UNIT ONE Photography Studio

This review is from a photographer’s viewpoint. Anyone who has rented studio time in the Bay Area will appreciate Unit One. Selit is a skilled and experienced photographer himself, and has run a studio before, and that may explain why he has got so many things right already in a new studio.
Unit One provides three-​point lighting at a minimum, and with aplomb. A variety of modifiers is available for two of the (Elinchrom) lights. For example, I had a giant umbrella — that provided really soft lighting — on the key light, and a softbox on the fill light. I controlled/​adjusted them through a software console running on a conveniently-​placed laptop… and this ease of control is one of the special features of Unit One.
There is more than one set. The main set is spacious, with a high ceiling and plenty of room for your equipment and props. The seamless background is changeable, and it is large enough that framing from different angles won’t take you ‘off the background’. And there’s a ladder available for you to try more perspectives. Besides one other set (that has furniture), there are a wall — with a brick pattern — and a window… all in all, at least three or four different ‘settings’ for your shoot.
There’s plenty of other space in the studio — a changing-​area for the model (s), a break-​room, office, etc.
And Selit has to be the most helpful studio owner I have ever worked with.
The location is convenient, especially for those coming from San Francisco or the Peninsula. It isn’t far from the 280 or 101 or a BART station. And, for anyone who is familiar with the very high costs of renting studio time in San Francisco, Unit One is a fantastic and much more reasonable option.