A ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, December 6, commemorated the official opening of Studio over Laurens at 142 Laurens Street SW. As a space for photographers, videographers, and so much more, it has a true cooperative spirit.
Ladonna Armstrong relays how the whole idea was hatched. “I was talking with Tony Gouge and Chris McKeel, who collaborate with me on Bella, and they said it would be great to have studio space downtown that various photographers could share,” she says. “There are some amazing spaces in the Croft Building; however, that wasn’t exactly what Tony and Chris were looking for.”
Ladonna recalls, “I originally saw this space in December of 2018 when I was looking for a location for my hat shop, Aiken Hattery. Everyone kept saying, ‘Don’t do brick and mortar. You will lose money in a retail space.’” The space, which encompasses the entire second floor of White Rose Eclectics, is 2,000 square feet. “So to fill that with hats,” she pauses and laughs, “That’s a lot of hats and a lot of inventory.”
In addition, the space was upstairs and not street level, making it far from ideal for retail. Ladonna let go of the thought of using the space at all until she purchased Aiken Bella Magazine. Knowing she needed a small office space for computers and casual meetings, she thought of the Laurens Street space again. The building was previously leased to Charlotte’s Bridal, a longtime Aiken business that used the upstairs for storage.
“I began to think about sharing the space and then it hit me that it was the perfect place for a photography studio!”
Renting studio space could pay the rent, and Ladonna would have something to offer people who collaborated with her on the magazine. She soon realized that the space would also work well as a meeting space or for events. Several event planners have already used the space to meet with clients, and a few nonprofits have held board meetings there. “I like the idea of a co-op space where I can help other businesses,” Ladonna says. “I have redefined my purpose — I want to help people connect, and the studio connects things for me.”
Both Bella and Aiken Hattery took up residence in June, and Ladonna immediately began revamping the space to accommodate others. “The whole entire space is for rent,” she confirms. “We can lay out a conference room area for board meeting or book clubs, while the main space is so big you can set up tables down the middle for tea parties or bridal showers,” she pauses adding, “And then, there’s the photography section.” At least a dozen local photographers, including Tony Gouge, Chris McKeel, and Michael St. John, have already made use of the studio for portraiture work. There are full lighting setups — continuous, flash, and LED. There are three backdrop areas, each with three different backdrops. Abundant natural light flows through windows that open onto Laurens Street below as well as the huge clerestory in the center of the room. “Plus, we have a really unique background for portraiture — a gorgeous brick wall with plaster peeling off of it,” Ladonna notes.
The studio has transmitters for Sony, Nikon, and Cannon cameras; digital and video cameras are available for rent. And while the studio is designed as a resource for professional photographers, Ladonna emphasizes, “You can also book a photographer through the studio.” Drone, GoPro, and Insta 360 photography are all available in addition to portraiture. She believes the studio will be a great “landing place” for visitors to Aiken. “We have bathrooms and changing areas to prepare for shoots at Hopelands Gardens or around town. Then, they can come and do inside portraits as well.”
“Everyone who walks in remarks that it is a great space, and it is,” comments photographer Chris McKeel. “We are so fortunate to have a place like the Studio over Laurens. Professional and amateur photographers now have everything they need to create. I can’t wait to see what comes out of it,” she adds.
Michael St. John, an event videographer and photographer, describes the Studio on Laurens as “a great place for anyone that needs a studio, especially if they don’t have backdrops and lights of their own.” He adds, “As a part-time photographer, I’ve used it personally and it gives me a chance to offer a studio setting to clients and it works well for my portfolio shots.”
“We’ve just got good vibrations up here,” Ladonna says with a smile, adding, “It’s already proving to be a true co-op space. I especially love when we can collaborate, like recently when the Aiken Civic Ballet used the studio for a contract signing party.” Ladonna planned the entire event with a Mad Hatter theme while Tony Gouge shot photos of all the girls wearing hats from Aiken Hattery.
Tony started off his career as a landscape photographer, and while he still loves that area of work, he has found himself transitioning to portraiture. “I was in need of a studio and know many other photographers are in a similar situation. Plus, this studio offers a great opportunity for collaborating with other photographers,” he says. He worked closely with Ladonna to make sure all the needs of amateur and professional photographers would be met. “There are very few facilities like this and we are still improving it. We plan to add continuous lighting, light modifiers, and more strobes. Also, there will be several photography stations that can be used simultaneously.”
“It’s a wonderful space for a studio,” confirms studio manager Daniel Wood. “We are fully operational with plenty of room, a good location, and state-of-the-art equipment.” He notes that the studio’s flexible hours make it very appealing for a variety of uses. “I am looking forward to meeting new artists and helping creatives achieve their goals,” he adds. The Studio over Laurens can be booked between 8 am and 8 pm. Office and studio space are offered in two hour increments while the entire space is available in four hour increments. Visit Facebook.com/StudioOverLaurens for booking information.
