We are thrilled to have you as part of our creative community. Our space is designed to be a welcoming and inspiring environment where photographers and creative entrepreneurs can collaborate, create, and grow.
This handbook provides guidelines on how to use and care for our studio and co-working spaces. Please review and reference it as needed. By following these guidelines, you help maintain a professional and enjoyable environment for everyone!
Thanks and see you at the studio!
Hannah Bjorndal
Founder of Studio Oronoco
welcome tO the StudiO!
General Note: We created this space to be a comfortable, fun and ideal-for-creating studio, and we really want you to enjoy it! We also want you to always feel "in the know," so if you ever have any questions or aren't certain about a particular policy or rule, please don't hesitate to text, call or email Hannah directly! (info@studiooronoco.com or 724-622-6186).
Common Area: The main room of the studio is an open co-working space and client lounge. The desks and furniture can be used on a first-come, first-serve basis. If the space is full, you are welcome to use The Meeting Room (when it's not reserved) and/or the main lounge, outside our front, flower-covered door.
Hours of Operation: The front doors of our main building (105 Oronoco) are opened and unlocked Mondays-Fridays from 8am-6pm and Saturdays from 9am-1pm. If you would like to access Studio Oronoco outside of these hours, you need a main door key fob. Key fobs are available for purchase ($50) or you can reserve our communal key fob in advance. If you'd like to purchase one, please contact Hannah (info@studiooronoco.com or 724-622-6186) and allow for 7 days to get the key order processed and delivered to the studio.
Reservation/signing out of the communal key fob is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sometimes, there are multiple shoots in a weekend. Please be mindful of other reservations and do not sign out the key fob if another member needs it before your shoot. It is members' responsibility to coordinate communal key fob usage with one another.
The door to Studio Oronoco itself can be opened by key code 24/7.
Parking: The building's parking lot requires a permit pass, however, there is ample free parking on the surrounding streets. Pendleton St and N Union St have free unlimited-hour parking (as of date last checked - June 2024) and Oronoco St has free 2 hour and 3 hour parking. Members can park in these spaces.
If you're interested in purchasing a monthly parking pass, please contact Hannah (info@studiooronoco.com or 724-622-6186) for more information.
Refreshments: You (and your clients & guests!) are welcome to all refreshments in the main room, including any/all drinks in the mini fridge, snacks in the drawers, and usage of our coffee pot and water filter distributor. You can also use any cups, utensils, etc. - we just ask that you clean them in the hallway's shared sink and return them to their storage place when finished using!
Respect Others’ Space and Time: Be mindful of noise levels, especially when others are working or shooting. You are more than welcome to use our bluetooth speaker, we just ask that you not turn it up to full volume!
Pets: Dogs & cats are welcome in the studio! Pets should be house broken and attended to by a human at all times. Pets also must remain well-behaved and exhibit no sign of aggression to others. Please be extra mindful of protecting our studio when pets are present - do not allow pets to scratch or damage furniture, floors, equipment, etc.
If a pet sheds on furniture or carpet, please either vacuum the area or use one of our lint rollers (located in the Salon, inside the drawers of the beauty station) to clean the area after pet departs.
If you or a client have a pet that is not a cat or dog, please confirm with Hannah that the pet is allowed in the studio before bringing in! We're very open to all types of animals, but there are a few Alexandria county codes we must abide by which restrict certain types of animals in our space!
Cleaning Up After Yourself: Take all personal belongings with you when you leave. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items. If you use the kitchen or break areas, wash any dishes or utensils you use, and wipe down counters. Clean shared surfaces after use, especially in common areas like meeting rooms, co-working desks, and lounge areas.
Dispose of food waste in the appropriate bins. When you have larger items to throw away, please do so in the large trash and/or recycling bins in the main hallway, next to the full-sized refrigerator.
If for any reason you leave behind excessive dust or debris, please gently use our Dyson vacuum (mounted on The Meeting Room wall) to clean up after yourself.
