General FAQs

Our studio is located at 300 South Main Street, Suite 324 in The Block on Main in the heart of downtown Holly Springs. There is ample street parking surrounding the building as well as a parking deck and dedicated parking lot for The Block on Main. Here you can view a detailed parking map. From the main interior entrance off the main parking lot take the elevator up to the third floor, take a left, and follow the signs to Suite 324. We have two entrances. The first entrance is to the Workshop Studio and the second is to our Community Workroom.

Community Tip: Feel free to copy this and share it with your clients!

The doors to the studio will be open to you beginning at your reserved rental time. No matter whether it is a weekday or night+weekend rental time, a member of our community will be with you during your rental to assist with any needs that may arrive. 

Members and long-term renters may be entrusted with a one-time key code for entry on occasion and are expected to lock all exits upon departure. Failure to secure premises will result in a fine of  $150. This charge will be automatically invoiced and charged to the credit card on file of the renter’s account.

No. The doors to the studio will be open to you beginning at your reserved rental time. You will not have access to the space before your time. All setup and breakdown must happen during your reserved time.

As our rentals run back to back starting at the top of the hour, during busy times it is likely that someone will be in the studio before and after you. We appreciate your consideration of other Community Members' time.

All setup, shooting, and clean-up must happen within your rental time. During busy times there is likely someone before or after you so we appreciate your consideration of time.

If you go over your rental time you will be immediately billed for any excess time in half-hour increments at the current hourly rental rate plus an additional $50 penalty.

Workshop Studio FAQs

Workshop Studio rentals are available and priced by the hour (with a two-hour minimum), and reduced rates are available for half day (9 am-1 pm or 1 pm-5 pm), or full day (9 am-5 pm). Hourly rates start at $85/hr during the weekday and $100/hr for the nights + weekends. Check out all of our Pricing Options for non-members, members, and frequent renters.

We offer a variety of seamless backdrop options as well as furniture such as stools, chairs, sofas, and more. We also have an assortment of lighting equipment with over a dozen lighting modifiers, and high-power and low-power strobes.

YES! They are all included and free to use with your rental. You can view them all HERE. We also offer member-exclusive add-ons including hand-painted canvas backdrops, v-flats, and more.

Interested in using one of our pieces? Just leave us a note when placing your booking and we will have it ready for you when you arrive. 

Absolutely! There are two elevators in the building for you to bring anything you need to the studio. Just make sure to leave extra time to get moved in and out of the studio during your rental time.

Please be sure that the bottom of any furniture pieces have felt pads in order to protect our floors. Thanks for your help!

There is no shortage of beautiful natural light all day, every day (yes, even when it's super cloudy out)!

The studio windows face northwest. In the morning the studio is filled with indirect cooler light first thing. As the day goes on and the sun rises over the building and the light becomes brighter and warmer. Approximately 5-6 hours before sunset the sun starts to come through the windows at the corner closest to the large white wall. As the afternoon goes on the hard light extends at an angle across the white wall. If you like hard, contrasty light this is a dream! If you prefer softer diffused light we have diffusion window blinds that can be drawn across all of the windows.

 

Left: Early afternoon  |  Right: Late afternoon

Due to the angle of light, the hard light never hits the barn doors on the Workshop Studio side, and the accent wall in the Community Workroom. 

ABSOLUTELY! We love to offer a safe space for single-client body-positive empowering boudoir sessions. Please be aware that all boudoir photographers must be vetted before any rental requests are approved.

For our boudoir photographers, we have quite a few special accommodations and features that we know you will love. Our space has huge 10’ wall-to-wall windows for an insane amount of natural light. Or you are always welcome to draw the shades and use our lighting equipment for full lighting control. The studio faces a wooded lot and between being on the third floor and our balcony patio you actually can’t see in most of the windows from outside (from the main level you can only see the last few feet of wall and ceiling). We also keep a futon in the studio that you can use for a bed, and we invite you to bring any linens or pillows to personalize the setup. With all of our rentals, we offer a variety of furniture, backdrops, and lighting equipment for you to use too. We always like to remind boudoir photographers that we do have Community Coworking during the weekdays so there will be others in the space but we do create a completely private space for you in the Workshop Studio. Or most of our boudoir photographers opt for evening or weekend rentals which gives them the entire space all to themselves. We can also reserve the entire space for you on a weekday with advance notice, just reach out and we'd be happy to share more.

