Cam Kirk Studios opens new BeltLine location
Cam Kirk Studios, a photography studio named after its founder and owner, celebrated the grand opening of its new location on the Atlanta BeltLine Wednesday afternoon. Previously located on Forsyth Street, the creative space has become a vault for chronicling the rise of Atlanta’s trap scene and a home for the city’s ambitious creatives since its opening in 2017. What was once a 1000-square-foot studio on the fourth floor of a building across from the legendary Magic City has now moved into its own unit and become a part of the cultural makeup of the urban trail that encircles Atlanta, continuing to grow its legacy as a cultural hub.
“To be able to be on the BeltLine where we’re entrenched in the middle of a thriving, artistic community, and they can come directly to our doorstep, it means the world. But, it took the foundation that we were able to create over at Forsyth to even get us here 30,000 appointments later,” Kirk said. “To be able to now bring that same energy in a much more inviting area that embraces everything we have to offer, I only see the sky being a limit for where we can take it from here.”
“Congratulations! Go Cam,” a woman running the BeltLine yelled as she passed the crowd standing before the studio’s doors. Kirk was joined by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, family, friends, and team members who helped build Cam Kirk Studios into what it is today at the grand opening event. He thanked his parents and team and urged the community to continue investing in the dreams of the city’s artistic visionaries. Dickens cut the red ribbon in front of the studio, marking a new future for a journey that started 17 years ago.
“Atlanta influences everything from music to fashion to art and beyond, and this city has a global impact. A lot of that has to do with what Cam Kirk Studios has done,” Dickens said before he cut the red ribbon in front of the studio. “This city wouldn’t be the same without all the work that you’ve done.”
From 50 to 60 clients per month to an average of 300 clients per month, including Atlanta rap stars such as 21 Savage, Future, Migos, Lil Baby, and Gunna, Cam Kirk Studios has proved itself to be a staple in the city. The new studio highlights that importance.
Baby blue and yellow hues painted the walls of the studio, adding color to brand-new dressing rooms, a communal space highlighting Back magazines and authors — like rap superstar Jeezy’s memoir, which Kirk shot the cover for — a blue neon Magic City sign paying homage to its roots, a wall dedicated to Kirk’s philanthropy in Atlanta and how he came to be “hip hop’s most trusted photographer” and two studios to for photography and cinematography. Each studio is equipped with backdrops, tools for professional lighting, TVs and a Microsoft Surface Pro for on-the-spot editing and tethering.
“If you support us Downtown, we hope that you will follow us here on our new journey on the BeltLine. We put a lot of detail and energy into this space,” Kirk said. “This space was literally built from the ground up. Every little detail from the size of the dressing room to the inches of the shooting space was all curated and detailed specifically for our community and to see our community thrive. So, I hope they embrace it and enjoy it and support it.”
Shelly Andrews, a friend of Kirk’s, was the first person to book a shoot at the studio when it opened in 2017. Now, she serves as its chief operating officer and described the feeling as a “full-circle moment.” She said she hopes their journey inspires and encourages young entrepreneurs.
“I think we are a real milestone and a real footprint, and a space for people to think, ’Hey, they did it. We can do it too.’ So I think it’s more of helping the dreamers to know that it’s not just a dream, it’s a reality.
