17 Ways to Get Your Clients to Love You: A Studio 3 Guide

Collage of Studio 3, Inc. team member employee portraitsWe’ve been in business a long time, working with some clients for a decade or more. To us, the client relationship is paramount, and we go above and beyond to nurture it. What would you experience if you were a client of ours? Here are some direct quotes from our Team Members about what we mean when we speak of “Studio 3 Customer Service:”
Client Relationship Manager Jessica Lynes:

We take the time to anticipate our clients’ needs, ensuring that they have exactly what they need/want before they even know that they need or want it!
We always have their “favorites” when they’re here: foods, drinks, music, etc. is met with a “Wow! Thank you so much, I can’t believe you remembered!”

Portland Producer Liz Swales:

We get the client’s job done: efficiently, flawlessly, and simply, while exceeding their their expectations.
We take care of them like royalty…AKA feeding them fun and amazing food!

Chaos Wrangler Niki Gillespie:

We streamline the behind-the-scenes details to ensure the smoothest client experience. Clients love our process but never are over-aware of it. No bottlenecks.

Seattle Producer Kaitlin McMillan:

We will do anything! If the client wants it done, we’ll get it done for them – no hesitation or questions. Any budget, any client, any person, any product… we have a solution for even the most difficult of requests.
We create an “atmosphere” while a client is on set: you can bring your laptop and do work, you can play ping pong when you’re just here tagging along for a shoot, you can watch the news and drink coffee with your feet up on a couch. We inspire creativity and hard work all while in great company.

Digital Artist Carl Beery:

Clients appreciate our experience in pre-media print and web production. Knowing how print collateral and websites are built helps me ask the right questions before problems arise.
Years of experience interpreting markup also helps us make the edits that clients want to see, ensuring a flawless final outcome for all.

Digital Artist Tom Radio:

We make the impossible POSSIBLE when it comes to post-production!

Video Director David King:

We care about building relationships throughout the creative process and we keep client satisfaction as our #1 goal.

Photographer David Bell:

Listen. Pay Attention. Make them the most important thing happening then and there. Make it fun.

Photographer Craig Wagner:

We always try to give our clients more than what they’re initially asking for (like different angles on the same setup), and we are ultimately flexible when working. We won’t consider the creative brief set in stone, and are bold enough to run with an idea, which clients appreciate on set.

Photographer and Studio 3 co-founder Henry Ngan:

By offering them any level of service they need to make their projects a success.
By thinking out of the box creatively to provide a unique vision and fresh look.

Photographer and Studio 3 co-founder Jim Felt:

We always follow through on our promises.
We care about the future relationship with every single client. We value their friendship and the ability to create fun images for them. We are proud of our relationship with each and every client, large or small.

Can’t wait to experience what it’s like to be a Studio 3 client? Reach out and bring us your next project. You’ll experience all of the above…and more.

Time Lapse: Forest for the Trees Northwest

About two months ago, we were approached by Portland artist Gage Hamilton, the organizer of a public mural art project “Forest for the Trees Northwest“, as a possible site for one of 10 new murals that would be going up the week of August 19th. The south wall of Studio 3 was of particular interest due to it’s size, accessibility and well, it looked like it could use some artistic love. Just standing in the parking lot looking at the vast orange canvas that would be transformed into an original piece of art, we wanted to find a way to document the process. All we were told was that the artists would be painting for 5 days, that the outcome would be a surprise and that the result would be epic and spectacular.

Time Lapse Art Wall!

After much internal discussion around documenting this creativity, we decided the best way to document the week of painting was going to be the creation of a time lapse video. We set up a GoPro Hero 3 on the roof of our neighbor, the Jolly Roger Bar and Grill and recorded from dawn til dusk for 5 days. The GoPro also took an exposure every 30 seconds. Through our friends at Star Rentals, we were able to provide the two scissor lifts to the artists to assist with the project.
Hawaiian artist, Kamea Hadar (@kameahadar), and Australian artist David “Meggs” Hooke (@houseofmeggs), worked throughout the week and gave us an amazing addition to the studio and the Hawthorne neighborhood.
Check out the resulting time lapse video and the amazing art that the guys created. Better yet, drop by the studio and check it out in person. ~ David King / Director / Studio 3 Films

 
To see more of the “Forest for the Trees Northwest” art work located in the Portland area please visit their website at http://www.forestforthetreesnw.com/

Meet Corban: Digital Artist, Video Editor, Animator, Illustrator, an all-around Artist!

We are so excited to introduce Corban who’s now a part of the Digital Art Studio 3 team in Portland! He has many amazing talents. Read below to learn more:

Digital Artist Corban Monger

“I’m a renaissance man, jack-of-all-trades, or as Wile E. Coyote put it: “Super Genius”. The universe is my playground. Even though I’m not yet a master, I’m a journeyman at so many things I can do practically anything. This curious state of being comes from my insatiable thirst for knowledge. There’s always something new to discover. My mind rebells at stagnation. I need problems to solve. I need work to create. Who needs television when the real world is one big sandbox?

