I never thought I’d own one of these!

When I set out to open the best photography studio and content creation space in Rapid City, I knew there were a lot of new things I would have to do in order to make the dream a reality.

But learning about electricity and buying my very own transformer was not one of them!

In fact, never did I ever in my wildest dreams think I would own a transformer.

How it all started: I’d been looking for a natural light photography studio space ever since I got to Rapid. After all, I’d been a member of photo studios in Colorado almost since becoming a photographer, and I thought for sure I’d find a vibrant photography community here, just waiting for me to join.

But instead, for all of Rapid City’s beautiful and historic buildings, natural light inside a building was hard to come by. And photo studios where I could become a member for a reasonable investment were few and far between.

I was in one of my networking group meetings (Black Hills Premier Connections) one Wednesday morning, and Shelby Roe, who works at Built Right Construction, said her company’s suite in the Landstrom / Gap building near downtown Rapid City was about to become available for rent.

Immediately I reached out to the landlord to arrange a peek at the space.

And lo and behold, behind the heavy curtains, the office walls, and the dark blue-gray carpet (that resembled actual roofing) — there was light, glorious light!!

I knew immediately that in order for the space to be transformed into a studio space, the walls, curtains, and carpet would have to go.

I enlisted the help of my family. Even my 10-year-old granddaughter was happy to peel carpet off the floor! And as soon as it was gone, the concrete reflected more light than I ever thought possible.

I thought polishing concrete would be a breeze and enlisted Pedro with Gracie Mae’s to do the job. I also hired Tad with Roc Electric to get us set up for the job and make sure there was enough electricity to run the machine.

That’s when I found out that concrete polishers run on a certain type of current — current that couldn’t simply be tapped by plugging into the building’s electrical system. I would need a transformer to get the job done.

I will be completely honest: I had no idea what a transformer was! And I had no idea how expensive they are!

I also had no idea you couldn't just run down the street to rent or buy one. It was a special order, to be fulfilled on the timeline of the company who builds them … which was completely different from my own.

And that’s how my opening date got pushed back later than I expected. And how I came to be the proud owner of a transformer. Which, by the way, is for sale now, if anyone in Rapid City is in need of one.

But the result of a beautifully polished concrete floor? Perfection — and an absolutely must as a natural light reflector in the studio.