Sat in the active heartlands of Tampines is the newest self-photo studio, Photoism. Part of the selfphotostudio.sg group, Photoism is the only studio in the group that allows Pet photography! With that in mind, Photoism invited us over for an experience with our furbabies. Isabel, our Campaign and Operations Intern, reports her experience.
First Impressions
Isabel is not new to self-photo studios — she has visited various other studios and has always been vocal about the space (or lack thereof). “I’m glad that Photoism was much bigger than the ones I’ve previously been to,” she said. Upon entering the studio, patrons will be able to wait by the sofas and chairs. A full-body mirror also allows them to check their outfit and look before beginning their session.
While other self-photo studios only have one or two rooms, Photoism has double that number (four studios) which makes booking more accessible for everyone. Pet owners won’t have to worry about their pets’ personal space either. The register is generously spaced to accommodate pets, ensuring that pawrents are able to keep their pets a good comfortable distance from each other.
The Studio Experience
Contrary to other self-photo studios’ space efficiency, Photoism’s studio is spacious enough to comfortably house a family portrait or a squad pic. There’s also a monitor in the studio that will display the photo that you have just taken. Isabel commended this feature as a big plus compared to other studios. “I really like this as I can see how to adjust myself to get the perfect photos, some places do not provide the monitor.”
Isabel put Photoism’s pet-friendly claim to the test during her visit. “I requested for a bench as Kopi would definitely not fit on the high stool. However, the bench was still a little small for her. She could sit on it, but the narrow width make her scared of falling off. She couldn’t get fully comfortable during the shoot.”
Pawrents looking to visit Photoism should consider various workarounds for your pet size:
- Big dogs: Lower the height of the adjustable camera to fit your pawpal into frame
- Stout dogs: Consider cradling your pawpal in your arms, or resting them on your lap
Costumes and Props
The studio’s variety of props was fairly limited at the time — a busy timeslot would mean fewer options to work with. “Some of the Christmas headbands were very cute though! Those would definitely make cute couple/group photos!” Isabel added that she was not particularly bothered as she prefers her photos without props.
Photoism also has costumes for pets for various occasions, including jumpers that look like your pawpal is part of Squid Game. As for Kopi, the doggo did not get to wear the costumes as they were too small.
While You Wait
Waiting Time
Pawrents looking to visit do take note: The photos will take a considerable length of time to load and save due to the file sizes and sheer volume of photos. “The prints took about 40mins to be ready which is a reasonable amount of time,” Isabel said. “My photos were ready just before closing time, so I was lucky to get them in time. If not, I would have had to drop by another day.”
Location
Photoism is situated in the central region of Tampines, which allows patrons to roam while waiting for their images to load. The direct area of Tampines ONE and its neighbouring malls, however, do not have pet-friendly areas to rest or eat at, so pet owners going to Photoism are advised to simply wait at the reception instead.
“When I booked the place, I was concerned that Kopi will not be able to enter the mall as I thought the entrance would be inside the mall. Turns out Photoism’s entrance faces the outside of the mall, so pet owners don’t have to worry!”
Q&A
Most of Kopi’s pics are done with natural light/outdoors, so what is it like taking photos in a studio for a change?
I can get better quality photos! Studio cameras are very focused on the person/Kopi, so the photo will look nicer as compared to what I usually take.
The studio probably uses strobe lights for their flash. Was it uncomfortable for kopi’s eyes?
Kopi did not seem bothered by the light at all. She didn’t really pay attention to the beeping sound as well, which is a good thing as Singapore Specials are usually very wary of new environments. Small changes in the environment, such as sounds, can easily trigger them.
How can I make a booking?
You can make your booking from their contact page here.
Photoism
10 Tampines Central 1
#01-25/26/27
Singapore 529536
Operating Hours
Weekday : 11:00am – 9:00pm
Weekend : 10:00am – 10:00pm
