General Questions

1. Is there a way to meet the people behind StudioShare.org™?

   We are planning a few road shows and are often in other cities talking to studio owners and service providers. Start following us on Twitter to learn where we're going next. Be a fan on Facebook™ too.

   Also, if you happen to live in the Metro Boston area you can join the StudioShare.org™ Community Meetup. Learn more about how the platform works and help define future features. Meet the founders, other photo professionals, and talk about studio photography. You don't have to be a StudioShare.org™ member to attend this meetup.
   
   Read our About page to find out more about the people behind StudioShare.org™ .

2. Where are your members located? Is there anything in my area?

   StudioShare.org™ is designed as a community. Often, we've found that there are plenty of people in an area who are interested but are waiting for someone to take the first step. If there is nothing in your area yet, be the first. Others will follow.
   
   
   

3. Is StudioShare.org™ a non-profit organization?

   StudioShare.org™ is a for profit organization with a community attitude.

4. When I sign up, how long do I have to wait before I can book studio space, services, or equipment?

   You can begin using StudioShare.org™’s features as soon as you have completed filling out your member profile.
   
   If you want to offer services, you must complete the associated profile, so that others can find and book your resources.

5. What are the different membership levels and what do I get for my money?

   Check out our account comparison chart in the features section.

6. Is my credit card data safe?

   All transactions are processed securely through PayPal™. You can use this service with any valid credit card, ATM card, or a PayPal™ account. StudioShare.org™ does not store any credit card information.

7. Is there a gift option for a certain StudioShare.org™ account?

   Yes, there is. Contact customer service at 1-888-321-6974 to purchase one.

8. I lost the terms and conditions. Where can I find all the legal mumbo jumbo?

   You can find all kinds of documents in our download section or if you just want to look at them in your browser, click here.
   
   

9. I have a question that isn't listed here.

   Feel free to contact us. We're happy to answer all your questions.

10. I love the concept and I would like to promote the idea by becoming a fan on Facebook™. Are you guys on Facebook™?

    Yes we are! Just click here to become a fan of StudioShare.org™ on Facebook™.

11. I read somewhere that I can get a discounted Zipcar™ membership if I join StudioShare.org™. Is that true?

    Yes, it is. We really love the idea of shared resources and Zipcar™ is such a wonderful concept. After you join StudioShare.org™, log in and click on this link to see the details.

12. We saw LensProToGo.com and StudioShare.org™ together at a tradeshow/presentation. How are the companies connected?

    LensProToGo.com and StudioShare.org™ are partner organizations. They are, however, independent businesses. Paul Friedman and his team are handling the day-to-day operations for StudioShare.org™ and you can be sure to get the same kind of great support you are used to from LensProToGo.com. To rent lenses or camera bodies by mail, go to LensProToGo.com or call 1-877-578-4777.

13. What are the general rules to use StudioShare.org™?

    Well, there are a few rules that should be self-explanatory in a civilized world, but here comes the roundup:
    

    
    

14. I am an investor and like the StudioShare.org™ concept. Can we talk?

    We are always open to discussion. Make sure to check out our Investors page.

15. Do I need insurance to be on StudioShare.org™?

    If you work as a professional photographer or service provider for the photo industry, insurance is highly recommended. There are several major providers of photographer's insurance in the U.S. We recommend researching different options to find an insurance policy that fits your needs. Make sure to check out our Safety/Insurance page.

16. Can I decide to work only with insured professionals?

    Yes. You may opt only to work with insured members, and even require proof of insurance.
    
    Make sure to check out our Safety/Insurance page.

17. I have a couple of more complicated questions and it's difficult to write all the stuff down. Can I talk to a human being?

    Of course. Give us a call at 1-888-321-6974 (Toll-free).

18. I have a darkroom I would like to rent out. Can I do that?

    Yes, you can. Join as a Studio Owner and select darkroom as one of your studio's specialties. The option is listed under My Studio/Basic Info.

19. Does StudioShare.org™ own all the studios listed?

    Absolutely not. All the studios listed are owned and operated by photographers who want to better facilitate their resources. You can read more about community-based photo rental in our Getting Started section.

20. I am currently a Member, but found a nice studio I would like to share. Can I upgrade my account to "Studio Owner"?

    Most certainly. Give us a call at 1-888-321-6974 and we'll take care of it.

Studio Owners

1. I am a Studio Owner, but I often need studio space in other cities. Can I book other studios?

   Yes. All Studio Owners also have standard membership benefits, which include the ability to find and book studio space in any location.

2. What if I book my space for myself when the online listing shows it as available, then someone else books it before the availability changes online?

   Your double-booking concerns are taken care of by StudioShare.org™'s space request system. If you receive a booking request in the process of booking your own space, you can simply decline the request via a link in the email you'll receive to notify you of the request. In other words, you have the right to approve or decline all booking requests for your space, without penalty. If you do not approve a booking request, then your space will not be booked for that time.

3. My studio is temporarily down for construction or other reasons. Can I suspend my membership?

   You can't suspend your membership, but you can temporarily disable your studio role at any time. While disabled, your studio's profile will not appear in members’ search results. This has no impact, whatsoever, on confirmed bookings.
   

