Photography Thailand Forum

[David Procter]

I've been looking for a suitable (ie large) studio space for some time now and following the workshop I'm even more keen to find one. I've already check Marc's posts for studios in bkk and am now aware of the lightworx studio but I havent really the funds to rent such a place. I guess I'm saying cheap and large is what is needed. I have my own lights. The more character the better!

[gregoire]

It's not like this city is replete with superb brick and iron 19th century warehouses to take over. Sigh. Good luck, David. I hope you find such a space.

[Marc Schultz]

David - As a clarification, Lightworx Studio refers to my own studio, which is a realtively small room that I have for shooting products, food, portraits and a few other things form time to time. It is not a big studio and nothing which compares in size to where we had the workshop. It is also not something I rent out, but something I utilize for my own commercial assignments. Most of my work though is still on locaiton so much of the time it is just an empty space where I keep my equipment. Gregoire is right though, hard to find buildings with charachter to make a studio from in Bangkok.

[David Procter]

Sorry my mistake Marc!

[Marc Schultz]

No need to apologize David. Just didn't want you to think that LightWorx was a large rental studio. In case you did not see it though, there are a few large rental studios though that are listed here, which includes information on the one where the workshop was held:

http://www.photographythailand.com/Forum/index.php?topic=159.0

[David Procter]

Cheers Marc,
I did see that post and I will try to find the time to get round and check them out.
What I really want is to find some new and exciting locations to shoot in and plan projects around. The workshop made me realise how much space is infact needed to go about lighting a subject properly and I really want to give it a go, not to mention have a crack at lighting interiors, something I've never done.
Maybe, a lighting interiors course is on the cards?!

[epixx]

David,
I've been thinking along the same lines as you, and what seems to be the most reasonable alternative would be to rent a shophouse, the kind with double height at the ground level and living quarters further up. I'm looking at alternatives out of Bangkok, since I've moved to Samut Prakan already, and the prices go down for every step you take away from Siam Square.

Another alternative I've found in this province, is "garage style" production rooms, also with at least double height ceilings and the same width as a shophouse. They are made in units of anything from five to ten or twenty, and can be seen along the roads her. They are as charming as a block of concrete (sounds like a general description of most of the architecture out here), but you can drive a truck in there if needed.

The part of Bangkok where it may be possible to find places with at least some ambience, is Thonburi. Cheaper than central Bangkok too, and not as inaccessable as most foreigners think.

[Marc Schultz]

I am glad the workshop has inspired some people to think about doing their own studios. Here is one studio to drool over: http://www.floridabeachstudio.com/

[Chris Savery]

I lived in a shop house type place in Thonburi - just across the Taksin bridge from the BTS. It cost 10K/mo. and was 3 floors and an open usable roof. Normal width and very deep. It has been finished nicely on all 3 floors with 3 aircon and two bathrooms. It was way more space then I could use and the bottom floor had a high ceiling and smoked glass shop doors (with the typical cage in front of that). It stayed empty the whole time I was there as I didn't have enough stuff to fill it. These are very common around Bkk. The neighbours there could not believe we were paying 10K and said we shouldn't pay more than 7K. That place was quite convenient and very large with high ceilings. They aren't hard to find over there and much much cheaper than the Bangkok side. We used to take the little ferry (3 baht) across to the BTS and then the BTS into Siam Centre for movies all the time.

The further you get out of Bkk the cheaper of course. There is lots to choose from out towards Praram 2. Now I'm on the beach and have 2 floors with an extra room that could be a small studio.

[David Procter]

Wow Chris, this is exactly what I am looking for for my gallery space.
My budget is in the region of 40,000B so the pirices you quoted are INSANELY cheap.
I really need a location which is more centrally based though. I'm planning to start looking this weekend.
Now to check the link Marc posted..

[David Procter]

http://www.floridabeachstudio.com/

not bad

hehe

[Chris Savery]

David,

It'll be impossible to get a price like that in Silom / Klong Toey. Just outside the commercial areas it's not so hard. You may try a short walk down Charoen Krung from Taksin BTS, heading south. There is all sorts of small sois down that way that would be only a short walk to the BTS. I expect the prices would be better but there is really little comparison once you get across the river. Soon the BTS will go over the river and stop at Sin Sathorn, very close to where I was. There is a myriad of soi near there as well that were also cheap. Now with the BTS nearing completion there the prices will start to go up, no doubt, as it will be convenient for commuting. It's really something to see the volume of commuters that cross the river under Taksin everyday during the rush hours. Non-stop 4 ferries in full rotation. Most of the people coming off the ferries walk to catch the buses that also lineup non-stop to take them out further in to Thonburi side.

Just more info. My girlfriend found that place on the internet and we called up the owner to go look at it. She had just finished 3 months of renovations and was eager to get a farlang.

Chris :)