What do I need to set up my own photography studio?

A photography studio is a workspace where various activities related to photography take place.

Studio photography can be very attractive, because it allows you to fully control the light that falls on your subject. Above all, it is ideal for portrait or product photography.

In addition, with your own studio you can save yourself some inconveniences (such as bad weather or unwanted surprises), you can also choose the background that best suits you and have absolute control of the lighting regardless of the time you photograph.

You will think that having a studio is a great investment, but in reality anyone can set up a small home photo studio in the most economical way possible. Of course, there are certain elements that are essential to be able to work with minimally comfortable conditions in your study. If you are interested in the topic, keep reading!

1. Studio space

The basic and essential thing to have your own photography studio is to have a space large and comfortable enough to install your equipment and be able to carry out your work.

If you want to invest in this space, you can rent or buy your own premises. But if you have a limited budget, don't worry: a garage, a ground floor or a basement will be more than enough to set up your own studio.

There are many folding equipment that take up very little space when stored, so you could even set up the study in a room and pick it up when you finish the session, to leave the room as it was in a few minutes.

Another important thing to take into account is the photography backdrops that our space will have. Today you can find backdrops of all kinds: screwed, removable, made of paper, made of fabric, white, black, colored and even with textures.

The removable ones are ideal if you want to set up the study inside your home since they can be easily assembled and disassembled, and they do not take up too much space once folded and stored.

As for color, the white background is the most recommended for its versatility, since you can turn it into gray and even black, just by reducing the exposure on it. In addition, you can also tint a white background with colored gels.

Although photography backdrops are recommended, you can also simulate them with a white wall or with a large sheet or cloth, although in the latter cases you should be careful with folds and wrinkles.

2. Good lightning equipment

Your studio will need the best possible photographic lighting, and for this, lights are essential.

You can choose from several types of lighting:

Natural light

Not all studios have a window, but if yours does, you can take advantage of natural light. When the weather conditions are not great, you just have to close the curtains.

Speedlights

They provide a powerful light, as well as being very versatile, thanks to its compact and practical size. These characteristics make this type of lighting very easy to transport.

Together with other elements used to bounce or soften the light they can give you great results. You don't have to limit yourself to one, you can use multiple flashes, and even mix them with studio flashes.

Photography studio flashes

Studio flashes are more powerful than speedlights, but also larger and heavier.

Their characteristics and power make them perfect for those professionals who want to play with light in the studio.

Continuous lights

It is true that it will have less power than a flash, but it is a very cheap option that is worth considering.

This photographic light source allows you to keep the object constantly illuminated, whether or not you shoot your camera, so you can see how the light affects the model, as well as the shapes that are created.

Led lights, among others, serve this purpose.

Related to the subject of lighting, diffusers and light reflectors are important elements to be able to perfectly control the light.

• Diffusers serve to filter the light from the flash and achieve less crude lighting, which provides us with softer shadows. You can find many types of diffusers such as softboxes, umbrellas, flash diffusers...

• Reflectors help us control light and its reflections. Using this tool is very simple, you just have to find the main light source (a studio flash, sunlight ...) and make it bounce off the reflector, directing it towards the element or subject you want to illuminate.

3. Other photographic accesories

• The tripod is an essential element in a photography studio, as it provides stability to the camera and prevents the image from blurring. Along with the tripod we can have a support for the flash, which allows us to place it directly next to other light sources.

• A light meter will help you to obtain correct lighting, as well as to control the exposure of the photos, even before shooting.

• The remote shutter is used to minimize camera shake or for shots in which you are capturing action.

4. Props

Finally, props can help you create shots that stand out from the rest and have a special and original touch.

Props can be practically anything: tables, beds, balloons, flowers, food, an instrument, etc. You only have to use your imagination and creativity so that your photo conveys the story you want to tell.

In short, a photography studio has a number of essential elements that do not always have to be too expensive. So if you were think about setting one up , don't think about it any longer and go for it!