4. When there is a shoot in my studio, do I have to be there all the time?

   It totally depends on the situation in your particular space. Some people use lockboxes, some have an assistant on site to show the space and its features at the beginning of the rental period. In short, it totally depends on your specific situation.

5. What is the difference between My Equipment, Included Equipment, and Additional Equipment?

   My Equipment is equipment you would like to rent out to others for off-site use. All members can do this.
   
   Studio owners also have the option to include on-site equipment in the rental of their studio space.
   This equipment comes in two flavors:
   a) Included Equipment: This is equipment you want to add to your studio rental package at no extra charge (e.g. backdrops, camera stands, etc.)
   b) Additional Equipment: This is equipment you are offering on top of the studio rental at an extra charge (e.g. a medium-format kit, lens, material, props, etc.)

6. I was wondering if you could also help me find a permanent studio mate?

   Currently, no. However, we may add this option in the future.

7. We are a group of studio owners who currently share a studio. The studio, however, is still idle quite often. Can we join as a group?

   You can't join as a group because each StudioShare.org™ account requires an individual person to be responsible for accepting or declining bookings, to be used as a contact person for the space, and all other account functions.
   
   The group, however, can decide to appoint a contact person, have him or her sign up and manage their account. The checks we send out would be issued to the name on the account. The proceeds may be split within the group, but it is your responsibility to do so.

Service Providers

1. I list my hourly rate and my daily rate, but I usually charge extra for travel expenses. Is there any way to add a fee per job?

   Yes, there is. The process is explained in great detail in the Learning Center | Accepting a Booking)

2. I am offering a service on StudioShare.org™, but I am only working in the summer/winter. Can I suspend my membership or parts of it during the off-season?

   Yes, you can temporarily disable certain roles of your account. Once logged in, go to your Profiles page, then go to the Preferences tab. At the top of this page you can use a check box to enable or disable certain membership roles. Just remember to enable your roles again when you're ready to be booked again.
   
   Please note that confirmed bookings are not affected by disabling roles. You still have to honor your previously made commitments.

3. I have a trifold here that talks about four different account types. What happened to Collaborators and Pro Collaborators?

   In our everlasting effort to make things even easier, we eliminated two of the four account types. The Member account type now has all the features these two account types had in the past.

Booking Process

1. Can somebody else use my StudioShare.org™ account?

   No, with one exception: if you are a Studio Owner, you may have an employee manage your account for you. You are, however, responsible for everything they do in your name. Keep your user name and password safe at all times.

2. Do I have to be a PayPal™ member/subscriber to use your services?

   Absolutely not. All transactions are processed through PayPal™, but you can use PayPal™ without a PayPal™ account as long as you have a valid credit card or ATM card.

3. How do I pay Studio Owners and service providers?

   All transactions are processed securely through PayPal™. You can use this service with any valid credit card, ATM card, or a PayPal™ account. StudioShare.org™ does not store any credit card information.
   

   
   
   
   

4. How do I check availability of a studio, some equipment, or a service provider? How do I see their calendar?

   You check availability by entering the dates/times in the request box. If the studio/gear/service isn't available, you will see a message indicating that the resource is not available at the time you are about to request. Otherwise the resource is generally available. You can still request a resource, even if the time slot is booked (for whatever reason). The resource owner can then decide if they want to rearrange their schedule to accommodate your request. You can't see other people's complete calendars, because that would violate their privacy.

5. What do I have to bring to the shoot?

   You are in charge of your own shoots. StudioShare.org™ can help you book studio space, equipment, and service providers, but it is up to you to make sure you book/bring everything you need. If a resource owner requires collateral (e.g. drivers license), make sure you remember to bring that too.

6. The studio I booked was much smaller/different than advertised by the studio owner. What can I do?

   Contact us immediately so that we can resolve the issue. We will notify the studio owner of the discrepancy and will try to work out a solution.

7. Why does my booking not show up on my statement? It's confirmed and booked and I still can't see it.

   The answer is probably easy. It does not show up because it has not happened yet. Bookings will show up on your statement once the event has happened.

Equipment Rentals

1. Do I have to share all my equipment with the community?

   Not at all. You decide exactly what photo equipment is available for use by StudioShare.org™ members. You are in control of your resources at all times.

2. How does equipment rental between members work? Do I have to ship my equipment somewhere?

   No, you should not ship the equipment. The renter has selected your equipment with your location in mind. The renter should pick up the equipment at your address listed in "My Profile", or at an agreed upon location. Also, if agreed upon, the renter should provide collateral such as a picture ID. It is your responsibility, as the equipment owner, to make certain the equipment is clean and in working order, and in protective casing.

