Studio Spotlight – Kezco

Home. That’s the first thing I think of when walking into Kezco, a low-key photography studio located in the heart of Queens, NYC. Yes, the elevated loft with comfortable seating and an Xbox certainly contributed to the homey feelings I was experiencing, but the real comfort I got from being there was from how perfect it was for a photographer. From the building it was housed in – an industrial-grade warehouse – all the way to the beautifully textured white walls, it is THE place to capture any sort of look, emotion, and feeling. Not to mention the fact that one of the walls has several large windows that allow for so much natural light to come into the studio, along with helping to cast some unique shadows that I have never seen anywhere else. 

Now, just because I said Kezco is very cozy and comfortable does not mean that it is a tiny, cute little studio. In fact, Kezco is easily the biggest studio I’ve ever been in; it’s even bigger than an apartment I had during my college years. I was recently there working on a commercial for Grounded mgmt. (an incredible apparel and artists’ management company) and we were able to fit 10 people in there and still have enough room to sprint around the studio if we wanted to. The ceilings are incredibly high as well, requiring a ladder to reach up and move/stick anything high up on the walls. Essentially, this studio can fit so many different kinds of projects, from simple portrait sessions all the way to group videos

Kezco being used for a video shoot for musical artist Cannon

It wouldn’t be fair to heap all of this praise on Kezco without talking about its owner and founder: Joe Gray. When I first met Joe I felt his presence immediately. An incredibly nice and charismatic man, Joe will go to great lengths to ensure that anyone using his studio is comfortable and able to execute the vision that they see in their minds. Joe is also an absolute genius when it comes to any kind of photo/video work. In the two days I was there I witnessed Joe expertly handle a Mamiya RZ67, a 16mm film handheld video camera , and a BMPCC all with relative ease and comfort. He even taught me some stuff about my own camera, which he doesn’t even own! 

All in all, if you’re looking for an amazingly well taken care of studio, in an incredible location, with a knowledgeable and extremely hospitable owner, why have you not gone to Kezco yet? You can follow Kezco on Instagram (@kezco.co), and Joe himself (@heyjoegray), and you can book your sessions through there. I’m speaking for all of us here at Filtergrade when I tell you that you will not regret it!

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