Review „Dein Mietstudio” in Stuttgart (Germany) + omparison to studio jolite and Uwe Lammer studios

Review „Dein Mietstudio” in Stuttgart (Germany) + omparison to studio jolite and Uwe Lammer studios

May 8, 2017 | Cosplay, Cosplay Tutorial, Travel | 0 comments

After my visit in Munich I decided to visit with Meermiau the photostudio “Dein Mietstudio” at Kircheim unter Teck (near Stuttgart).
The studio offers 6 different studios:

-> Studio 1

The 55 qm big studio offers a white seamless backdrop.

-> Studio 2
This studio offers 13 different basic settings as well as a small part for seamless backdrops (grey, white, black) at over 102 qm.
-> Studio 3
Is the smaller brother of studio 1 and offers a white seamless backdrop at 44qm.
-> Studio 4
This is with 180 qm the biggest studio they are offering. This studio has 7 different basic settings and also offers seamless backdrops in grey, white and black.
-> Studio 5
Is a 63 qm barock suit in light crème colors, with a big bed, tables, chairs etc.
-> Studio 6


You can rent the smallest studio (40 qm) as a black box studio with a seamless backdrop (white and black) or use it for water photo shootings.

The studio is located at the 2nd floor in an industrial building. Sadly there is no elevator. So if you have a lot of equipment be prepared for an extra sport lesson.
You can rent the studios for minimum an hour and have the exclusive usage of them for the rental time. You can rent the studio at their homepage.
Changing area
All rooms are equipped with a music system, changing room with mirrors and amenities, a wardrobe, chairs, table, coffee machine (also latte Macchiato, Cappuccino etc) and drinks (for a small extra free). Every room has his own light/ flash equipment set which you can use freely (included in the rental).
Some studios are including a parking place in front of the studio (Studio 1 and 2). If your studio don’t have a parking place, you can park your car near to the studio for about 3 Euro a day.
The studio rooms are your private space until the renting hours are over. Unlike at other photo studios the owner wont interrupt you unless you call him with the phone, you can find in every studio.

If you rent a studio you are free to use the requisites to your liking. Just be sure to bring them back afterwards.

For the waiting time you are free to use the kitchen (fully equipped) free Wifi, the small library in the waiting room or the Pokestop directly at the Studio.
If it is your first visit you have to come a bit earlier, because you will get some instructions regarding the studio. They will show you around and explain you all the rules. Normally it takes about 30-15 minutes.
If you don’t need the instructions any more, you cant go earlier than booked to the Studio. If you insist going in earlier for preperations (and if the room is available) they will charge you.

Free prop rental:

The studio offers 3 rooms full of props of every kind. You are free to use which ever props your want during the rental hours.
They offer different furniture’s, colored fabrics, special items like umbrellas and more.
I really like the variety of props they offer. Sadly the props are mostly not compatible to each other.
You could feel that they were just bought randomly. I am used to rental props which are compatible to each other in several ways for several purposes.
But if you use them wisely and have the time I guess, you can build up a really good setting with all these props.
And they had a super cute penguin!!!
I wanted to take him home ToT



We rented Studio 2, 5 and 6.

Because the studios are closed for other people I didn’t had the chance to check them out. This is why I will only report about these 3 studios.


Studio 2

had different settings and some furniture’s. You could also rent a snow machine for this room.
You can rent this studio staring with 22 Euro per hour.
The settings were super basic and you only had 1 wall for every setting. Beside 1 corner, which had the same background.

It was super difficult to make pictures, cause you were only able to took pictures at an straight angle or from above. The walls weren’t really high and the owner didn’t paid attention to the upper parts and the ceiling of the studio. You couldn’t do any low angle shoots. It was really annoying, after you got used to cheap Japanese photo studios which always offers at least 1 corner with the same setting per setting/ room.

As you can see in the pictures, the settings are not furnished at all. You are more or less forced to use the props and build up your own settings, which wastes a lot of time.
I also was super unhappy, that you could only use the snow machine at 3 different settings.
The floor was a simple concrete floor and not very beautiful.
In the end we didn’t used the snow machine, although we paid for it. It was impossible to get good pictures with this ground.

