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10 tips for setting up a photography studio for the pros !

10 tips for setting up a photography studio for the pros !

Last update: June 17, 2022


You want to create your own photo studio ? To photograph small objects or capture beautiful portraits, a photo studio is often ideal: it allows you to control the lighting of the subject, the background, the angle of view, the composition of the image as well as all the elements necessary to make a good image. Like many photographers who are becoming professional, you have certainly started by taking pictures outdoors, in natural light. Now it's your turn to create your own photo studio at home in "home studio" mode and you will soon be able to offer professional quality photo shoots and other services without leaving your home ! What if professional premises rhyme with personal well-being ? Build a photo studio in your image, well equipped to stimulate your creativity and allow you to work in your daily life as a professional photographer in all serenity !

Don't forget the possibility of renting a photo studio: make the comparison before you launch into big expenses...

Our tips for a top-notch photographer's studio

The keys to turning a bare room into a kick-ass photo studio

Here are 10 tips to build your own photo studio from scratch :-)

1. A clean, well-lit room : the foundation of a photography studio

The first step in building a photo studio is choosing the room that will become a home studio. We recommend you to choose a pure place, for example with white walls.


The minimum surface of the studio

A minimum space of 15m2 seems necessary to us to be able to move around your subject during the shootings photographs in studio. Count 20m2 minimum if you install a space of shooting + an office part for the photo retouching, the management of the customers, etc. If you only have a smaller room, make concessions in the use you will make of it, or simply give up welcoming clients to your home for a photo shoot if the room seems too small: don't forget that the client must above all have a good time !


The brightness of the room

For your future photo studio, prefer a well-lit room, facing at least partly south: you will thus benefit from natural light and will be able to take photos without flash even on cloudy days. Beyond the light conditions for your photo sessions, a bright room is always much more pleasant to work in on a daily basis! A large bay window will obviously be ideal since it will allow you to get a maximum of light. A white curtain placed in front of this opening will soften the light and create a more cocooning atmosphere.


The walls and ceiling must be in excellent condition so as not to give a bad impression: do not hesitate to repaint them if necessary !

Finally, for the floor, you can opt for parquet to bring warmth to the room, or use a simple linoleum that will give the impression of it. Once the work and the storage are done to obtain this pure room with sparkling walls, ceiling and floor, you can start to equip your photo studio !

Lisa Tichané's studio, natural light portrait photographer in Marseille, south France

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LISA TICHANE


2. Studio backgrounds, a basic tool for the photographer

Choose a practical background support to avoid a daily ordeal in your photo studio

One of the important elements of a good image is the management of the background. You can choose from several options :

  • - A background support with rolls of paper studio backgrounds (the most common, but requires space and already represents a certain cost : count several hundred euros)
  • - A sponge-painted wall for a very original artist's rendering (the disadvantage being that it cannot be changed easily, the advantage being to create an artistic signature with great coherence and originality for your images)
  • - Hand-painted canvases, which you can hang with clips on a support and change according to your subject (the opportunity to modify the photo background, its color, its shape according to your subject, but also to integrate the background as an element of the decor to compose with different shapes).
  • - Printed vinyl or fabric backgrounds, specific to your subject (for example, specialized studio backgrounds for newborns)


If you are photographing small objects, a single A2 sheet can be enough to reproduce a mini studio background and even a photo cyclorama : you can buy many sheets to adapt the color of the "background" to the product photographed.

The bay windows of Lisa Tichané's studio, photographer using natural light in Marseille

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LISA TICHANE


3. The essential furniture in a photographer's studio

Storage and chairs for everyone's comfort in your new photo studio

To start, unless you're editing your photos elsewhere, you'll need a desk and a high-quality chair. Choose the desk according to the style you want your studio to have. As for the chair, a high quality seat will save you from recurring buttock pain and back problems that will cost you in the long run. Refer to the expected number of hours per day indicated on the label of each chair: they give a first indication of the possible use of the product. If the chair is designed for 3 to 4 hours of daily use, don't expect to do long days of photo editing: the foam on which you will be sitting is simply not designed for this long-term use and you will feel it. Remember to have a lumbar support: the ideal sitting position is a straight back, with a hollow in the back at the lumbar level to reproduce the natural curvature of your spine. In any case, even with a very good chair, don't forget to get up regularly to get some movement and keep your body in shape! A stool and/or a high table can also be very useful to have someone pose alone during a portrait session, as well as a two-seater sofa if you have the space to make a "coffee break" corner and welcome your clients. You can then add a carpet for a touch of warmth and to delimit the different spaces on the floor.


