Digital SLR enthusiasts: Setting Up A Home Studio

So, you’ve got your first good d-SLR camera and you’re keen to start taking product shots of your designs or art work, or you have one of your first commissions for fashion or portrait photography, a home studio will help you keep costs down and enable to work when you want. However, consider carefully which photographic accessories you will need and how you will get the most out of it.

Firstly, the ideal room would have plenty of space, although of course that isn’t necessarily possible if you are squished into a cupboard or the corner of a junk room. This not always being possible, you may simply have to work with what you have and choose a corner of a room.

Whether it’s an entire room or a corner, it is essential that you are able to control the light so, if there is a natural source of light, you must be able to block it off completely in order that it doesn’t interfere with any lighting you have carefully set up.

Depending on where you are located, you might want to consider air conditioning in the summer to protect your equipment. Check with manufacturers or in stores with help desks as to what the temperature shouldn’t exceed.

When lighting, and this is possibly the most crucial element to a home studio, you need to think whether you want flash or continuous lighting. Continuous lighting is cheaper to run but flashes have far greater power and a wider range of creative possibilities.

Look for second hand studio lighting kits, or buy cheaper ranges new. Ideally though, begin by purchasing a kit with around three flashes, which will be enough to get good results in a choice of styles. Later on, once you start earning from your photography, you can add to it bit by bit.

As to whether you should buy an umbrella or a softbox, there are various factors to consider. Firstly, umbrellas tend to be less costly and are quite versatile. The reflective cover that many of them come with enable you to point light into them and in order that it bounces or to filter the light through the fabric with the cover off. They can fan light out over a wide area and so are good for groups of people or large rooms. They are also simpler to set up and take down softboxes.

Softboxes are usually more expensive, but they enable you to focus your light in a small area better than umbrellas, such as when shooting one subject or if you are restricted to a small area (i.e. your home studio).

It’s probably best to start with an umbrella, then when you have the budget, purchase a softbox. Professional photographers will have a few of each.

If you’re going to shoot video, you need to consider sound proofing the room in order that passing cars, telephones ringing elsewhere in the house or the washing machine don’t interfere with what you are doing. You can buy purpose made materials or create your own stud wall at minimal cost.

Don’t forget the essentials: a couple of good tripods, plus wireless flash triggers, surge protectors, extension cords, a screen or curtains for a subject to change behind and a mirror and chair for hair and makeup.

Think about backdrops. Solid colours tend to work best, as do minimal patterns and textures. The cheapest is paper, but you can spend a great deal more on the wide range of more hardwearing and interesting back drops that are available to professionals. If you don’t want to spend a penny, a bed sheet is a good starting out option.

Finally it’s worth picking up props (stylish and humorous) as well as some quirky and versatile pieces of furniture to supplement a scene.

Photographic Accessories