Not long after I picked up my first DSLR, I started daydreaming about what it would be like to have my own photography studio. I spent so many hours imagining the frames I would hang on the walls and how I would organize everything. I knew that someday, I would make it happen. And when I was preparing to make photography my full-time job last spring, I felt that it was finally time to find a home for Kate L Photography.

Enter WeWork. I feel so incredibly lucky to have stumbled upon this company in my initial search for business real estate. WeWork is a co-working space, meaning that many small different businesses work together in the same building. It’s more than just office space; it’s also a community for entrepreneurs to become friends and help each other. I knew from the second that I walked in the front door that I needed to join– it just felt like the perfect match!

I worked in the shared space for half a year, and I made so many great friends there! But one day a “co-worker” of mine caught me staring at an empty private office, imagining what it would be like to call it my own. With her encouragement, I signed the lease, and it was the best feeling in the world when I unlocked the door for the first time. I was so excited to make it my home that I assembled ALL THREE pieces of IKEA furniture in 12 hours flat. I couldn’t feel my fingers the next day! 😉

Moving into this space was one of the best decisions I have ever made for my business. I love that I can keep everything organized and store my equipment and client orders safely. WeWork makes it possible for me to run a business on my own without feeling all alone. It’s so much easier for me to focus when I’m at work– when I shut the door, it’s time to get things done. And most importantly, it felt incredible to finally make such a big dream of mine come true.

SO, here’s a tour of my little space! I hope you enjoy taking a peek around!

I love seeing this vinyl logo decal on my door when I arrive at work!

These colorful frames are from The Organic Bloom, one of my favorite frame companies. I think they fit my style and space perfectly!

All the white furniture is from IKEA, and the desk chair is from West Elm. I learned a lot about furniture assembly very quickly!

Although the building has beautiful views of the Boston skyline, I chose an office without a window so that I could control the ambient lighting at any time of day. This helps me keep my photo editing consistent. When I’m not editing, the lamps help keep my space nice and cozy.

You can’t see it very well in these pictures, but the bench has several shelves and storage drawers underneath. Since it’s such a small office, I wanted to really maximize the usage of space.

It’s so nice to have shelves to store everything! Sitting on top: a sample of the canvases that I offer, monograms from Anthropologie, flowers from Target and a wicker basket to store the blankets that I use for newborn sessions.

I love these little camera photo clips I found at Target!

Since my last name is Lemmon, I just couldn’t resist including some plastic “lemmons” in a mason jar. 🙂

Proof boxes double as a perfect stand for this gold lomo camera I found on sale at Anthropologie.

Continuing with the silly “Lemmon” theme, here are the Lemonheads that I mail to my clients with their flash drive.

Here’s a sample of the gorgeous albums that I carry. It’s wonderful to be able to flip through images in my hands!

Although I can’t say the same thing about my apartment, I always leave my office really clean at the end of every workday. Having a clear desk helps me focus when I come back in the morning.

I adore this “make magic happen” print, and you can purchase your own here!

One of my favorite organizational tools is this huge wall calendar, created from a Design Aglow template. I switch out the dates every month, and I add client appointments on Post-It notes. I also keep my schedule in Google Calendar, but the wall calendar helps me to see everything at a glance since I’m such a visual person.

The most recent addition to the office is this competition print that recently arrived in the mail from NAPCP!

Now that you’ve seen my office, here’s a little tour of the rest of the building. This is where my clients hang out when they first arrive:

Out of all of the beautiful decorations at WeWork, this poster is my favorite:

Every floor has complimentary citrus water, coffee, tea, and beer on tap. I never drink when I’m working, but it comes it very handy for my headshot clients to help calm their nerves a bit! 😉

My office is located on the 7th floor, and here’s a picture of our floor lobby:

The hallway that leads to my office:

The kitchen on my floor, where I usually bring my lunch every day:

Every floor at WeWork has conference rooms with amazing window light. This comes in handy when the weather is bad because we can shoot indoors.

This is one of my favorite rooms because it’s where I meet with my clients to view their photos for the first time! Always a happy occasion!

I’ll leave you with a couple of views of Fort Point, as seen from my floor:

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my space– I can’t wait to show you in person! Please stop by for a coffee the next time you’re near South Station. And if you’re interested in joining WeWork for your own business, use this link to receive a discounted first month of membership! There are WeWork locations all over the world, so you can join even if you don’t live in Boston. 🙂