Technology-related Questions

1. Which browsers are supported?

   We've tested the following browsers:
   
   Mac OS X™ Platform
   
   - Safari™ 3 (has some minor issues, upgrade to Safari 4 is recommended)
   - Safari™ 4
   - Safari™ 5
   - Firefox™ 3
   - Google™ Chrome™
   
   Windows™
   
   - Firefox™ 3
   - Microsoft Internet Explorer™ 7
   - Microsoft Internet Explorer™ 8
   - Google Chrome
   
   Linux
   
   - Firefox™ 3
   - Google Chrome
   
   Other Platforms
   - iPhone (V3.1 software)
   - iPad
   
   

2. Do I have to install anything on my computer to make the StudioShare.org™ application work?

   You don't have to install anything on your computer to use StudioShare.org™. Everything happens securely in your web browser. No matter whether you are a Mac or a PC user (Windows or Linux), StudioShare.org™ just works.

   Some features (mostly in the Learning Center), need Flash®.

3. Can I use StudioShare.org™ on my mobile device (iPhone®/Palm Pre®/Nexus One®, etc., iPad®)?

   Yes, with certain limitations regarding the screen resolution of these devices. Generally you should be able to use the platform on your mobile devices as long as the device has a full-blown web browser.

   
   

4. Where can I see what has changed in a new release of the software?

   You can click here to see the change log. Only logged-in members can view this page.

5. Does StudioShare.org™ work on the iPad®?

   Yes, with two minor exceptions. You won't be able to see the clock on the dashboard and parts of the "Learning Center" won't work, because they use Flash® video.

6. I found a bug on your site. Where can I report it?

   Usually we say: If you find a bug, please just keep it.
   
   
   
   No seriously, if you ran into something that looks like a bug in the application, please let us know. If it turns out to be a real bug, we will fix it with the next release. Please report bugs through the Contact form.

Completely off-topic questions

1. I have a crush on one of your team members. Is he/she available?

   As of June 2010 all of our team members are taken and happy the way it is. Sorry!

2. I really like the StudioShare.org™ design. Can you do my website/web application?

   Thanks for the compliment. We also do some custom development. Contact Us for details.

3. Is this a Boston thing?

   By no means. Our members and studios are all over the country. Our offices, however, are in Cambridge, MA right in between Harvard and MIT.

4. Where can I find your awesome commercials, the cowboy and the checkout girl?

   You can find the videos in our video section.

1.4 to 2.0 Transition

1. I joined StudioShare.org™ when version 1.x came out and I had an account type that doesn't exist anymore. How did you guys handle that?

   If you were a Member you are still a Member, but can do way more than you could do before.
   If you were a Collaborator you are a Member now, but can do way more than you could do before.
   If you were a Pro Collaborator you are a Member now and can do everything you could do before, but faster.
   If you were a Studio Owner you are still a Studio Owner.

2. There was a forum in StudioShare.org 1.4™. Where did it go?

   The forum is currently inactive and will come back within the next couple of months. We take our clients' input very seriously, and plan to implement a non-public forum for StudioShare.org™ members in the future.
   
   Updated : The new forum is now online.

3. I loved the t-shirts and mugs you offered in the store. Where did the store go?

   The store will be back soon.

4. I was a StudioShare.org™ member before the transition. Do I have to sign up again? What happened to my data?

   We've migrated all profile data from 1.4 to 2.0, which means your account should be fine. You do not have to re-do anything, but this might be a good opportunity to make sure your profile information is up-to-date.

Pricing

1. How much does this cost me?

   A standard StudioShare.org membership costs $49 per year. With this membership, you get to search and rent studios and equipment, you can rent out your equipment to others, and you can also offer your services as a second shooter, makeup artist, or other service provider.
   
   If you’re interested in renting out studio space and studio equipment, a Studio Owner account will cost you $79 a year. You get all the benefits of a standard membership, plus the ability to rent out your resources to other members.
   

2. I don’t want to rent out my space or equipment. Why should I pay to be a member just to rent out other people’s stuff?

   As a community-based rental platform, StudioShare.org is offering rentals for a lot less than the traditional rental companies. You should make back your membership fee in equipment rental savings very quickly. Also, your membership allows you to offer services for hire, so you are able to earn income with that membership.
   
   StudioShare.org is also a community for professionals, and in order to ensure that our membership offers high-quality equipment, services and studio space, we charge a fee like many other professional photography membership organizations.
   

3. Why should I have to pay to offer my equipment for rent? It seems StudioShare.org is making all the money.

   StudioShare.org is a lot more than an equipment rental platform. We also take care of the entire business end of renting out your studio space, equipment or services, taking the guesswork out of it and making the process completely secure. We ensure that you’re paid promptly for your work or rentals. Here’s how StudioShare.org takes care of business:
   
   
   
   (1) When a reservation is made, we process the purchaser’s credit card at no cost to you and hold the funds, ensuring that you’re paid.
   
   (2) Every month, we send you a check for services and rentals the month before, meaning you never have to chase anyone for payment.
   
   (3) We handle all scheduling automatically through a calendar.
   
   (4) We’re not sure how much you pay your accountant, but you may make back your membership in saving on his hours. We provide customizable statements with your income and expenditures through StudioShare.org, saving bookkeeping time and effort.
   

4. I do a lot of business. Can I get a discount?

   We do offer volume discounts for busy-bee accounts. Contact us for details.