‘Be your own muse’: Boston photography studio offers DIY professional pictures

A new, ultramodern startup company, tucked into the third floor of a 114-year-old building in Chinatown, is one of the first of its kind in the United States.

Muse Studios is a professional photography studio in downtown Boston that offers an unusual gambit of timed single, couple, group or pet animal picture sessions, all with the promise of high-quality yet inexpensive images in a low-stress environment.

So, what makes this studio at 30 Kneeland St., Unit 302 unique? There’s not a single human photographer on staff.

“You can be your own creative muse, in a sense,” co-founder Max Burke, 25, said about the company, which launched in January. “[We provide] the exact same, high-quality product for a lot cheaper [than a professional photographer would], and in an environment that feels safer and more free.”

Professional self-photography is a concept one of the founders discovered on a visit to Toronto, Canada. The group did some research and found its popularity has boomed in Asian culture over the last decade, especially for celebrity use.

“Everybody needs pictures in some way, shape or form, whether it’s for holiday cards or special occasions,” Burke said. His list of possible occasions was long, including birthdays, model portfolios, daytime dates, graduation, family outings, business headshots and more.

The cameras are remote-controlled by the photo subject. It’s all about cutting out the nerves one might get when a photographer yells, “Cheese!”

Burke said the Chinatown building offered everything needed in terms of space for customers’ “casual and fun” portrait-taking process.

MassLive headed over to check it out in April — and to see if humans can truly be taken out of the equation when it comes to photography.

Inside the bright, white open interior, there was a small seating area stocked with professional photography and fashion books. There was a sleek white front desk with a helpful employee — a budding wall of printed images was next to it.

But before coming in for an appointment, customers make a few choices.

They can choose between black-and-white or color photos and full- or half-body photos. Prices start at $75 for 30 minutes and $140 for 60 minutes. The base price for two people is $140 and each additional person or pet animal is $25. MassLive reporters tried out both color photograph rooms.

Upon arrival, customers check in and enter their selected studio. Both rooms have a Canon R6 Mark II camera set on a tripod with flash, studio lighting and the capacity to take shots in rapid-fire succession.

The half-body photo room has colored backdrops and can fit up to four people; the full-body room can fit up to 10 and has a white background that extends over the floor. Though the prop selection is thin, customers are invited to bring their own props, outfit changes or other items they want.

Side-by-side monitors show a live feed of what the camera sees so customers can pose and see what the picture looks like after clicking the small remote. They can take as many pictures as they’re able to in their allotted time.

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All digital copies, which are automatically edited with a signature Muse preset, are sent to the client that same day at a promotional no extra charge (otherwise, it’s $25 more) if Muse Studios is tagged on social media. Printed physical copies of the photos are also provided.

“The feedback has been very, very positive,” Burke said. “The mission and what we were trying to provide to Boston is exactly what we’ve been able to accomplish, from what we’ve seen so far … people talk about how it makes them feel a lot more comfortable when they’re taking these pictures.”

During their visit, MassLive reporters were able to take 99 photos between the two rooms.

Despite this, a human can’t be taken fully out of the equation just yet — MassLive needed help from the Muse employee to get started and asked her questions. She even fixed a lightbulb when it wouldn’t flash.

For Burke, though, it’s not really about competing with human photographers.

“We are bringing in a new audience to photography, the more casual consumer,” Burke said.

At the price point, especially when the median cost of a headshot shoot is $270 in Massachusetts, Burke said they’re focused on making photography an accessible hobby for those who might not be familiar, and in a unique way — one they think could make waves in cities across the U.S.

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