How to set up a perfect photography studio

Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or just looking to take your photography career to the next level, setting up your own studio is a challenging – but also exciting – task to undertake. If this is your first foray into studio photography, you needn’t worry: this guide will take you through the key points you’ll need to consider before you take the plunge.

Finding your space

You’ll want to find a room that is bare, large and has easy access to power outlets. Ideally, you want to avoid floors that have carpet or padding, and instead go for hard concrete, tiles or wooden floor.  There is going to be a lot of electrical equipment in this room, so you will need to remove any potential hazards.

Online electronics retailers like eBuyer sell professional photography studio kits that come with all the essentials to get you started. But bear in mind, studio backdrops, lights and tripods take up a lot of space, so you will need to have ample room to accommodate them. Before you purchase any equipment, you should measure your room to make sure everything can fit.

Lighting

Good lighting is the key to successful photography. You need to ensure that your studio doesn’t let in any outside light sources. A simple gap in the curtains or crack under the door can cause havoc when you’re trying to properly light your shots.

Umbrella lights are an essential part to any good studio. The lights point away from your subjects, and shine onto large white umbrellas that reflect and diffuse the light around the room. They attach to tripods that are highly adjustable, making it very easy to create the right level of ‘warmth’ for your photos.

It won’t be long before all this lighting equipment turns your studio into one big sweat box, so proper ventilation is vital. Supply your studio with at least three fans to dissipate the heat and keep your subjects comfortable. Simple floor fans like this from Amazon are a good place to start if you aren’t ready to splash out on an expensive studio fan.

Don’t forget the little things

It’s very easy to fall into the trap of believing your studio is fully operational, only to realise in the middle of a shoot that you’ve ran out of batteries. The best way to be prepared is to think over all the potential things that could bring a shoot to a sudden halt.   Stocking up on extra batteries, bulbs, memory cards and film will put your mind at rest when you start your next project.

Once you’re all set up, the most important thing left to do it just have fun! A photography studio can be an intimidating environment for a lot of people. You can make your subjects feel a lot more comfortable by letting your enthusiasm and passions shine through. Digital Photography School has a fantastic set of tips if you need further advice on taking family portraits.