Don't forget to extend at least one storage unit, including different parts :

  • - The big technical equipment: light modifiers, tripods, flashes, camera
  • - Small equipment: chargers, batteries, memory cards, clips, gaffer, etc.
  • - Accessories specific to your subject: maternity dresses, containers and outfits for newborns, positioning cushions, etc.
  • - Papers: photographers are often very bad managers and hate paperwork. It's up to you to add a touch of color and turn this horrible part into a happy moment !


Several backgrounds and decorations used in the studio of Muriel Meynard, photographer near Bordeaux, south west of France

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Muriel Meynard


4. The essential equipment of the photographer to start in studio

Equip your photo studio little by little, with equipment made to last

Once you have prepared the floor, the background and the furniture that are essential for your photo shoots, you can start looking at the technical equipment. Be careful, the budget can quickly soar if you don't control your expenses (and your impulses ^^)

To keep the reins of your business, you will have to control your expenses: we advise you to buy at first only what is really essential to your photo practice.


Indeed, when you start a photo studio, you often want to "buy everything" to have a maximum of creative possibilities at hand. We recommend instead to make a moodboard (an inspiration board) of the style of images you would like to propose in your new studio: you will then be able to list more precisely the tools you need !


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Here is a list of the most common needs in a photo studio:

  • - A camera (which you will probably already have)
  • - A standard (50 mm) or wide angle (if you have little distance) 35 mm lens. There are 50 mm lenses with a very simple optical construction for about 100 euros at several major brands today.
  • - Memory cards (if you have already taken pictures outside, you should be equipped with them)
  • - A tripod: unimaginable for some who will opt for photos only made "on the fly" freehand, the tripod can be useful on many occasions. It allows not only to frame precisely and without any motion blur during product shots (by shooting on the self-timer), but also to keep a constant frame during a family photo session where children could move a lot. Your tripod will free up your hands to better direct your subjects, and your constant framing and composition settings will leave you free to shoot dozens of photos on a single scene. By using a small and often inexpensive remote control, you could even set up a shooting and lighting system allowing you to control remotely and have your hands completely free: you will have much more ease in the relationship with your models and will be able to concentrate on the creative part !


Marion Doumont's studio, portrait photographer in Belgium

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Marion Doumont Photographies



5. A lighting kit adapted to the subject: the photographer's first purchase for his studio

Choose your light sources according to your approach and your daily practice in your photo studio

To get off to a good start, you will inevitably have to take the time to choose a quality lighting source. In continuous light (tungsten, halogen, fluorescent tubes or LED), you will have various disadvantages: the size and / or weight of the lighting, the color reproduction often partial, etc. Most studio photographers work with flash today: you will find "monobloc" studio flashes, the most used (including an autonomous power supply) or flashes to be connected to a generator for large studios (allowing a higher flash power and a faster recycling of the flash, but much more cumbersome and restrictive). To simplify your life, opt for a monobloc flash, which you can even find with its battery to be able to use it also outside if you wish. Studio flashes on tripods are not often used outdoors in France, but outdoor portraiture is rarely very controlled when you look at the lighting of outdoor portraits. Adding an additional flash to the sunlight is more common in the USA for example: the rendering is only more flattering for your subject.


If you have a tight budget, it is better to take one quality flash source at the beginning than two low-end sources: the investment will pay off quickly over time. Some flashes like the RX One are particularly common in home studios for newborn photographers for example: they allow you to lower the power of the flash to adapt it to the baby portrait. You can build a very nice lighting with a single flash source, an excellent light modifier placed in front (for example in birth photography, a large octagonal softbox equipped with a double diffuser for a very encompassing lighting and a very soft light on your baby. You can use inexpensive accessories such as reflectors to soften shadows and create a professional lighting plan on a reasonable budget. Regarding the lighting kit, you will need at least :