We decided to built up our own small setting and ended up doing close up shoots.

My opinion:
Compared to German studios this studio is with 22 Euro per hour reasonable. You can try to share the studio with other people, because there is a lot of space.

If you are fine with close up pictures and really limited options due to their settings this studio is fine. Just be prepared that only straight shoots with limited options are possible.
You also need to consider in your rental time, that you need at least 1 hour to build up your setting and another 30 minutes to clean everything.
Compared to Japanese studios, Studio 2 is super expensive and very badly equipped. The options are too limited and you are actually better of just to rent a seamless backdrop or a small studio or space, where you can build up your own setting for a cheaper price.

Studio 5

was a fully furnished barock suit. This time you had an whole room as one setting.
In this room, the owner even payed attention to the ceiling.
The room offered a bed, a (fake) fireplace, a sofa, a chair and a table, a library and basic decoration.
Even the changing room is held in the same style as the room.
You can rent this room starting with 24 € per hour.
You are not allowed to eat or drink in this room (only in the changing room and technical room) and need to put of your shoes.
You can wear shoes inside, if they are part of your costume and clean.
Basically it’s a very nice idea and for German standards a very nice studio.
Sadly we experienced during the shooting, that we were very limited in our options.
While the walls in the downer parts were decorated nicely and some corners had a lot of details, some parts in the room were too plain.
Because everything was hold in light colors, but the walls didn’t had any details or beautiful wallpapers the room looked too plain.The balance was very difficult.
Of course if you are renting a room like this, you want to show the most beautiful parts of this room and not only a more or less plain background or risking an unbalanced picture.

This is why we started to rearrange the room and decorated it with a lot of different props.
Sadly this also took a lot of time and we were again really limited in our options and angles.
It was a bit better than in Studio 2 but still really unsatisfying.


Studio jolite
My opinion:
If you compare it to the Studio jolite in Bochum, the ceiling was much higher and the settings were decorated so nicely and in a super balanced way. Of course we also needed pay attention to the balance in the picture, because even the wonderful wallpapers of this studio appeared plain compared to the settings. You still had a lot more options and didn’t wasted time to decorate the setting from zero by your own.
If you are ok with a plain looking Barock suit, because you want to make low key shootings or don’t want a too detailed background, I still would recommend this studio to you.

Studio 6:

We booked Studio 6 for the Waterworld. You can also rent this studio without the waterset option for 17 Euro per hour. You pay an additional fee of 40 Euro for the water option.
Next to the 40 Euro you need to pay 2 hours extra for the preparation of the Waterworld and plan 1 hour for the cleaning of the room, which you have to do by yourself.

The Waterworld offers 3 different watertypes:
– drizzle
– rain
– different shower heads and tubing’s (just water from a tube)
With 5 different water connections
You can choose the temperature of the water exactly and we used this studio 8 hours non stop. And after 7 hours the boiler gave up.

It is actually a very good time, because we didn’t payed attention to the water usage at all… Unlike at the rain studio in Wuppertal.

The water is generally coming from above. If you want water from the side or from below, you can use the shower heads.

They also offer a bathtub with whirlpool functions.

