Most professional photographers who anticipate practicing their craft build their own photography studio to shoot at their convince. Also, businesses that are looking to generate better revenues and get their products shot whenever required always think of better options to move to the next level.
Planning to set up your first home photography studio (within budget) is a significant investment that pays off in the end. After all, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. If your brand is at the stage where you think to broaden your horizon to control your photography process (from freedom of choosing/changing the backgrounds, adding props, adjust product placement to playing around with editing) and think of eliminating the hefty amounts that you incur while outsourcing your product/service photography, then it is not at all bad to set up your home photography studio.
In this ultimate guide to setting up a home photography studio, we will tell you all the necessary equipment that you need to take high-quality pictures and save yourself from paying huge costs.
Why do you need a home photography studio?
If you are a photographer who wants to explore his business horizon and explore his skills
A business that wants to save itself huge costs
Tired of coordinating schedules with a photographer
Disappointed by the pictures by your photographer
Need to incur huge costs in a rented photo studio
It’s time to think about starting your home photo studio!
Before you mount on any online store or head to the nearest camera store, there are a few things to consider for setting up a home photography studio before taking any step further.
Here is the list of general photography equipment that you would require to set up your home photography studio.
- Camera
- Tripod
- A backdrop and backdrop holder
- Lights, light stands, reflectors
- Editing tools (a computer for post-production)
- External hard drive to save pictures
- Other gadgets and accessories
- Cleaning supplies for your equipment
You may also need to think about the following items while pulling a home photography studio.
What kind of products do you shoot? Do you need a table for that?
What kind of props do you need to make your photoshoot stand out?
Do you need to hire a model?
Do you have to invest in learning to shoot the products by yourself like DIY photography?
The price tag of these products and accessories varies, however, you will have flexibility in purchasing the items that actually fit your budget.
Where should your photo studio be located?
The location of your setup is very crucial to your business. It is determined by the list of your clients. If you are a portrait photographer, whose customers consist of local families, then a local place would be more appropriate for the business model. However, if you are a product or fashion photographer, then your setup will be better off near the city center. It will determine the elasticity of your budget and how much you can spend on the studio area.
If you are a bootstrapped business, then you can consider turning a part of your living area into a beautiful home photography studio.
Budget plays a vital role
It is again your business that will help you select a specific amount for the expenditure of your home photography studio. It depends on the photo or the visual content that you need to produce. For this, you need a clear vision that will help you discover what all equipment you’ll need to turn your vision into a reality.
After doing proper research, you come to know what you need to take the required images. The main important thing while pulling together a budget is to create a list of essentials such as Cameras, lenses, studio space, lighting, backdrop, etc, and save the extra gadgets and accessories for later. Like this, you will use your committed budget accordingly with priorities first. (Tip: Don’t get trapped by shopping fever.)
Interior studio design
When you are done with the selection of your studio, the next thing you must focus on is the interior design of your home photography studio. It is very essential to have a setup that helps you reduce your workload. Assess the area of the studio and determine and segregate the areas of your home photography studio for particular jobs.
Some photographers highly suggest product photographers have props like souvenirs and knick-knacks and food photographers include tables and chairs in the kitchen for elegant food photography. Since you will need to move the equipment too often so you must prefer using smooth flooring such as wood or marble.
For the waiting area, impress your customers with your best work. Display the best of your pieces on the walls to help them understand what artwork you produce.
Lighting Equipment
Lighting is one of the crucial pieces of equipment in the photo studio that helps businesses to convey the right message. Professional photographers capturing jewelry items, clothes, or any other objects need to capture the USP of that particular subject. The right lighting emphasizes the right features of the subject attracting the eyeballs of a customer instantly.
Due to fluctuating weather, you will be forced to use artificial lighting.
LED Lamps
Strobe Lights
Speedlights
Must-Have Modifiers
A light modifier is a piece of equipment that manipulates the spread and the direction of light before it reaches the subject.
Reflectors:
Reflectors bounce light back into the spot. There are various types of reflectors but 5-in-1 reflectors had several reflecting surfaces. In a package, you will get white, gold, black, silver, and translucent.
Umbrellas:
Umbrellas are the cheapest light modifiers that soften the hard flashlight. One of the main problems associated with Umbrellas is that they let light scatter everywhere, reducing the ability to control the light. These are considered perfect for advertisement graphics and portraits.
Softboxes:
Softboxes are used to create a spotlight. If you want to highlight your subject without lighting up the backdrop, softboxes are used. Softboxes are rectangular or octagonal shaped with a diffusion cover that scatters soft light over a smaller portion than an umbrella.
Select a beautiful backdrop
Backdrops not only add elegance to your product or makes your post-production easy but also help in controlling the exposure and the reflection of light. Creating the right glamour around the product can be only possible by selecting the right color. You can also use artificial screens to ensure the right lighting, color temperature, and texture.
Photoshoot backdrops are made of fabric, paper, or vinyl. There are several options to choose from. It depends on the budget and the space you have in the home photography studio.
Read Next: Types of Photoshoot