  • - One or more flashes depending on your needs and budget
  • - One lighting tripod per flash used
  • - At least one light modifier (softbox, umbrella, etc)
  • - Sandbags or other counterweights to secure the lighting tripod when necessary (essential for outdoor use)
  • - A remote flash triggering system (infrared or radio wave) adapted to the brand of your camera.
  • - A remote flash control system (to avoid having to constantly adjust the flash on the back of the flash. Often integrated into the shutter release)
  • - A flash synchronization cable in case your wireless system does not work anymore
  • - Light reflectors: white polystyrene panels can do the trick for white reflectors. A multi-color reflector (white, silver, gold) will also be very useful in many situations
  • - Black flags or other black panels: you can paint featherboard or polystyrene panels if you want to have reliable tools at a lower cost! Black absorbs light: it will allow you to gain contrast on your subject, especially if you have white walls all around the person you are photographing. You can combine the two with polystyrene panels of 2 meters high, one side kept white and the other painted black. A wooden base will allow each panel to stand upright and save you the presence of an assistant during the shooting.
  • - A tripod dedicated to the accessories will allow, with clamps and or a magic arm if necessary, to hold a reflector in the desired position.


If you have the possibility, handle the tools to choose them before buying them. Between one product and another, there can be a real difference in price, but the reliability / solidity in time are to be taken into account. Also, don't forget the practical side: once the lighting plan is set up and the flash is adjusted, you should be able to devote yourself to the relationship with your subject: directing it, making it pose, handling it for a baby. Take the time to find out what you need to know about the subject(s) you are currently photographing. A well-equipped photo studio with quality equipment will save you time and allow you to experience beautiful moments with your clients. On the contrary, poor quality tools will end up breaking, will make you get nervous and lose time: you may quickly get tired of studio photography.


Marion Doumont's studio storage, photographer in Belgium

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Marion Doumont Photographies


6. Essential lighting accessories for the photographer's studio

Quality rather than quantity in your photo studio

It is important to remember that the main element of photography is light, whether you work with flash in a photo studio or outdoors in natural light. Who says "beautiful light" says quality light source, but also adapted accessories: they are called "modellers" of light. Different types of modellers exist depending on the desired effect:

  • - Softboxes are most often used for portrait shoots to bring softness when lighting the skin. Softboxes can be square, rectangular, strip box (rectangle in length) or hexagon/octo/deca/dodecagonal. The latter reproduce a more or less circular shape that avoids a square reflection in the eyes of your model. The boxes are often equipped with one or two diffusers to create the softest and most encompassing light possible on the subject.
  • - Umbrellas are often used in reflection: they reflect a harder light because it is less diffused than with a softbox. Depending on whether the umbrella used has a white or silver interior, the resulting light will be more or less harsh. Sometimes umbrellas are used in transparency as a diffuser, but their use in portraiture in home studios is very rare. Large umbrellas are also equipped with a diffuser and are then similar to softboxes.
  • - Reflector bowls of different shapes: classic bowls, long bowls, beauty bowls. They produce a very hard light, with a more or less marked effect depending on the shape of the bowl. They can be accompanied by an umbrella, or simply equipped with shutters to direct the light flow.
  • - Other specific equipment such as ring flash, tracking, etc.


We recommend that you inform yourself in advance about the different lighting possibilities: there are a multitude of examples and behind the scenes available on the web allowing you to compare the renderings of the different light modelers. Once you have been seduced by a rendering, choose your first flash and its modeller which will be the most commonly used in your studio. Again, it is better to have one very good modeler than 3 or 4 in poor condition.


The light diffusers of the studio of Laure Sophie Cordier, photographer in Toulouse, south of France

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Laure Sophie Cordier



7. Specialized shooting accessories in every photographer's studio

The little extras that will put a smile on your face in the photo studio

This is THE expense item that will make you happy, but also make you cry : specialized accessories are certainly the biggest budget in a studio after lighting.


Examples include:

  • - Baby containers
  • - Newborn outfits, diaper covers, headbands, etc.
  • - Artificial flowers
  • - Miniature decoration objects
  • - Pregnancy dresses
  • - Hats, fabrics, cloths etc for adult portraits

Etc


Our advice : if you want to enter a market with many competitors, you will have to differentiate yourself. Most photographers don't dare to invest and therefore don't consider having a real photo budget (let's say several thousand euros to start a studio). By choosing to invest in quality props from the start (even in small numbers), you will be working with designer gowns that are very popular with expectant mothers, unique containers and outfits or other original props that will make your reputation. It's up to you now whether you buy these accessories for a handful of uses, or for regular weekly use over several years.


