A new focal point: Studio moving, changing plans after fire
Published 11:38 am Thursday, April 18, 2013
Christopher Lee Iverson has a vision.
He wants to take CLP Studio (formerly Christopher Lee Photography), the business he runs with wife, Sarah, to greater heights by offering a unique photo experience. The couple is about to make that vision a reality when they move to a new, 2,200-square-foot studio at 104 11th Ave. NW next month.
“We really wanted to change our view of where we want our business to go,” Chris said. “We really believe that as professionals, you should provide an experience for people.”
The Iversons have planned for the past two years to create what Lee calls a “boutique-style experience” for clients getting their pictures taken. The new studio space will allow Chris to use up to 62 backdrops, set aside space for a business headshots section and passport area, and customize the studio to add intimate touches like a fireplace and chandelier in the foyer. Clients will have their names attached to a gold star on a new ’50s Hollywood-style dressing room to further customize the experience, Chris said.
“We want to go for a very elegant experience for our clients,” he said. “We want state-of-the-art areas for portraits, and to make it something really about them.”
Chris said the fire that destroyed Sako African Food Market in December 2012 didn’t deter the move, nor was it a factor in the Iversons’ decision to expand. The fire caused smoke damage to his business and his neighbor, Barbara’s Interiors. Repairs at the Sako property are finishing up this week, and the property owner hopes to sell it or rent it out again.
The Iversons have remodeled their new studio for the past several months, and plan to have it open in mid-May.
“We just think it should be more than great photography,” he said. “It should be something unlike anything else.”