Yes! We love fur babies too! Out of consideration of our guests and our space, we ask that...

  • All pets must be house-trained.
  • Pets must be leashed and have a human friend to hold onto them during their visit. You may also bring a crate if you would prefer.
  • Pets are not allowed to sit or stand on any Studio 557 supplied furniture.
  • Out of consideration for our neighbors if your pet becomes loud during their session we ask that you take them outside for a short walk and bring them back when they are ready.

We totally get it! Some of us are early risers and many of us our night owls.

The studio can be made available after hours (before 9:00 am and after 9:00 pm) with prior approval for an additional $50/hr fee on top of the night+weekend rate. Please contact us to discuss options.

Things happen, and we completely understand. Please be sure though that before you request a booking time that both you and your client are 100% committed to that date and time. Once we approve your booking we are blocking that time off specifically for you and turning away any other potential renters. If proper notice is given (in writing) within the stated time frame your rental fee can be transferred to another available date at the discretion of the Lessor. You can read our entire rescheduling policy below.
 
RESCHEDULING POLICY: In the event that Renter needs to reschedule, a minimum of 48 hours notice is required in writing or hourly rentals. A minimum of 5 business days is required for a half-day, full-day, weekend, or after-hours (before 9:00 am and after 5:00 pm) rental. Renter is aware that Lessor is blocking off the rental date in question specifically for Renter, therefore, turning away any other potential renters during their reserved time, therefore there is no cancellation and no refund permitted. If proper notice is given within the stated time frame the rental fee can be transferred to another available date at the discretion of the Lessor.

Sales + Meeting Room FAQs

Sales Room rentals are available and priced by the hour. Weekday (Mon-Fri 9am -5pm) hourly rentals are $35/hr. Additional night and weekend access is available at $50/hr.

Absolutely! We have an art easel that will hold up to a 60" piece of artwork. We also have an available wall with a wall art hanging system that will allow you to hang your artwork on an adjustable height hook attached to cord.

In the Sales Room, we have one wall that is available for you to customize through our hanging wall art system. The remaining walls have permanent installations as opted for by our members.

After asking our members whether they would like empty walls, generic artwork, or actual photographic products they all voted for photographic products! Why? Because the answer was resounding...they could sell more artwork, and larger artwork by showing their clients how art displays on the wall. No more clients thinking that a "nice 8x10 should fit perfectly". One of our members was elated after she sold the same size and layout of the gallery collection that was featured on the wall that day. How? Because her client said by seeing it right there on the wall, makes it an easy choice. We call that a win-win!

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Pricing + Billing FAQs

Weekday rentals (Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm) include the Workshop Studio space which is our wide open studio area.

Evening and weekend rentals include both the Workshop Studio and the Community Workroom which is our coworking space that includes the desk area and the kitchen (as well as the infamous teal wall!). 

Please keep in mind the Community Workroom is not included in your weekday rentals as this is when we host Community Coworking in this space. 

Our goal with our clients is always to make your experience with us as easy as possible. One of the biggest pieces of feedback we heard from community members at our first studio was that they wished there was a way to make the booking process simpler. Keeping your billing information stored rather than entering it every time saves you time, and makes it easier for us to process your booking requests faster. Also, in the event you need to add time to your booking, add a cleaning fee, etc., we can process that for you quickly and efficiently with no effort required from you.

