Detroit-based photographer opens creative studio to help other small business owners

Southeast Michigan photographer Katrina Cross-Daniels is helping other small business owners make their dreams come true as she achieves her own with the opening of a new creative studio in Detroit. 

The 3,000-square-foot KCD Creative Studios, located at the Michigan Welcome Center at 2835 Bagley Street, features an open, industrial space filled with natural light from its floor-to-ceiling windows.

The space is available to rent for events, photography shoots, video shoots, content creation, or whatever a creative professional might need. It can be used on a one-time basis for an hourly fee, or monthly memberships are available to have regular, drop-in access to the space.

“It’s giving a space right in the City of Detroit for fellow creatives to have somewhere to come to,” Cross-Daniels said. “Everybody can’t afford to have their own space, so I thought it was a great idea, for a minimum fee, to have a space that you can call your own.”

There is a couch, a backdrop, minimal lighting equipment, and small props available for shoots. Creatives are welcome to bring their own props, equipment, tables, chairs, and other supplies to make the studio fit their needs, Cross-Daniels said. 

Since the studio opened earlier this year, Cross-Daniels said clients have used the studio for senior portraits, an engagement shoot, and professional workshops. 

Photographer Deb Davis rented it for her book signing for her memoir, Faces of Transparency. She said the studio and the event helped her connect with more people than she could have otherwise, and Cross-Daniels was accommodating and easy to work with. 

“I like it because we were able to bring in stuff and make it our own,” Davis said. “It’s a really nice space.”

Kenisha Lee is the Vice President of the Wealth InvestHer Network (WIN), a professional collective that empowers women through education, wealth-building strategies, and community-driven programming. She rented KCD Studios to host a Win workshop for about 20 people. 

“As a business that regularly hosts educational and empowerment events, having access to a creative studio that’s both functional and beautiful is critical,” Lee said in an email. “KCD Creative Studios helped elevate the professionalism of our event and gave us a high-quality setting to document content that can now be repurposed for marketing, promotion, and future programming. The studio fills a gap for organizations that want a polished event experience.”

Building Her Business

Cross-Daniels has always loved photography, but it was photographing her son’s high school basketball games that turned her from hobbyist to a professional. When another parent noticed her taking photos, they asked her to shoot a wedding. 

“That one wedding inspired me. When I shot it, celebrating people’s love stories and being able to story-tell their day stood out to me as something that I was very interested in doing,” Cross-Daniels said. “I love when people are smiling and they’re excited to see their images.”

She formed her photography business in 2014. Cross-Daniels left her photography studio in Southfield about two years ago. She was inspired to open KCD Studios as an affordable option for startup creatives and professionals after experiencing her own challenges with operating a photography business without a physical space. 

She shoots portraits, weddings, and boudoir. 

Filling a Gap in the Creative Community

Cross-Daniels received a $25,000 matching grant this year from Motor City Match (MCM), a nonprofit that helps small businesses grow through funding, mentorships, and connections to resources. 

MCM Program Director Madison Schillig said Cross-Daniels, who was involved in a previous track of the program, is chosen for the grant because the organization feels she has the experience, knowledge, and business plan that will lead to success.

The greatest barriers to success for small business owners are opening a physical space at the right time for profitability, Schillig said. Small businesses also struggle with the start-up costs for opening a business and gaining access to capital to cover those expenses. 

KCD Studios fills the gap of having access to a physical space for creatives who are new to their business, Schillig said. 

“When you think photography studios, sometimes it’s intimidating. I think she is going to do a wonderful job breaking down those barriers and having an approachable space,” Schillig said. “Being a small business owner herself, she has an understanding and empathy for businesses who are starting out.” 

Cross-Daniels said she plans to use the funds to purchase additional furniture, props, and photography and lighting equipment for creators to use in the studio. She hopes to hire a creative studio director and other professionals to help with marketing, coordinating shoots, and graphic design.

She also plans to teach beginner photography classes for anyone looking to learn a new skill. 

Most importantly, Cross-Daniels will continue to do what she loves: empowering others and capturing their special moments through the camera lens. 

“We don’t just take pictures,” she said. “We are transforming and changing lives with photography.”