Pikapic Studio opens self-portrait studio in Cairns CBD

From self-portraits to group photos, a Cairns photo studio has expanded its business model to include professional photos at the click of a button.

Thomas Breitenstein and Dasom You demonstrate their new 'self-portrait studio' the latest addition to their popular photo booth shop Pikapic, where customers can take their own professional self-portraits. Photo: Catherine Duffy

From self-portraits to group photos, a Cairns photo studio has expanded its business model to include professional photos at the click of a button.

Cairns couple and owners of Pikapic Studio Thomas Breitenstein and Dasom ‘Somi’ You have expanded their popular Shields St shoot-it-yourself photo studio to include a self-portrait area in a renovated bank vault.

“It took almost a year to get everything, including the professional (photo) equipment,” Mr Breitenstein said.

Thomas Breitenstein and Dasom You demonstrate their new 'self-portrait studio' the latest addition to their popular photo booth shop Pikapic, where customers can take their own professional self-portraits. Photo: Catherine Duffy

He said they got the idea from photo studios in Ms You’s native South Korea.

“It’s really a trend and you can find it everywhere,” Ms You said.

“When you have a new baby or a celebration or anniversary or family photo, things like that, then you go to this kind of shop and in Korea there are a lot of this version.”

Ms You said they wanted to start simple with a plain white background, as opposed to the various themed photo studios in Korea.

“We’re doing (it) very simple here, but over there they do all the Christmas style, school styles, all the things so you can take photos, but over here we do the simple one.”

“It seems like it’s a popular style here.”

Thomas Breitenstein and Dasom You demonstrate their new 'self-portrait studio' the latest addition to their popular photo booth shop Pikapic, where customers can take their own professional self-portraits. Photo: Catherine Duffy

Ms You said the studio was great for people wanting to have professional photos, without the awkwardness of hiring a photographer.

“Everybody’s a model on social media these days but when you’re coming to a proper studio, and the photographer is there and you are having to smile, you feel awkward,” she said.

“But in this one you have a remote control in your hand, (because) there’s no photographer to tell you how your photo goes, so that’s why we have the monitor.”

Ms You said the studio could fit up to six people at a time, with a selection of a 20 minute photo-shoot or a 40 minute photo shoot.

“We say 20 minutes to do the photos and 10 minutes to choose, so it’s more like half an hour,” she said.

At the end of a session, customers can choose one 5x7 photo or two 4x6 inch photos to print at the store, in addition to a full digital gallery.

“When they join us or follow us on Instagram, we are giving them one print with four pictures in a little frame for them,” Ms You said.

Originally published as Pikapic Studio opens self-portrait studio in Cairns CBD