HOWRANI STUDIOS

HOWRANI STUDIOS THE STUDIO MY NAME IS ARA, AND I’M THE SON OF A PHOTOGRAPHER. MY DAD, AMEEN, WAS A LEGENDARY, AWARD-WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER IN DETROIT.

I’VE FOLLOWED IN HIS FOOTSTEPS — CONTINUING HIS LEGACY, HIS CREATIVE PASSION, AND HIS BUSINESS. LIKE MY DAD, I LOVE TO PHOTOGRAPH PEOPLE, EITHER IN A NATURALLY LIT LOCATION OR A CAREFULLY ORCHESTRATED SETUP. I’D DESCRIBE MY STYLE AS HIP, PERSONAL, SOPHISTICATED, AND OFTEN WITH A LITTLE SURPRISE MIXED IN. MY STUDIO IS A CONVERTED LOFT-STYLE HISTORIC BUILDING IN DETROIT’S NEW CENTER AREA. ON THE PER

SONAL SIDE, I FOLLOW ALL SORTS OF MUSIC, HAVE A '78 CUTLASS IN MY MOM'S GARAGE, AND CAN BE FOUND AT UNDERGROUND PARTIES IN DETROIT. ALSO, I MENTOR THE YOUTH IN MY STUDIO'S NEIGHBORHOOD, AND PARTNER WITH MY LOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO HELP BRING NEW POSSIBILITIES TO OUR CITY. I’VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH SOME TERRIFIC CLIENTS, INCLUDING AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF CARIBBEAN, BLACK ENTERPRISE, BLUE CROSS, CAMPBELL EWALD, DETROIT JAZZ FEST, EMI RECORDS, JEEP, McCANN ERICKSON, NEW YORK TIMES, QUICKEN LOANS, TEAM DETROIT, VOGUE CHINA, WHOLE FOODS, AND YMCA. CHECK OUT MY WORK AT WWW.HOWRANISTUDIOS.COM; OR CONTACT ME TO REVIEW MY PORTFOLIO AT YOUR OFFICE, OVER LUNCH OR AT MY STUDIO.

From the Howrani Studio archives. Granny is years ahead of her time!
04/20/2026

From the Howrani Studio archives. Granny is years ahead of her time!

My goal this year is to re-create this photo of my parents and their friends, but with the new generation. I think the h...
02/27/2026

My goal this year is to re-create this photo of my parents and their friends, but with the new generation. I think the hardest part will be us trying to look half as cool.

In 1981 my dad rescued this building from demolition, made it the first loft building in Detroit and put his studio in t...
02/25/2026

In 1981 my dad rescued this building from demolition, made it the first loft building in Detroit and put his studio in the front. He hosted incredible parties, and kept the doors open to the neighborhood to which he credits his creative inspiration. 

While my studio business is doing great, we were ready to move out of property ownership — and I don’t think we could’ve found a better steward than Paddy and Nhu to buy the building. Not just because they are maintaining me as a studio tenant, putting a donut shop in the storefront(!), or gifted us this incredible portrait of the building at closing . . . but because of the way they have already opened the doors to the community . . . my dad would be happy!

Keep up the great work — we love you guys!

A spread for Vogue China of the unstoppable .schreier. I hope to be half as busy as her when I’m her age.
11/21/2025

A spread for Vogue China of the unstoppable .schreier. I hope to be half as busy as her when I’m her age.

Today.
08/04/2025

Today.

07/31/2025

Emmet County was good to us. Bliss Fest 2025. Father and son bonding edition.
07/14/2025

Emmet County was good to us. Bliss Fest 2025. Father and son bonding edition.

When my dad bought this building in 1981 and rehabbed it, he was the first person in Detroit to create artist lofts by p...
06/19/2025

When my dad bought this building in 1981 and rehabbed it, he was the first person in Detroit to create artist lofts by putting a bathroom and kitchen in an open space; he also put his photography business in the storefront, had an open door policy with the community residents and hosted incredible parties over the years.

My wife and I lived here for years, and fittingly, our first son, Ameen, was conceived in this building. This place is an extension of our family.

But as the Photo and Video business that he gave me continues to grow and demands more of my time, I’ve made the tough decision to spend more time growing as a father, instead of the efforts that comes with property ownership.

So now I ask, who’s going to carry this art deco beauty into the future?

Please contact our agent, Alex Lauer, if you have any questions, 313.974.1830

http://crexi.com/properties/1831310/michigan-2818-e-grand-blvd

Construction workers of Metro Detroit finishing a project on W. Grand Blvd. for Henry Ford Health. Always great to see t...
06/04/2025

Construction workers of Metro Detroit finishing a project on W. Grand Blvd. for Henry Ford Health. Always great to see that brotherhood knows no boundaries.

Construction workers bonding on a Henry Ford Health project.
05/12/2025

Construction workers bonding on a Henry Ford Health project.

Address

2820 E Grand Boulevard
Detroit, MI
48211

Telephone

+13138753123

Website

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