Born and raised in Oregon, I was encouraged to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather by becoming an engineer. It certainly made sense considering my aptitude for math and science. Electrical engineering in particular seemed a good choice. I loved technology and what could be done with it. Being on the cutting edge of electronics seemed an exciting prospect.
I enrolled in engineering school at the University of Portland. By day I was your mild mannered engineering student. But by night I was an artist teaching myself drawing, animation, and graphic design. Often people would ask me “What are you doing in engineering school? You should be an artist!” And they were probably right.
The arts were part of my life since childhood. I would draw my favorite cartoon characters or sculpt them out of clay. I’d listen to radio plays or construct cities with Lego bricks on the living room floor. In school I was involved with music and theater, playing multiple instruments, acting in Shakespeare plays, and singing in musicals. From drawing and sculpture to film and theater, the arts captured my attention. But, strangely, it never struck me to pursue it as a career.
The summer after graduation, it finally dawned on me that I was meant to be an artist. Engineering just wasn’t as entirely satisfying as I had hoped. The work was fairly easy. But life in a cubicle didn’t sound exciting or creative. It sounded like a dependable boring job. And that wasn’t really what I wanted.
So it was off to DigiPen Institute of Technology for four years to get educated in the digital arts. It was during that time I fell in love with story, film, and animation. Storyboarding and video editing in particular are my two favorite parts of production. In fact the digital arts as a whole have been wonderfully engaging. As an artist you need to learn everything there is to know about everything to synthesize new art. And the technical nature of the industry satisfies the part of my brain that enjoys solving the puzzles of process.

After working in Seattle for a year, once school was finished, I finally returned to what I consider home: Portland. Seattle was nice, and one day I may return, but for now I’m right where I want to be.” ~ Corban Monger, Digital Artist/Studio3, Inc.

Product Photographer Craig Wagner Time for a Dip!

Product Photographer Craig Wagner puts his creative skills to use for our client Nixon. Utilizing natural elements to add drama and movement brings these watch images to life. Read below for a few words from Craig!

This photo shoot required a lot of teamwork and was a problem solver’s dream. It was obvious that digital art would be needed but I chose to capture as much as we could in camera giving the final image a surreal look.

For the first image of the Nixon Dip Dye collection we utilized the Profoto Pro-8a 2400 power packs for their high flash duration to capture the water splashes and their impressive recycle time to capture the floating colored dyes.  Studio3’s custom made “Time-Delay” triggering device allowed us to precisely control the amount and height of each splash.  Managing the colored dye proved to be the real creative challenge on this shoot.  Our studio producer rounded up a variety of colored powdered pigments and dyes to suspend in the water.  We were surprised to find that regular kitchen food coloring provided us the results we were after.  To get the right amount of movement of the dye we used a 33 gallon tank which allowed us enough water space to create just the right current.  
Product Photographer
The second image below of the Nixon Velvet collection was shot on black plexiglass utilizing our Roscoe smoke machine. which we love to pull off the shelf and add into many of our fun creative shoots.  Finding that the smoke was a big challenge to manage its direction and flow on such a small set, we turned to dry-ice which provided a smaller much more controllable amount of vapor flow.  Adding colored gels to our strobes really made the smoke stand out and added a lot of movement to the overall image.  Nixon’s creative team was great to work with.  They had a (tight) solid concept but were very open to experimentation and my team’s input. This shoot gave us the opportunity to play with some new equipment, pull some of our fun gadgets off the shelves and exercise our creativity to bring these Nixon watches to life!

Product Photographer

To view these on the Nixon website click here!

Lifestyle Photographer Dana Jonas: Dumped Series!

When we first saw Dana Jonas’ Portfolio these are the images we viewed. Searching for a new Lifestyle Photographer can be a challenge these days, but we were very intrigued. The entire hiring crew at Studio 3 was awestruck by the creativity and inventiveness. We later learned these images were a collaborative brain-child of stylist and set designer, Dennis Turner and of course photography was exclusively by Dana Jonas. This project aimed to put a visual face on the feeling of rejection and loss. If you’ve ever experienced either of those emotions then you understand we immediately had to meet her. We  loved her drive, passion, personality, camera technique, and lighting ability. She shoots exclusively with the Canon system, into Lightroom, and finesses her images in Adobe Photoshop. As far as lighting she enjoys being able to control her subject in a set environment. One of Dana’s many strengths is her ability to preconceive the image and follow through to the end. It is very rare that you meet a Photographer that also brings Digital Art into her creativity. Now that she’s part of the team she will have a full Post Production crew to support her efforts! We look forward to showcasing more of her amazing talent in many future blogs and for years to come.

Here’s a sneak peak at our very own Dana Jonas’ infamous “Dumped” Series!

Lifestyle Photographer

Lifestyle Photographer

Lifestyle Photographer

To see the entire “Dumped” series by Dana Jonas, please visit the Vermillion on Thursday evening September 12, 2012.