A part of the accessories of Marion Doumont's studio, pregnancy / birth / baby photographer in Belgium

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Marion Doumont Photographies



8. The organization & ergonomics of the photographer's studio

A small budget and a lot of tips to create your perfect photo studio !

Here is another important point in the preparation of a photo studio, and for good reason: Once you have ordered all your technical equipment and accessories, you will still need to make room to move freely and work in your studio without catching a corner of a piece of furniture or stepping on an object at the first step....

Here are some tips to keep you on track in your own photo studio :

- Create a custom cabinet (if necessary) to store all your accessories

A high closet for your maternity dresses, shorter closets for your children's and baby's outfits, a trouser closet to hang your backdrops, drawers with boxes for your wraps and other small fabrics... So many storage spaces to create so that each item finds its place and can sublimate your workspace once stored!


- Provide hooks to hang your light modelers

Because nothing should be left on the floor, simple construction hooks well decorated with colored ribbon will allow you to hang your light modelers on the wall. They will take up less space and be less bulky.


- Store artificial flowers and other accessories in closed boxes

For accessories that need to be stored in bulk, clear plastic crates will do the trick. All your small accessories will be protected from dust and stored together in the same space, so you can find them easily!


- Plan a fixed place for each object: vacuum cleaner, coffee machine, photo albums, etc.

A vacuum cleaner on the wall, a coffee machine on a low cabinet, photo albums always in the same place, this is how to create order in your photo studio.


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- Use a rolling cart to assist you

A rolling cart is ideal and will accommodate your most frequently used items. Keep your camera within reach without putting it on the ground (and risking to step on it). Add for example memory cards, extra batteries already charged or specific accessories: baby shusher or positioning cushions will be for example perfect within reach with the newborns.


- Sort out and sell your old accessories regularly

Once you have a little experience and many accessories, containers, dresses, outfits for children have already made you fall in love with them, think about selling the oldest ones / those you use the least to make room for the next ones! This will make you happy among your fellow photographers and at the same time you will be able to sort out your items regularly (at least once a year).


To know if you are well organized, the benchmark is simple: nothing should be lying around on the floor once the studio has been tidied up. You must feel comfortable in your studio and not oppressed, otherwise your clients may feel the same way.


The office corner of Paloma Barret's studio, photographer near Saint-Tropez, south France

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Paloma Barret


9. The atmosphere in the photographer's studio : olfactory and musical

Transport your clients into another universe when they push the door of the photo studio

These are details but they will have so much importance in your studio! The sound dimension in your space is essential to immerse yourself in a positive atmosphere: whether it is during your photo sessions, during your retouching during hours in front of the computer, or for a calmer moment of relaxation after the session.

Also, the olfactory atmosphere is a landmark for many clients: imagine entering a room where you smell a deodorant spray for the toilets, or a smell of French fries after lunch... Your mind would immediately be diverted from what it was prepared for! Home fragrances are available in spray and/or natural products to bring an extra positive note to your workspace.


Now, the decoration of the photo studio : if you have chosen a pure place with white walls, why not simply use your most beautiful photos to decorate it ? You could use one or more image holders to add warmth and creativity to your den. Here are some ideas :

  • - A wall print with a single photo, in "full frame", including a wood/aluminum frame depending on your taste, or even an American box
  • - An assembly of several prints, proposed in the form of a collection: for example a portrait of baby with images of details such as his hands, feet, etc.
  • - A wall print in the form of a mosaic comprising several dozen photos: an original souvenir for the whole family
  • - Photo albums: several types of paper and materials for the cover will allow you to make your customers dream and to highlight your expertise
  • - Modern prints on a wooden stand for your desk or shelf (with a box to store them in?)
  • - Folios containing several photos in accordion and many other original supports

Ask for information from printers of albums and prints dedicated to professional photographers: they will be able to advise you on products adapted to your company.


