Britta the Photographer

View Original

Big Ol’ Studio Update

Well, we made it friends. It’s officially 2023. I hope the start of your year has been a happy and healthy one.

As you may already know, my current studio is set to be on the chopping block as Moorhead makes way for the 11th Street Underpass. As the last holdout in my building, I will finally be booted out in late February.

I’m a firm believer that within change there is a chance for a bright opportunity. With that mindset, I made the decision last autumn that instead of leasing a new space for my studio, I was going to buy.

Now, the journey to owning a building (whether a home or a business), is never a completely smooth one. You go in with one idea of what you want to do, and then the universe surprises you with something different.

Originally, I was looking to buy in Moorhead. This is the town I’ve made a home for over 14 years, where my kids go to school, and where my business has run since 2017. But, with a lack of options on this side of the river, my eyes ventured west.

After a short hunt, and some major pep talks from my accountant and realtor, I decided to make a purchase agreement on a NEW building in south Fargo. It’s set to be completed in late spring and I’m just so darn excited.

Sure, a little scary now. But this is the future home of BTP.

The building will be a customized “shop condo” located just west of Thunder Road in Fargo. While not a massive building, it will extend my current studio footprint by an additional 1000 square feet. There will be a light-filled natural light studio and a darker traditional studio within the space, as well as a sizable fitting room (and even a coffee bar!).

I’ve nicknamed the new space Studio Borealis and have plans to make it available to other professional photographers and videographers to rent. But more on that later :)

Because the building is new construction, there will be a gap between my current Moorhead space and my new Fargo space. My friends at Tellwell are so graciously letting me rent out their lovely downtown Fargo studio space during the transition.

So, what does this mean for booking a session with BTP?

Scheduling: For the next three months, you'll need to schedule your appointments directly through me and not via my online scheduler (most relevant for my established business clients). I will be booking in-studio headshot sessions on Tuesdays from 9:30-2. However, that timeframe can be extended to Tuesday afternoon OR Thursday if need be.

Traditional Studio Only: The Tellwell Studio is a lovely space, but I will not be able to offer any natural light photography at this location. I will be taking a pause on natural light studio headshots until I’m in the new space. I apologize for the inconvenience. 

On Location: As always, I will be available for on-location work for both businesses and families.

Timeline: My hope is that I'll be in the new space by June 1st. However, due to the nature of the new construction and real estate in general, I'm aware that this could be pushed back further. I will keep you updated on the progress. 


I’m sure there will be a lot of updates as I get closer to occupying the new space. No doubt, I’ll be posting more on Instagram as I navigate this process.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Britta the Photographer for the last 11 (ELEVEN!) years. Without you, none of this would be possible and I’m OH SO GRATEFUL.