Vermillion Art Gallery and Bar: 1508 11th Ave, Seattle, Washington 98122

For full event details please follow this link.

To view more Lifestyle Photography by the Studio 3 team, please click here.

Or you can go directly to: www.studio3.com

5 Client Habits Commercial Photographers Love

Of course, commercial photographers love each and every one of their clients. Clients help bring new ideas to the table and keep commercial photographers shooting what they love, the client’s product. With that being said, there are a few habits that make the process of commercial photography just that much happier for everyone 🙂
  1. Inspiration Pictures: They are extremely helpful when working with visually driven people. Think about it in terms of a musician. If you wanted him or her to play a song at your wedding, they would acquire the song, listen to it, dissect it, emulate it, and ultimately make it their own masterpiece. Inspiration images allow the photographer to understand the lighting and feeling the client is ultimately going for.
  2. Detailed Shot Lists: Be as detail oriented as possible; right down to the facial expressions or angle of the drink on the table. A detailed list helps everyone, from stylists to assistants, get on the same page. You can include images, product #’s, really anything specific to get the detailed message across.
  3. Patience: This goes for everyone on set. In-order to keep a positive, motivated, passionate crew, everyone must be given adequate time to handle their end of the production. Nothing leads more quickly to an unhappy working experience then frustration or rushing everyone involved.
  4. Clear, articulated feedback: Trying to use positive, instead of negative statements, with your co-creators, will lead to positive results. Instead of simply saying “This isn’t working”, it helps to say “Could we try this amazing outfit?” or “How about this angle, the light looks so great from there.”. It’s a more specific, positive statement.
  5. Know what you want: This goes hand in hand with the first 2 topics, but it can’t be stressed enough! This is ultimately the key factor in getting the best out of your extremely talented commercial photographer!
Commercial Photographers
Barriers to visual communication.

Oregon Food Bank: Giving back IS fun!

Our team attended the Fresh Alliance – Oregon Food Bank this week! We managed to process 7,619 pounds of food and helped provide 5,680 meals for people in need. It was great getting together as a team and putting together meals for people within the community. If you want to do the same its quite fun, especially seeing your co-workers in hair nets, latex gloves, and an apron! 🙂
Beyond the great team bonding, the studio likes to get together over a common goal of helping out every quarter. It’s necessary we get out and give back when we can. Every 3 months seems to be more then doable with a large chunk of our studio participating in their own volunteering initiatives. The reason why the Oregon Food Bank is a common cause among the Portland studio has to do with the food bank’s innovative practices and dedication to offering healthier food options for all. Which is something we can all get behind.
There are many ways you can help out the Oregon Food Bank, you can dedicate your time, donate money, or drop off food donations. However you decide to get in action will be greatly appreciated by not only the food bank but by those in need. With the food bank working on public policies to make sure no one goes hungry, you can also help sign petitions and/or attend a fun event, such as the Waterfront Blues Festival.
For all things Oregon Food Bank, including volunteering, upcoming events, and public policies visit their website: http://www.oregonfoodbank.org

Oregon Food Bank

Oregon Food Bank

Oregon Food Bank

Oregon Food Bank

Oregon Food Bank

Oregon Food Bank

Oregon Food Bank

Oregon Food Bank

 It’s hard to resist these beautiful faces, especially accessorized by hair nets. To learn the stories behind the faces click here!

Habitat for Humanity: Volunteer Fun!

Studio 3 recently spent some time at the Habitat for Humanity Store here in Seattle! We had such a blast getting our hands dirty and helping out around the store.While we love being busy working around the studio, every three months our little family likes to give back to our community and the Habitat Store sounded like a great place to be.Taking a day to volunteer and give back to this awesome community effort and meeting all the other awesome employees and volunteers was a great experience and change of pace!Check out some pictures below!

Habitat for Humanity is an international, community based low-income housing developer, striving to provide affordable, quality housing for low-income families.Using primarily volunteer labor, with over 1 million people volunteering each year, Habitat builds houses and sells them at cost, with no profit and no interest.In Seattle and King County alone, the organization has built, renovated, or repaired over 340 homes!

The Habitat Store, with locations in Seattle and Bellvue, is open to the public and sells new and gently used building materials, appliances, and furniture at discount prices.Like Habitat’s building initiative, the stores are always looking for new volunteers to help out in a variety of positions, so Studio 3 was more than happy to be their newest and can’t wait to visit them again soon!All smiles all day, by the end of our shifts we were a bunch of store pros rocking our fancy, official blue vests (see last photo for an overload of group cuteness).

If you’d like to help out with such an awesome cause by volunteering as well, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County offers a number of different areas to work in.To find out more about the opportunity to volunteer, follow the link below!

 

habitat for humanity

habitat for humanity

habitat for humanity

habitat for humanity

To learn how you can volunteer at Habitat for Humanity, visit their website!