Temperature Control: The thermostat is located on the kitchenette's wall, on the left side of the bottom shelf (sometimes a little hard to see because pitchers and mugs are right in front of it!). The thermostat should be set between 68°F and 73°F at all times. This range ensures a comfortable climate for most activities while being energy efficient. Please refrain from setting the thermostat below 68°F or above 73°F to avoid overworking the system and to maintain a consistent environment.
If you find that the studio is too warm or too cold, feel free to adjust the thermostat within the approved range. Allow some time for the temperature to stabilize before making further adjustments. Please avoid making frequent changes, as this can make it difficult to maintain a steady temperature.
When multiple members are using the space, please be considerate of others’ comfort preferences. If you need to adjust the thermostat, check with other members present to ensure the change is agreeable for everyone. Open communication is key to keeping the space comfortable for all.
When you are the last person to leave the studio, set the thermostat to 70°F . This helps maintain a moderate temperature when the space is not in use, reducing energy consumption and ensuring a pleasant environment upon your return.
Guest Pass: When using the common area for co-working, you may bring a guest. Guests must always be accompanied by a member and should not be given a key, access code or any other information private to group members. Guests also may not use the space for their own client work. The purpose of the guest pass is to allow for co-working with a peer, not giving guest access to do their own photography work in the studio space.
Restrooms: Our restrooms are located on the second floor (same floor as Studio Oronoco!). They are located down down the hallway, past the kitchen area and to the left.
Shared Kitchen: In addition to our small studio kitchenette, we also share a kitchen (with a full refrigerator/freezer, sink, disposal, and microwave) with the other second floor office across the hallway. This kitchen may be used by Studio Oronoco members. Please leave the kitchen area clean and clear of any personal items when leaving the studio. If you'd like to leave something in the freezer, please label it with the date of placing in there and also remove within 7 days.
Propping Door Open: We have two rubber door stopped and these can be used to prop open the main Studio Oronoco door. Please only prop open the door when you remain inside the studio. Never leave the door propped if you are not inside, as this leaves our space vulnerable to theft and/or people (or pets) wandering in. Please also be mindful and aware, when propping open the door, that our neighbors across the hallway have a dog who often wanders into our studio when the door is open. Please keep him out of the studio unless actively attended to by a human.
Members Directory & Contact Info: You can find contact info for all of our members as well as information about their businesses and what services they offer here. If you notice anything is incorrect on your own member listing, please let us know so we can correct it quickly!
Studio Oronoco Team: The Studio Oronoco team is led by Hannah Bjorndal and includes 5 others. Our office is located at the back of the studio (the office with inner-facing windows). If you see one of us in our office, you can say hello, ask a question or get help with something in the studio anytime! Please stop by and say hi - we love to see you!
1. General Studio INFO & Etiquette
Booking System: Four rooms in our studio are reserve-able in advance: The Chelsea Suite (room with built-in bookcase), The Maison Suite (room with French moulding and bed), The Salon (room with two makeup stations & hanging clothes) and The Meeting Room (room with round table & banquette seating).
You can make a reservation in advance at any time using our online booking system. This ensures availability, avoids conflicts and allows everyone to know what is going at the studio on any given day. Reservations can be made in 30 minute increments, all the way up to 8 consecutive hours. Change the duration of your reservation using the portal and navigating to the top right section, where you'll see "30 minutes" - click this to change the duration.
The reservation portal can be found on the main page of our members connect website under "MAKE A RESERVATION."
Monthly Allotment of Hours: Your membership comes with a monthly allotment of hours, meaning you can reserve up to X hours (depending on your membership level) each month, in advance, for any given room. The hours can be used on different days or all at once, it's up to you!
Reservations are by room, so if you wish to reserve more than one room at once, you will need to use your hours per room you reserve (for example, if you want to reserve both The Salon and The Maison Suite from 9am-10am, that is 2 hours, not 1 hour, because it's for 2 rooms).
If you don't use all of your hours in a given month, these hours will roll over to the next month and can be used for up to 12 months later. After 12 months, overage hours reset.
If you use more than your total allotted hours in a month, we will send you an invoice for the overage based on your membership level's overage fee.
