A couple of weeks ago, LDP teased our clients with a big announcement that was coming soon. Full steam ahead because here it is…
We are excited to share that we have moved!
It’s been a long time coming but also a fast-paced whirlwind since we didn’t renew our lease and had to get out. Turns out, eight years of accumulated stuff takes a whole lot of effort to pack up and move especially on a deadline, so if you hadn’t heard from LDP in a bit it’s because I was a flurry of boxes, bubble wrap, and roundtrips in a Mini Cooper to move it all. A sight to be seen, I’m sure.
So, here’s the backstory and the scoop on the new digs.
Many photographers dream of having their studio space and living space together, and I am one of them. And that’s largely thanks to a special home that I used to pass frequently when I first relocated to Buffalo. The idea of having a studio in the same place as my home was new to me. Rochester, despite its relative proximity, differs vastly from Buffalo and not many photographers there choose to double their living spaces with their studios. But the idea of combining the two intrigued me, especially when I would pass that house on Sheridan Drive with cedar shake shingles, a spacious driveway, and knowing a photographer lived and worked there. I remember thinking how wonderful it would be to own that house and have a studio in it someday.
Initially, I enjoyed having my studio and home separate, and there were some benefits and perks to such. Then the pandemic changed the way the world operated and everything I adored about having a separate studio space ceased. The hustle and bustle of Allentown has quieted a bit and many of my clients are now working from home, so the random studio visits just to say hello abruptly ended. I missed seeing my clients. Then I realized how much I enjoyed delivering client orders, particularly during the holiday season. Not only did that provide me with the client interaction I missed and make my clients’ lives a bit easier but, now as I continue to deliver orders, I can see my work in clients’ homes. As stunning as your custom art pieces are when they leave my studio, their impact, significance, and beauty is magnified tenfold when they are displayed in your sacred space. That is something special to see. Couple all those post-pandemic reasons with the realization that I could work more efficiently from home and my in-home-studio dream came into sharp focus.
Fast forward 20 years after my initial relocation to Buffalo and I have finally made that dream a reality. A perfect space landed in my lap which serendipitously coincided with the last few months of my lease at my former studio – it was almost too good to be true. To be honest, when I relocated to 546 Delaware Avenue eight years ago, it was supposed to be temporary. I had a vision for something completely different than that space. I wanted something with character, tall ceilings, and lots of natural light, like my first Buffalo studio at 846 Main Street, which I had outgrown after nearly six years. And now, I have all those characteristics and more to call “home” – for me and my business.
So, I’d like to officially announce that Lovely Day Photo has moved to the Elmwood Village – completing a full-circle moment and bringing the studio back to the block where it all began 17 years ago. I cannot wait for you to see it! The area is spacious and inviting, and boasts 12-foot ceilings, bay windows, beautiful white wainscoting – everything you’d imagine from a historic Buffalo home with plenty of space to create and imagine beautiful photos. What’s better is now I have plenty of room for my clients to come in and relax, feel at ease, and not feel cramped. Finally, I can offer space for clients to comfortably prepare bottles and/or nurse and change their babies during newborn sessions, room for toddlers to move about while their siblings have their portraits taken, a bathroom that doesn’t double as a supply closet, a room for wardrobe changes, and more. Even the parking is more convenient!
The journey to our new space has been full of excitement, unexpected pivots, and plenty of fond memories. I am ready to make new memories on the road ahead and am grateful to you that you’ve joined me on this ride.
Sincerely,
Melissa
