Second Story
I love second story studios for privacy and unobstructed light.
Child Care
Yes. You read it right. If you are a working mom, or your client needs a place for her kids while you shoot—-you are IN LUCK. The Storybrook Cafe below the studio offers a “walk-in” Child Care option. The studio + Storybrook are the only two tenants of the building (so no worries about other businesses bringing in safety concerns) You can leave the door to the studio open and pop your head out to look in on your kids. Super convenient to have an on-sight baby-sitter downstairs from the studio! AND it gets even better. When you bring your kids, tell the people at Storybrook you are shooting upstairs, and they’ll give you a DISCOUNT!!!! (Regular rate is $8 per hour per child, studio users get $7 per hour per child)!! You can watch this story highlight for more details/info on this unique amenity.
HOW TO BOOK
Book Directly through the website HERE
add the amount of time you would like to book, select the date and time, and check out all through the site!
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
There is a kitchenette down the hall on the second floor (the same floor as the studio) for your use (a fridge with water bottles you are welcome to, etc.)
You have to walk through storybrook, past a baby gate, up some stairs to get to the studio. I STRONGLY recommend meeting your clients outside and walking them up to the studio instead of leaving them to fend for themselves since it can be a bit confusing if you haven’t been before.
Paper rolls are available for rent ($12 for large, $8 for small) and that fee also includes the stand to set them up on
CHILD CARE IS AVAILABLE while you shoot, at the Storybrook Cafe below the studio. Get to your rental a few minutes early and check your kids in for some fun playtime while you work!