Introducing Studio Two Seven Nine

Around 10 years ago I started my professional photographer’s journey and for nearly that entire decade I focused my work almost exclusively on the race track. Oh, I’ve dabbled here and there with other genres. I’ve taken on the occasional portrait session or real estate job. But, when you look at my portfolio, you see that the vast majority of the imagery I’ve created is falls into the genre of automotive and motorsport. The race track is where I learned photography as a kid and where I wanted to build a career. It is where I want to continue growing my career. In fact, when I set out on my photographer’s journey the thought that I’d ever want to pursue any other genre of work never even occurred to me.

Then I joined the New Hampshire Professional Photographers Association (NHPPA). I started meeting incredible photographers who were doing super creative things in the studio. I began attending the monthly meetings and going to seminars and conferences, most of which were focused on portrait photography, and slowly that familiar voice in the back of my head began urging me to try new things. To gain new knowledge and to push my work in new directions. What started as a whisper soon started increasing in volume. After a couple of years, it was screaming at me. “YOU’RE BORED!” it bellowed, “LEARN SOMETHING NEW! DO SOMETHING ELSE!”

An idea began percolating deep in the recesses of my imagination. I started daydreaming about putting together a professional studio. Of learning and mastering the art of light and expanding my business with the goal of allowing my creativity to be the guiding force behind the direction it goes. Eventually, it became something I just had to do.

So, in March of 2021, I signed the lease for a 625 sq. ft. space in The Mills at Salmon Falls in Rollinsford, NH. The studio is on second floor in the Upper Mill which is set aside exclusively for artists. I have found that the creative energy in the hallways of that building is palpable and that this translates to my having the instant inspiration to create. The moment I walk through the front door. I can always hear the sound of power tools being used by woodworkers echoing from somewhere in the building and across the hall from Studio Two Seven Nine is an art education firm.

I haven’t been this excited about growing in my photography in quite some time. A new website for Studio Two Seven Nine is in the works but first I need to build a portfolio. If you would be interested in “modeling” for a portrait session or headshot please contact me today! I have a limited number of these portfolio-building sessions available and they are filling up fast. This offer expires January 1, 2022.

email: shawn@shawnpiercephoto.com | phone: 603.630.4675

Thank you for supporting my work through the years. I genuinely hope you’ll come along with me on this new journey, too. Below is a gallery showing a little behind the scenes of what the space looked like back in March when I started, a little of the transition into a photography studio, and what it looks like now. At the end are a few samples of the work that has been created there so far.

BEFORE PHOTOS

Studio Two Seven Nine was a bit of a mess when I took it over. The previous tenant had been a painter so there were paint splatters everywhere. All over the floors and in places on the walls. But, the potential to be special was there. These photos were taken the day I brought my wife and daughter to see it for the first time.

Olive & I walking into the Upper Mill in March, shortly after signing the lease.

Olive enjoying the view of Salmon Falls.

One of my favorite things about this space is opening the window and listening to the river rush by.

Olive's idea of helping

PAINT!

Step one was to get the space painted. So I got a hold of my friend Brian. Brian is a house painter by day and stellar photographer by, well, any time he isn’t painting. He’d always wanted to learn studio light so we worked out a deal where he would paint the space for me (I hate painting) and in exchange he would get equal time to play and learn in the studio.

I chose to keep it simple and clean. White walls and gray floor.

I didn't want the room to lose all it's history so we left the brick wall as we found it. Paint splatters and all.

Again, allowing the room to retain some of it's character, I didn't paint the beams or the ceiling.

This is an old building. Who knows what this room has been used for in the past but I didn’t want to paint over the history completely.

MOVING IN

Slowly over the next couple of months, I procured gear (still procuring gear in fact) and got stuff moved in. First, I moved in the small amoutn of lighting equipment I owned at the time. A little while later I got the desk, chair and shelving moved in to make up the “office” section. It was important to me that the space reflects my personality as much as possible. I want it to represent who I am and be a source of inspiration. So, once the bulk of the furniture was in I started to personalize the space. That meant getting stuff up on the walls. A sort of celebration of how far my career has come so far. And, it also meant finding space to display another love of mine: LEGO!

This was all the lighting equipment I owned to start.

The beautiful Studio Two Seven Nine sign was custom made by Liz Rodgers at Scars For Strength.

You should definitely contact Liz if you need or want a custom, handmade product for your business. https://www.scarsforstrength.com/

As of writing this blog this is what the studio looks like right now.

RESULTS

In the last couple of months, I have started creating in Studio Two Seven Nine.

My first shoot was with Avery, a high school junior who has been fencing for years. If I’m honest I was flying by the seat of my pants with this one. I had no idea what I was doing but through a little trial and error we got some ok images.

Then I tried my hand at a corporate headshot of my insurance guy, Jimmy. Again, I felt a little bit lost. There is only so much you can learn about this stuff on YouTube. It was after Jimmy’s headshot session that I decided I’d better start getting serious about properly learning studio lighting. So I hired lighting master Don Chick to work with me 1 on 1 and almost right away I started to see improvements in my results.

My buddy Jared Plante came in to pose for me and we created these two “business portraits” of him to showcase his picture frame-making business.

And my most recent work featuring Liz Rodgers of Scars for Strength and Matt Vigeant of Matty V Clixpix. A chance to showcase what I’d learned from Don with him in the room.

And, well, I guess that’s all I have to say about that for now. Where will all this lead? Honestly, I don’t know, but I am moving forward armed with the knowledge I picked up from Don Chick and with renewed passion for my photography.

The work has just begun.