Photography Studio Rental: What To Know

We’ll take an estimated 1.4 trillion photos around the world in 2021. Many of them are personal photos. Instagram, for example, has had over 50 billion photos (with 1,000 more every second). The industry for professional photography is also large and growing, as businesses increasingly rely on high quality imagery to educate, inform, inspire, and sell. Check the infographic at the end for info on the $6 billion photo industry in the US!

In house production teams and facilities are not always common, and freelance photographers and rental studios help to fill the need. That’s what we’re up to at StudioME in Pittsburgh, where we make the photography studio rental process as simple as possible for the photographers we serve.

Photography Studio Rental Rates in Pittsburgh

The Multi-Purpose Studio is ideally suited for photographers and rental rates begin at $149 for a 2-hour rental. A full, 10-hour day starts at $549, while a 6-hour rental is $349. The costs can go up from there if you’d like to rent something specific from our equipment library of over 20 different cameras, lenses, and accessories.

At StudioME, our 410 sq. ft. photography studio is ready to go for professionals who are looking for a high-end and flexible rental. This studio is best suited for expert and semi-professional photographers and is great for multi-camera shoots and full body photography. Many of these clients elect to bring their own equipment, but we also have photo equipment rentals available.

How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Photography Studio Elsewhere?

Photography studio rentals can range in price, but can cost upwards of $500 per hour. All studios should provide a comfortable, fully controlled environment, and easy access to equipment. Prices vary based on factors like the location to the size of the studio to the specific things that are included in the price.

Where Can I Find A Camera Rental in Pittsburgh?

So you’re looking to rent a camera in Pittsburgh? We have you covered with over 20 pieces of equipment to choose from. Camera rentals range from 2 hours in length to a full week and you can book any of the items detailed below on our site.

• Live Stream Kit, a plug and play camera system for web conferencing and live streaming: rental prices range from $15 for a 2 hour, in-studio rental to $70 for a full week, off site rental
• DSLR Kit, including a Canon 7D mk II, a Canon 24-105 1:4 Lens, a Rode VideoMic Pro, a tripod, and a 64GB SD card: rental prices range from $81 for a 2 hour, in-studio rental to $293 for a full week, off site rental
• Panasonic Lumix GH4 4K Mirrorless, a hybrid camera designed for both professional photo and video use: rental prices range from $10 for a 2 hour, in-studio rental to $60 for a full week, off site rental
• Canon 7D Mark II, a tool with a top continuous shooting rate of 10 fps that is well suited for sports and wildlife photographers and equally adept in the hands of contemporary image-makers: rental prices range from $18 for a 2 hour, in-studio rental to $108 for a full week, off site rental
• Canon XF200 HD Camcorder, a compact camera well suited for traditional multi camera productions as well as events, independent films, and documentaries: rental prices range from $18 for a 2 hour, in-studio rental to $108 for a full week, off site rental
• Canon EOS C300 Mark II, a 4K digital cinema camera with a wide range of recording and output options specifically for 4K and 2K image acquisition: rental prices range from $90 for a 2 hour, in-studio rental to $540 for a full week, off site rental
• GoPro Hero 3+, an action camera capable of shooting both 1080p HD video and 11 MP photos at 10 fps: rental prices range from $5 for a 2 hour, in-studio rental to $14 for a full week, off site rental

In addition to the camera rental options, we’ve got you covered if you’re looking specifically for a Pittsburgh lens rental for as little as 2 hours or as long as a week. Weekly rental prices range from as low as $19 per week for the utilitarian Rokinon 35 MM 1.5 Lens to $143 per week for the long range Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens. There are twelve lenses in total which you can check out at the booking page linked below.

Lights, audio equipment, and accessories are also available to rent. Booking is simple at our camera rental page. Just pick your equipment, your desired rental length, your date, and check out!

What is Included With the Multi-Purpose Studio Rental?

The Multi-Purpose Studio comes ready to go with the following:

• Up to 6 LED panel lights (lighting?) on moveable stands
• Choice from 4 12’ seamless paper backdrops
• 5’ x 7’ dressing room
• Chairs, tables, and grip gear are available upon request
• *Our semi-professional and expert videographers using this space can either bring their own equipment or pay an additional fee to rent ours

What Extras Are Available With a Photography Studio Rental?

Our 15.5’ x 26.5’ Multi-Purpose Studio has available add ons to help customize the perfect photo studio.

Those available extras include:

• An all access pass to use any rental gear in stock: $99 for 2 hours, $200 for 6 hours, $300 for 10 hours
• Adding an additional 228 sq. ft. with a second studio and an additional dressing room: $99 for 2 hours, $200 for 6 hours, $299 for 10 hours
• A 107” – 140” seamless backdrop (green, white, gray, or yellow): $35 – $45 for 2 hours, 6 hours, or 10 hours
• We can also help you find a crew or specific equipment you may need if you let us know!

For the last of those, we have a bit more information below.

Do I Get An Assistant With the Photo Studio Rental?

No, our photography studio does not include an assistant with the base price. If you’d like one, however, we can find one for you.

Can I Get Help With Photography Pre-Production?

Most of our photography clients do their own pre-production and pre-production is not one of the services we offer. This checklist details the major photo prepro items, including the identification of your goals, strategies, and expectations and developing your shot list. If you need more help, we know producers in the Pittsburgh area and we’d be happy to refer you to someone who will best fit your project. Simply note this in your project request or fill out our contact form.

Do You Have Any Portfolio Examples from the Photo Studio?

We thought you’d never ask. Here’s a brief sampling below.

What Else Do I Need to Know About Renting a Photography Studio in Pittsburgh?

At StudioME, we are driven to make the photo studio rental process as easy as possible. The Multi-Purpose Studio starts at $149 for a 2 hour rental and allows you to customize your photography experience to your specific needs.

We ask our photographers to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of your reservation. This helps ensure that you get the most out of your time with us.

The rental agreement details other key parts of the process, such as what happens if you have to cancel your photo studio rental.

Anything Else to Know About the Photography Industry Overall?

If you’re not familiar with the US photography industry, the infographic below might be a great place to start! After you check it out, feel free to get in touch if you want to check out our Pittsburgh photo studio.