Part III: The Basement Studio

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I can see it in their eyes. When I escort first-time clients down my claustrophobic stairwell while warning “mind your head,” they’re worrying “what did I get myself into?” My basement may be a musty, low-ceilinged, concrete hole—er—studio, but it works and works well. True, the ceilings are under 7 feet high, and the room is barely over 10 feet wide. But, I have 20 feet of space to back up, and that’s all I need. I’ve used this space to shoot everything from full-body portraits of 6-foot-plus businessmen to classical clarinetists, from commercial fashion sessions to product photography. Once a shoot is underway, ...

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