Choose from among 12 studios in Downtown Manhattan.

Located in downtown Manhattan, Noho Productions offers 12 different studios occupying three floors, with the office on the eighth floor. The smaller studios are 600 and 700 square feet ($325 to $425 per day), with others ranging to 1,400 square feet (up to $700/day), until we arrive at the largest and most lavish, Studio E, 2,000 square feet ($800/day). All studios have 12-foot ceilings.

Each studio is designed differently, and the furnishings are unique to each, giving these spaces individual character. Most have a full kitchen, whereas the smallest offer the basic amenities, such as a coffeemaker and microwave. While there is no separate dressing room (Studio E being the exception), many of the studios can be partitioned for this purpose.

The client conference area varies with the studio, a feature that owner Paul Grand recommends you factor in when choosing a space: “If you have a lot of clients coming to a shoot, you might do better renting one of the larger studios, with a client area away from the hub of activity.”

Noho Productions went into operation in 1993, starting with one studio, gradually expanding over the years. “I was a still-life photographer, with my own studio in this building,” recalls Grand. When additional space became available, he occupied it, and as he increased his holdings, Paul Grand shooter evolved into Paul Grand studio rental/entrepreneur.

Noho has a full complement of large-format gear, 4 x 5 and 8 x 10 Sinar p2 systems. Lighting encompasses Profoto, Arri and Dedolights, with a range of accessories and grip equipment to match. Equipment rental is extra. Digital camera rental is under consideration, but Grand observes that photographers shooting digital bring their own—at least, so far. While the studios are not specifically outfitted for digital, each studio does have its own iMac loaded with Photoshop, and an Epson flatbed. There is also a more robust G5 digital workstation available for rent. Each studio is configured for high-speed internet connectivity.

I especially appreciated Studio G, where I worked on an editorial assignment, with its brick wall serving as a backdrop for some shots. Studio E has a ceiling-to-floor cyc that can be goboed via a black curtain track system. Some of the studios lend themselves equally to daylight shooting. The studios on the ninth floor are the most modern, being the latest. All studios are well soundproofed and equipped with a CD sound system, and large-format shooters will appreciate the film loading room. Window shades can be drawn (mechanically) to block out extraneous light. Coffee is on the house, and there are plenty of restaurants from which to order in.

Business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “People can stay as late as they want,” Grand adds, “but an overtime charge would apply after 5:30. People regularly work very late.” He says, “On average, reservations are made one to two weeks in advance. Because we have so many studios, we can often accommodate a photographer, even if it’s the day before."

-Jack Neubart