The Studio 6 is a closed black room, which is why you are allowed to splash around however you like. You just need to be careful to a certain corner were the batteries and flashes are stored.
If you want to make splash shootings, this location is just perfect. Because even the ceiling is painted black, you could take pictures from a lot of different angles.
The drizzle option is super useful, cause the rain is super fine and it is more like a wet fog instead of rain. I really liked it because you are not getting wet immediately and still have the rain effect.
The bathtub was the highlight for me. Because we still had some spare time we decided to give it a try. The studio offers foam soap and we used the snow/ foam machine to create a nice background. It was really really fun and comfortable.
After the shooting you can use the towels of the studio or the bathrobe.
Sadly the changing room is not allowed to get wet (but you need to cross it if you want to change or go to toilet). So if you are trying to leave the studio room, you need to be super careful with your wet hair and cloths. It was sometimes really difficult to get yourself through this room without making the floor wet.
My opinion:
Compared to Wuppertal you had more options regarding the shooting angles in the Studio 6, because you have a completely black and closed room. I also really loved the drizzling effect and that you could do splash shootings without being afraid to drown everything.
What was lacking, was the “small” pool we had in Wuppertal.
The water was gone very quickly, this is why you couldn’t jump or move into the water in order to get a small splash effect.
While in Wuppertal you don’t really need to clean up everything by yourself, you really need minimum 1 hour to get everything clean in this studio.
Especially if you played around with the bathtub and foam.
Uwe Lammer Studio in Wuppertal
In Wuppertal you could see the seams of the mats at the ground of the rain set. It is generally very difficult to photoshop rain pictures, so it was really difficult to get ride of this seams.
In the waterworld, the ground even and completely seamless.
 
Dein Mietstudio in Stuttgart
If you are going to rent this studio you should bring at least 1 assistant.
Someone who is regulating the rain flow, making the splashing or holding the foam machine.
Actually if you can, try to bring 2 people and if you can come in swimwear. Cause it is very hot and you will get wet very fast.
The studio has a shower, so don’t be afraid to get wet during this shooting.


My opinion about “Dein Mietsudio”:

If you need a simple studio, reasonable priced with good light equipment this studio is the best choice you can take. The light equipment is included (high quality flashes) and if you share the rental fee with some friends it is super affordable.
I also loved the prop rooms were you could use everything you might need (for the shooting or the penguin for your own happiness!).
If you are fine with simple backgrounds and don’t expect anything special, this studio is the right choice for you. But if you want to make a photo shoot with special backgrounds and decorated rooms, this is not the right place for you. I would recommend the studio jolite in Bochum if you are looking for a barock style photo studio. They are priced similar and you have more freedom regarding the angles and a more balanced background in the studio jolite.
If you are looking for a rain photo shoot I would definitely recommend trying out the waterworld.
It was a really good experience and you have a lot of different possibilities to use the water effects during the photo shoot. The Studio in Wuppertal is good if you need a pool like setting with water from above.
But if you want to splash around or use a bathtub, I would definitely go for the waterworld in Stuttgart.
This review is based on my own opinion.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Informations:

Name: Dein Mietstudio
Adress: Aleenstraße 18, 73230 Kircheim unter Teck

Price Range: Starting with 17 € per hour
URL: http://dein-mietstudio.de

　


Studio review: Studio Jolite in Bochum

Studio review: Studio Jolite in Bochum

May 3, 2017 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Because my World Cosplay Summit championship costume is very dear to me, I wanted to take pictures at a special location.

This is why I checked the internet and found the photostudio Jolite in Bochum (Germany, Nordrhein-Westfalen).

About the studio:


The studio Jolite features 4 different barockstyle living room sets over 85 qm.
The sets are hold in light colors and are decorated with a lot small things.
They also have parking places and a changing room (and a Pokestop if you have some spare time ^_-).
They also offer drinks and a waiting lounge, were you can sit down and rest. They also have a small pool of props which you can use freely during the photoshoot.
You can rent the studio starting with 30 € per hour for minimum 3 hours.
They also offer a studio flash rental if you don’t have your own equipment.
Starting with 5 persons, you have to pay a additional fee (20%).
The studio itself is limited to 6 people (from 6 people, 2 can be photographers).
They also offer a day package starting with 200 € for 8 hours.
Starting from 5 people you have to pay a deposit (350 €).
The resting place

Rules:

If you want to rent this studio certain rules apply.
You are only allowed to drink or eat at the designated resting areas.
Shoes with a black profile are not allowed either.
The owner will also tell you to be careful with all cushioned furniture’s. Be careful not leave make up traces at the cushions.