Booking FAQs

All rentals booked through our online system must be approved by our booking team. Our booking team monitors and approves requests at least once or twice a day during the week and once over the weekend. The team will confirm that we can accommodate your needs, and there are no conflicting issues with any rentals that may be directly before or after your requested time. Bookings are confirmed once your date is approved, your signed contract is received, and your invoice is paid. You can expect to hear from our team within 24-48 hours. If for any reason you do not, please contact us.

 

 

The booking calendar is open for four months at a time. For example, in January you will be able to schedule available time in January, February, March, or April. On February 1st the calendar will open for May and members get first access!

Studio 557 Community members will have first access to book their rental times.

- Artist Level Members may book starting on the 1st of the month.
- Creative Level Members may book starting on the 2nd of the month.
- On the 3rd of the month the calendar will open to the general public.

Have an upcoming event farther out? Contact us to discuss options!

The online booking system will not allow you to book with less than 48 hours notice, contact us at hello@thestudio557.com and we can assist you in booking last-minute appointments.

Workshop Studio
Weekdays, Evening + Weekends: 2-hour minimum

Sales Room
Weekdays: No minimum
Evening + Weekends: 2-hour minimum

Rental times start at the top of the hour. This helps keep our bookings as efficient as possible and maximizes the number of clients we can serve within the day.

We suggest that you plan to arrive at the studio at your start time and invite your clients to meet you 15 minutes past the hour after you have the opportunity to settle in.

Discounts for half-day and full-day rentals will not be automatically applied to your cart. Please email us at hello@thestudio557.com for a custom coupon code for your rental. Refunds will not be issued if you place your booking request without the coupon code applied at that time.

Membership FAQs

To sign up for your membership click here and create an account.
  • Select your chosen plan. (If you are doing a coworking and studio membership you will have to complete them separately)
  • You will be prompted to pay for your prorated first month's membership, and your deposit valued at one month of your membership level.
  • After you have signed your contract, it's official! You will receive a welcome packet with all of the details and perks of your membership!
Please note that all memberships booked through our online system must be approved by our community team. Be sure to contact us at hello@thestudio557.com first so we can help you through the process!

All memberships require a 6-month commitment. At the end of 6 months, you may either apply your deposit as your last month's payment, or you may continue your membership at the current rate.

With a membership, you are drafted on the 1st of the month for your membership fee. Once the draft is successful your time credits (Workshop Studio and Sales Room) for the month are added to your account. These time credits can be used towards any available date on the calendar. This means you do not have to use hours added in say March towards a date in March. You have the ability to book as far as four months out. Membership hours are valid for one month and do not carry over to subsequent months. 
Membership hours are valid for one month and do not carry over to subsequent months. 
Time credits are not month sensitive for booking purposes. For example, if you wanted to book in May, you would use whatever credits you have now in your account. A booking in May does not use “May credits” because those credits have not been paid for. In order to reserve the studio the booking fee must be paid in advance. Hope this helps and makes sense.

Yes! You can use your time credits for bookings after 5pm or on weekends for $15/hr.

When placing your booking request, you will see a section labeled "Additional Services." In order to request an evening/weekend rental add this product to your cart and select a quantity equal to the number of hours needed.

For example, if you would like to book from 6-9pm add a quantity of 3. If you would like from 3-6pm, you would only need to add a quantity of one as only one hour is after 5pm.

At the end of the month if you have used all of your credits you have two options, you can pay the standard rate for that booking, or you can wait until the 1st of the month and use your new credits once they are deposited.
 
We typically recommend starting your membership a month early so that you can get a head start on reserving time.

During your initial six-month commitment you may upgrade at any time. If you would like to downgrade you can do so after you have passed your first six months as a member.

Yes. You may use a single membership to the Workshop Studio for your small business and your team. These team memberships can be utilized by a company in which all team members placing bookings are paid by the parent company.

An example would be a company that utilizes the Workshop Studio to photograph its products even with the help of a contract photographer. 

A membership can not be used by a marketing collective in which team members are being paid directly by clients, and not by the parent company or collective entity.