The Lightroom Athens — Local services in Athens-Clarke County Unified Government

I was recently helping a friend with a home studio project and the area of lighting was totally outside of my wheelhouse.

Surprisingly with Athens being a creative town, it was difficult to find a company or individual with a the depth and breadth of experience to help in this area

Fortunately I came across a new business that had recently opened in Athens – The Lightroom – ATH.

This business fills a hole that I had felt for a long time since moving to Athens in 1994 – the lack of any production facilities, either private or public access, for video and audio creatives.

I paid a visit to the company, located on Oneta Street, to meet them and find out who set up their studios and lighting. It turned out they designed their own system, which makes sense since the owners were experienced documentary filmmakers who had moved to Athens from New York City in 2020.

I inquired if I could contract with them to help with the lighting for my friend, and the said “for sure” without hesitation. We entered into a contract and within 4-6 weeks we had a system designed, installed, and tested.

To say that the owners, Wendy Muniz and Guillermo Zouain, care about their customers would be an understatement. They quickly understood the need, the technical requirements, and things about the project that would require additional soft skills not normally seen in a project like this. They stepped up and leaned in, making the project a success, and did not hesitate to follow-up when we needed to do some additional tweaks and testing. Wendy did not even flinch (at least to me) when I discovered I had accidentally grabbed her cell phone when I left a meeting!

It is very rare that a rate any company five stars (and I mean REALLY rare), but I have no hesitation in doing so here on behalf of my self and my friend.

The Lightroom has succeeded in bringing much needed production infrastructure and a supportive environment for video and podcast creatives in the greater Athens area who might want to walk and learn on somebody else’s equipment before making the leap to invest in their own.

Finally, I also want to give a shout-out to their in-house Director of Photography and gaffer Jordan Whitfield. The young man was part of the installation and testing team, but that is not all I learned about this young man. He is a very talented, up-and-coming photographer and...

Working with Wendy Muñiz and Guillermo Zouain, owners of The Lightroom Athens, has been a fantastic experience. Their professionalism, expertise, and exceptional people skills consistently exceeded expectations. They are genuinely the best creative partner one can wish for. Over the past year, I worked with them on three very different projects: professional portraits, editorial photographs of my recently published book, and the production of 11 individual podcasts as part of a final assignment for a graduate course.

Wendy and Guillermo made the entire process of my professional portraits smooth, comfortable, and enjoyable—no small achievement for someone who doesn’t typically feel at ease in front of a camera. Their ability to create a relaxed atmosphere while maintaining the highest standards of technical quality resulted in photographs that were polished, professional, and captured my personal and professional essence!

The attention to detail, creativity, and care they put into aligning the visuals with my book’s tone and message in the editorial photographs of my academic book were truly impressive! They brought the book to life in a way that felt both vibrant, attractive, and intellectually resonant. They understood the balance between academic seriousness and creative visual storytelling, and the final images are stunning!

The most logistically complex project was the podcast production of 11 graduate students. However, at no point did it feel like a challenge: their organizational and interpersonal skills were unparalleled. Wendy and Guillermo were patient, encouraging, and highly skilled in drawing out the best from each student. They created an environment that was both professional and supportive, making even the most nervous contributors feel confident. The final audio quality and editorial work were top-tier, and the students were thrilled with the outcome.

I couldn’t recommend them highly enough for anyone seeking a creative studio that blends technical excellence with a genuine human touch! I look forward to my next collaboration with them! They are a true gem...

Lightroom Athens is such a gem! Wendy and Guillermo are incredibly nice and welcoming, and they made our whole experience so enjoyable. We went for their “Knit Happens” photo session, and it was so much fun. And they delivered the pictures quickly, which we really appreciated.

We also had a few mins to tour the space while we were there. There are 2 podcast studios and a cyc room, which is where we did our photos. They also offer equipment rental. The whole vibe of the place is super cool! Lightroom Athens is a fantastic addition to the Athens community. Highly recommend...