The Studio:

With 85 qm and 4 sets with a lot of different furniture’s and decorations it can be pretty cramped. You still have enough space to build up your flashes. But there is no place for larger groups or larger light settings.
I guess 2 photographers with 2 models each might be possible, but actually I wouldn’t recommend 2 photographers working at one time.
If you don’t have much light equipment it might work, but not if both photographers want to use flashes.

Because the studio has big windows and the interior is mostly hold in light colors, it is pretty bright. But I would still recommend to work at least with 1 softbox to lighten up your model.

If you don’t have equipment I really would recommend to rent some.
The lamps are very dim and not very bright. They are also located directly above you. So if you want to take pictures without flash you are pretty bound to the daylight, which only comes from one direction.
The studio itself has an wonderful atmosphere. I am pretty used to visit studios which look good at pictures, but the sets are mostly build up in large dark storage halls.
This one was a completely different. The owner paid a lot of attention to the atmosphere, especially to the decoration. During our stay we could find so many different details which made this studio really unique.
What I also really liked was that the ceiling high is above 3 Meter. Even with a wide angle lens, we didn’t got any problems with parts of the studio which should not be in the picture.
　

My opinion:

If you are looking for a barockstyle location for your photoshoot I would definitely recommend to try out this studio. It has a very nice and special atmosphere. It was a really great experience for me.

The most important point was, that this studio offers sets, which are decorated with so many details, that the sets don’t look plain and boring at all.
I visited a lot of studios, where the furniture’s were beautiful. But you could feel that the pictures were taken at a studio, because everything looked so plain and artificial.
This studio is completely different.

A problem was, that black soles weren’t allowed. If I had knew this before it wouldn’t have been a problem. But due to this rules I couldn’t wear my first Adekan Cosplay completely, which was kind of sad.

Another point is that only 6 people are allowed. For me it wasn’t a problem, because I don’t mind spending money for a good location.
But a lot of Cosplayers can´t afford such a studio. Studio sharing is due to this rules nearly impossible.
In Germany it is very difficult to find theme studios with beautiful interior. So even if its not that big and cheap I still would use it again.

Informations:

Name: Studio Jolite

Webside: www.jolite.com

Adress: Harpener Feld 11, 44805 Bochum

　

Cosplay Photo Studio Crown (Akihabara, Tokyo)

Cosplay Photo Studio Crown (Akihabara, Tokyo)

Sep 29, 2016 | Cosplay, Japan, Photoshootings, Travel, Travel Reports | 0 comments


Picture by Hazuki

The Cosplay studio crown is a studio located near to the Akihabara train station in the center of Tokyo. It is about 5 minutes walk from the station. The studio offers 6-7 different settings, which you can use to make pictures in your Cosplay. You also can rent goods, cameras or camera equipment there and also Cosplays, if you didn’t bring an own one. You are allowed to use the pictures for your personal promotion and Cosplay goods.


The operating times from the studio are 10 am to 10 pm. You pay for the entry once for a designated time and can use the location you like to, as long as they are not occupied by other Cosplayers.


The fees for the 3 hours time frame are quite cheap compared to other studios:




Timeframe Working day Weekend/public holiday
3 hours 1.700 en 2.400 en
6 hours 2.980 en 3.980 en
9 hours 4.580 en 5.500 en



The beginning:
The Studio is located at the 5th floor of a grey building. If you don’t know the address or notice the small sign of this studio, you will most likely pass it.  If you found the building, just go into the elevator and get to the 5th floor. Stepping out from the elevator the studio is located to your left.
If you go in you need to put out your shoes first and go to the counter. Just tell the counter which time frame you desire, pay and you will get a number. The staff keeps track of the time with this number. You need to give it back at the end of the rental in time. This means you need to change in this certain time frame.

As everywhere in Japan, it is not allowed to come in Cosplay to the location or the studio. You are required to bring the costume with you and change at the studio or the event. After paying and getting your number you go to the changing room and change into your costume.