Monthly hours need only be used to reserve a room in advance. You are more than welcome to use the studio rooms, when free and unreserved by others, any time you wish without needing to deduct from your monthly total.
Punctuality: Be prepared to finish, reset furniture and be out of the reserved room within your allotted time. This is particularly important when there are other reservations for that room on the same day. If you need additional time, please check the calendar for availability. If no one else has the space reserved, you are free to continue using the space passed your reservation time!
2. room reservations
Our studio provides a variety of shared resources to enhance your photoshoots, including lighting equipment, backdrops, and props. To ensure these items remain in excellent condition and available for all members, please follow these guidelines when using shared resources:
Moving Furniture: Furniture can be moved in and out of rooms, as desired, during room reservations. Please use the furniture sliders (solid round fabric discs, located inside or on top of drawers in the main room, below the mounted backdrop storage space) when moving furniture to protect our floors. Place the sliders under each leg of the piece of the furniture to move and then push gently. Please be extra-gentle with our antique furniture in the Maison suite, as it is a bit more delicate. When possible, move furniture with the help of another person. If any Studio Oronoco team members are in the office, you can always ask for our help!
Setup and Breakdown: Handle all equipment carefully during setup and breakdown. Follow the provided instructions or ask for assistance if you are unfamiliar with the equipment. Avoid forcing or mishandling any parts, as this can cause damage.
Backdrops: Use clean hands when handling backdrops to prevent stains and smudges. If a backdrop becomes dirty or wrinkled during your shoot, let Hannah know so it can be cleaned or replaced. When finished, carefully roll up backdrops and store them in their designated wall mounted area in main room.
Props: Use props as intended and avoid placing them in situations where they could be easily damaged. After your shoot, return props to their designated storage areas. If you notice a prop is damaged or worn out, inform Hannah so it can be repaired or replaced.
Cleanliness: Wipe down any equipment and props after use with the provided cleaning supplies. This is especially important if you’ve used them for shoots involving food, makeup, or other materials that could leave residues.
Use of Client Closet Items or Sheets: If any clothing or bedsheets are used during your shoot, please place used items in the hamper (located in the Salon) after use and send a quick text or email letting Hannah know and item has been used and needs to be laundered. If there is a Studio Oronoco team member in the studio, you can notify them in-person.
3. sHARED STUDIO ITEMS: USAGE & CARE
Tidy & Reset Furniture: Before leaving, ensure that the studio space is left clean and tidy. Return any moved items to their original positions.
Replace Lights, Props & Backdrops: If you use any of the shared studio lights, props or backdrops, please return them to their original locations. All paper backdrop rolls belong on the racks in the main room. Godox continuous lights are always set up in the Chelsea Suite and can remain in this position (they don't need to be returned to the storage bag in the main room).
Trash Disposal: Dispose of all trash in the appropriate bins. If you used any props that have residue, clean them before putting them away. When you have larger items to throw away, please do so in the large trash and/or recycling bins in the main hallway, next to the full-sized refrigerator (rather than our smaller pull-out drawer trash).
Sweep and Wipe Down: Sweep the floor and wipe down surfaces if necessary, especially if your shoot involved food, liquids, or other materials that could cause stains or spills. We have lint rollers which you may use on furniture (in the Salon, inside the beauty station drawers) and a shared broom/pan as well.
Turn Off Equipment: Power down all lights, cameras, and other electronic devices. Unplug equipment from outlets to conserve energy and maintain safety.
4. Leaving the Studio After a Shoot
Immediate Notification: If you notice that any equipment or furniture is broken or damaged, report it immediately to Hannah via email or text so she can make arrangements for a repair promptly.
Accidents Happen: We understand that accidents can occur. If you break or damage an item, please inform us as soon as possible. Honest reporting helps us maintain the quality and availability of resources for all members.
Liability: Depending on the nature of the damage, members may be responsible for repair or replacement costs. We will assess each situation fairly.
5. Protocol for Broken or Damaged Items
Godox Sl100Bi 2-Light Kit: instructions coming soon
Backdrop Setup: instructions coming soon