A part of the image supports proposed at Patrice Dorizon's studio, photographer in Brittany, west of France

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Patrice Dorizon


10. Tools and accessories not to forget in the studio of the professional photographer

The details that make the difference in a photo studio

It's impossible not to mention some of the tools that will be commonly used :

- The coffee machine: for you and/or your clients, accompanied by cups, spoons and sugar, it is an investment not to forget!

- The vacuum cleaner: if you still have the budget, choose a cordless vacuum cleaner, on battery: the cleaning will remain practical and fast at the end of each photo session

- The duster: dust can quickly become your enemy if you don't have the tool to make it disappear quickly, especially on photo albums and other printed materials for your clients

- Toilets : for your clients or for yourself, you have to expect that the demand will come regularly during your photo sessions

- Studio hygiene: After the COVID period, hydroalcoholic gel and disinfectant sprays for fabrics (sofas, etc.) are essential to guarantee a high level of hygiene to each of your clients!

- The washing machine: never directly in the photo studio, it will always be essential, whether to wash your own clothes after a big photo shoot, or the clothes used for your subjects: maternity dresses, sheets and cloths for babies, etc.


To go further, here are some other very important elements in a photo studio :

- The Applebox : to raise a person in a group, to be used as a step or simply as a footrest for a model, it is an essential tool in studio !


- The step ladder : it will be useful for your shots in height to change the point of view. If you only have a small space in your photo studio, prefer a simple step stool.


- Painter's tape, gaffer (solid black scratch) and clips of different sizes :

There is always a need to secure or hold something in the studio. For your lighting accessories or simply to tape a cable to the floor and secure it, think of equipping yourself!


- The lint roller

A detail that can make all the difference on many clients' outfits, especially for those with pets


- The fan

This is a non-priority accessory but still very popular: to get a feeling of movement (in the hair, in the fabrics), create wind by turning on a fan! You can do a similar, more targeted effect with a powerful hair dryer.


We hope that all this information will help you in the construction of your photo studio or home studio :-)


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Discover inspiring photographers' studios

Thank you to all the professional photographers who accepted to let us virtually enter their studio thanks to these superb photos !

The studio of Tony Mathis, photographer on the Reunion Island

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Tony Mathis

Tony Mathis's photo studio image media section

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Tony Mathis


The studio of Thibault Chappe, photographer in Aix-en-Provence, south France

This is the studio featured on the cover of our blog post on photographers' studios !
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Thibault CHAPPE


The studio of Elise Schipman, photographer in the North of France

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Elise Schipman


The studio of Claire Picard, another photographer from the North of France

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Claire Picard

The office part of Claire Picard's studio, photographer in the North of France

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Claire Picard

The relaxation area for the clients in the studio of Claire Picard, photographer in the North of France

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Claire Picard


Charlène Demeulemester's studio, photographer near Macon, France

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Charlène Demeulemester


The studio of Laure Sophie Cordier, photographer near Toulouse, France

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Laure Sophie Cordier

The other angle of the studio of Laure Sophie Cordier, photographer in Toulouse

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Laure Sophie Cordier


The studio of Lucie Rougeron, photographer near Montluçon, France

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Lucie Rougeron

Another view from the studio of Lucie Rougeron, photographer near Montluçon

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Lucie Rougeron

The shooting part of Lucie Rougeron's studio, photographer near Montluçon

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Lucie Rougeron

The photo studio of Patrice Dorizon, photographer settled in Brittany, in the west of France

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Patrice Dorizon

The shooting part of the studio of Patrice Dorizon, photographer in Brittany

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Patrice Dorizon

The make-up area of the photographer's studio of Patrice Dorizon

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Patrice Dorizon

The accessories of Patrice Dorizon, in his studio of photographer

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Patrice Dorizon

Another setup in cocooning mode in the studio of photographer Patrice Dorizon

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Patrice Dorizon

The studio of Muriel Meynard, photographer near Bordeaux, south west of France

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Muriel Meynard

A staging created at Muriel Meynard's photography studio

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Muriel Meynard

Another staging created at the studio of the Bordeaux photographer 

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Muriel Meynard

A 3rd nature setting concocted at Muriel Meynard's photography studio in Aquitaine

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Muriel Meynard

A 4th possible staging at Muriel Meynard's photographic studio, in the Bordeaux region

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Muriel Meynard


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