Basic setup for a Home Photography Studio.
As promised, I am going to discuss a basic home studio setup.
I know some of you might already know this and perhaps have one at home or use a professional studio. This is more for those who are new to studio work and have never used or setup a home studio.
First, you need a large open space, it can be a bedroom, living room, garage, etc. The larger/wider the better. Try to have a high ceiling, I would say a minimum of 10 ft.
Second would be the strobes, start out with one or two, two is best. You can buy studio strobes as a set or individual. Prices can range a bit, but if you look around you can get a two light set with umbrellas or soft boxes, including stands for a few hundred dollars. But be careful, they can also go for several thousand. It all depends on the brand and power/output. For starters I would recommend Britek, they are relatively inexpensive, you can check out some of their Strobe Kits here
Third, get yourself a back drop stand, you can find these easily online for under $100 or create one yourself with pvc pipes, then use simple clamps to hold on to your backdrops. I purchased the clamps for a $1 each at the local 99 cent store. The backdrop itself can be a muslin backdrop that can cost from $35-$300 each or find solid colored fabrics at the widest length they make. But don’t expect to find many regular cloths that are wide, they simply don’t make any.
The ones shown above are not very wide but were the widest I found that were not muslin. If you want to go inexpensive, try your local Walmart and ask them for the widest cut they have.
Fourth, get a flash meter, sorry, this is one you cannot do without. Its needed so you can read the light output of your lights and set your camera accordingly. If you don’t have a flash meter, expect to be doing alot of trial and error shots. I use the Sekonic L-308S Flashmate Light Meter, I paid about $200 or so for it.
Fifth, you will need a regular flash cord, this connects your camera to the flash strobes, so that when you press your shutter, the strobes will trigger. Or you can use a wireless mechanism like a Pocket Wizard, but that will cost you more. And of course you will need a camera, DSLR preferably.
Finally, you will need a willing participant so you can practice! Have fun!