The counter

The changing room:

Changing room
The changing room has a lot of space, some mirrors, a cloth racket, dryer, tissues, cotton pads and Q tips. They also provide a comb or bobby pins for a small fee. There is also a board where you can put your belongings into. Sadly there are no lockers like in the Hacostadium. But because it is Japan, I doubt someone will steal your belongings as long there are no valuable things inside.
After changing I put my normal cloths into my back and put it into the board. If you want to use shoes, which you also wore outside once before, you are supposed to wipe them clean before stepping out to the locations. So I wiped my shoes and got my wallet and Smartphone and left the changing room.

Changing room

Shooting:

The Studio Crown is compared to the other studios I ve seen so far quite small. But they still have some nice settings. You can choose between 6-7 different settings and also can rent some Cosplay items or camera equipment.
The most rental goods require a rental fee. Some goods can be rented for free. As far as I could see small ladders and reflectors are provided for free. If you want to rent something, take you number and go to the counter. Tell them what you want to rent and they give it to you. If you want to return it, show your number again. You pay when you check-out.
During the shooting you can take a break and get free tea or water.
I really like this service. You can sit down, check the pictures and rest.
I took some pictures of the different shooting locations:
 
Like at all the other studios, you have to bring your own photographer. But they also seems to offer an full experience course, where you can get make up, costume and also a photo shooting with a photographer provided by the studio. For this package you need to reserve beforehand.
You are allowed to use all locations to your liking and also to change between them.
Just be careful not to disturb other Cosplayers or to block for a too long time a location. Japanese Cosplayers don’t wait openly, but others might be interested in shooting at this location, even if you don’t recognize. Also be sure not to take pictures of other Cosplayers if you haven’t asked them for permission.


Rental goods

If you have problems or need assistance you can always ask the staff. Just keep in mind they only speak Japanese. (But if you book the package, I guess there will be some English speaking stuff, because the package is targeting foreigners and is only available at the English website.).

Picture with the help of the staff by Hazuki

After the shooting:

When you finished with your shooting, keep in mind that the time frame also includes your changing time. So you need to change about 30 minutes before your time runs up. You just go back to the changing room, change back and return your card with the number to the counter. If everything is ok, they will thank you for using the studio. If you overstepped your time or rented things, they will charge you.
If you still have time try out to write into their guestbook.  You can put some pictures inside, draw something or just write a message. I really liked to go through it, because a lot of foreigners seem to visit this studio and wrote very interesting and nice things.
Guestbook

My opinion:

What I really appreciate is the location and the easy system.
The studio is located in the center of Tokyo, just 5 minutes walk from the Akihabara JR station. You neither need to reserve, nor to get a membership. So even if you are a foreigner, it is super easy to use this studio. You don’t need to provide an ID card and also don’t need a Japanese address. Like everywhere the staff couldn’t speak English. But I saw that they are quite accustomed to foreigners, because I saw a lot of signs in English and Japanese. I also like the idea about the Cosplay experience package, where you can get Make up, a Cosplay and even pictures.
Compared to the other studios the 3 hours course for 1.700 Yen seems quite cheap. But it does not include a lot of free rental items and also don’t include amenities like bobby pins, brushes, wig sprays etc like the Hacostadium. I personally don’t need it, because I mostly bring my own things, but I saw that a lot of Cosplayers are making use of that service. They also only provide about 6-7 settings, this isn’t much if you compare it to Hacostadium.  But you need to keep in mind, that space is very rare in Tokyo. Especially in Akihabara in the very center of this town.
Picture by Hazuki

In my opinion it is a good choice for first timers, who want to experience the Japanese way of Cosplay and to try out a studio without the hassle of getting a member ship or getting through the language barrier. You don’t need to fight against the other Cosplayers for your space in the changing room and even have proper chairs and mirrors to get ready. Because of a limited number of settings you can concentrate more on one setting and get used to it.  I also liked it, that you can go shopping and get some nice food with friends before or after the shooting. The location is a big plus!

Facts:

Operating hours: 10 am – 10 pm (no closing days)
Free: 1.700 en -5.500 en

Address: 2 Chome-4-6 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tōkyō-to 100-8111, Japan (5th floor)


Map:

Google Maps Generator by RegioHelden