When Boston photographer Dan Watkins got a call from Boston Review, a local magazine, about doing a cover shoot for an upcoming issue, he eagerly accepted. But then the challenge of finding a studio emerged. Here’s how StudioShare.org saved the day.

Dan Watkins, a professional photographer at the relative beginning of his career, received an exciting call one day: The Boston Review, a local magazine, wanted him to shoot an upcoming cover. Watkins eagerly accepted, and then set about trying to find a studio in which to shoot. Because of the location-based nature of most of his photography, Watkins did not yet have a studio of is own, but he did know one studio owner, whom he called immediately. To Watkins’ dismay, the studio owner was out of the country and wouldn’t be returning for at least a month—leaving the studio completely unavailable.

“With only days before the magazine wanted to shoot, I had to scramble to find a location,” says Watkins. “A frantic Google search led me to StudioShare.org, where I crossed my fingers and made an account. Within minutes my panic subsided, as I had gone from no options at all to nearly too many.”

Watkins began searching the database of studio space for rent at StudioShare.org, narrowing his search by price and then reviewing the amenities available in each. He received a same-day response from every studio owner he contacted, and was pleased that the rates he saw accurately reflected the quality, size and location of the studios—which he could review through the site.

“The rundown of all the available studios’ information was extremely detailed and made it easy to compare potential rentals at a glance,” says Watkins. “Seeing who has parking, where studios were located, or if there was an elevator for equipment, for example, was really helpful. There was no need to contact everyone individually in order to get the specifics, saving everyone time. I loved that the transaction took place through the StudioShare.org site too, I think it gives everyone a better feeling of security if they haven’t worked together before.”

Eventually, he found a site that suited his needs, and was able to meet with the studio owner to check out the space.

“He was extremely friendly and the studio was actually better than I had expected,” Watkins says. “On the day of the shoot, I felt comfortable working there and am sure the creative directors from the magazine were pleased as well.” Watkins was even able to access the studio owner’s lighting so he wouldn’t have to bring his own, maximizing his rental time and reducing setup.

“StudioShare.org really opened my eyes to how much is available in my area that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise,” says Watkins. “As a relatively young professional, I don’t have an incredibly expansive network of other photographers to fall back on when I need help. I’m eager for another project to come along since I now know I won’t have to worry about where I’m going to be shooting it.”

Dan Watkins is a Boston-based photographer. See his work at www.danwatkins.net