My studio: Jerry Ghionis’ chic Beverly Hills location

Jerry Ghionis, M.Photog.Cr., has been photographing professionally for 22 years. He began by assisting a prominent photographer and then in 1997 started his own business in Victoria, Australia. It grew to become one of the biggest studios in the country, photographing more than 300 weddings a year and employing 15 people.

In 2007, Jerry opened a boutique studio in Melbourne, Australia, with the goal of providing a more personalized, luxurious experience for clients. He and his wife, Melissa Ghionis, now personally photograph just 20 weddings each year, which allows them to pamper clients and still take care of potential new customers.

Recently, they opened a home-based studio in Beverly Hills, California, that includes indoor and outdoor studios where they can make portraits with very different looks.

Each year, they spend four to five months in Australia and the remainder of the year in the United States and travelling on assignment.

“I truly believe that a studio is an easy way to separate yourself from your competition,” says Jerry. “It’s an easy way to look professional, provide your clients with the ultimate experience, and give the appearance that you mean business. With a studio-based business, you can easily devote every wall to a framed print, which helps sales, and to awards you’ve won, which gives your work credibility in the eyes of clients.”