Feb 20, 20235 min read

In-Home Photography Studio Set-Ups | TKP Education

Dreaming of a home photography studio, but don't think you have the space, or don't know where to start? Here are some creative ways to make your dream happen!

Garden Studio | Marie Elizabeth Photography

During quarantine in 2020, my husband began building what we originally thought would be our children's playhouse in our backyard. Little did he know, I was about to redirect his plans! We ended up converting the small shed into a garden studio that I use for motherhood, maternity, or occasional newborn sessions.

The space is definitely outdoorsy - there is no insulation, and the space runs about 10 feet by 9 feet. It's certainly tight, but I'm able to get quite a bit of variety by being creative! The clear, corrugated roof allows for beautiful natural light to pour in, and I have two windows inside the space, as well.

Inside the studio, I store a handpainted backdrop, vintage stool, and beautiful wooden bench.

Because the space is a garden studio, I am often able to get some images outside! That makes it fun to change things up and adds an extra feminine flair.

Master Suite Home Studio | Becca Allen Photography

I opened my business many years ago while living in Qatar. If I had my way, I’d have spent my year there only documenting families in the gorgeous sand dunes or on the beaches, but with the extreme heat, that was only possible 1-2 months out of the year. I knew creating a studio space would allow me to serve families throughout the year, so with some ingenuity, I claimed a room in our house and turned it into my first studio.

Since then, I’ve created a studio space in 4 other homes and it’s worked well for me – you can’t beat the commute! There are certainly some drawbacks, but as the length of time we stay at any location is indefinite, a lease for a commercial space is not an option for me.

My current studio is in what would be the master suite of our home. One room holds my clien wardrobe, a seating area, and changing table. The dressing room and restroom are conveniently en suite. The main shooting area is 17’x12’, wardrobe/waiting area is 17’x10’, and dressing room is 10’x6’.

I primarily use strobe lighting in the main shooting room and have it positioned behind a reclaimed, vintage greenhouse window. Having a full-sized bed is important to me, so I built a bedframe on wheels that I can easily just roll from one side of the room to the other depending on which wall I’d like to use.

I change up my flooring and backdrops quite a bit so that every session isn’t identical, and it keeps it interesting for me.

With creativity, I’ve been able to carve out a space in each house that would allow me to create beautiful photographs for my clients. Sometimes it’s been the basement, sometimes the 4 th floor. I’ve learned how to use strobe lighting; and I’ve built walls, floors, windows, and beds to make it happen. I firmly believe you can create beautiful, meaningful art anywhere!

Canon R5

Sigma Art 50 1.4

Pentax 645nii

Paul C Buff strobe

Film images scanned by Photovision Prints

Detached Garage Backyard Studio | Beatific Visions Photography

I neve in a million years thought that I would have a studio space of my own. My love for the outdoors, beautiful foliage, and warm sunlight had me convinced that there was no need for a physical space to call my own, but 2020-2021 brought with them some factors in my business that I hadn't considered before.

When I really sat down and developed my brand and style, I realized that a major element I wanted to embrace and incorporate into my work was a dress selection to provide my clients. I had already started this before we moved two our current home, but my own closet was starting to get overloaded with dresses in various sizes, and it just wasn't practical for them to stay there.

The second major motivation to create my own space was my desire to start incorporating hand-painted backdrops into my work. My original idea was that I would have one large backdrop that I would use outdoors, embracing that dappled light as it filters through tree leaves. I asked my dear friend Sara to paint one for me, one thing led to another, and the seemingly simple project turned into an amazing business for Sara (Willow Canvas, whom we all know and love).

With the launch of Sara's business, we found creative ways and spaces to photograph her launches, but I knew in my heart that I would want to collect more of her artwork and that we would have a much more streamlined process if I had a consistent space of my own.

Our backyard already had a detached garage building with a driveway extension directly to it, so we took on the challenge of finishing half of it for the studio, and kept half unfinished for storage. It was really important to me that it be insulated, so we could use it year-round, and so that it was a viable option on days when the weather was not ideal.

We faced a couple of unexpected challenges along the way that I think are important to mention. I planned to keep the concrete floor, but once the space was built out, the contractor pointed out the likely humidity problem as we live in a very marshy area. I ended up adding vinyl flooring in a light grey, so as not to reflect any unwanted colors. My work tends to be more cool-toned, so this worked best for me. The second unexpected challenge was that, though the garage did have electricity, it needed to be upgraded in order to withstand the electric requirements of my studio light, space heater, air conditioner, and dehumidifier. This delayed the process a few months.

The overall space is about 375 square feet, so it took some thought in regards to how to best use the space. I have about 100 dresses on rolling racks, I used a folding screen to create a dressing area with a full length mirror, and I have a small dresser to hold children's clothes, brochures, and client gifts. I have a mini refrigerator with drinks that I also use to store my film in. My space heater is decorative and looks like a fireplace, so I have my albums, linen boxes, framed prints and frame corners displayed on the mantle. My studio is surrounded by woods, so while it has two windows, the space gets very little natural light. I hung sheer curtains from the ceiling opposite of the main window and placed my light behind them, so in my images it has the appearance of window light coming from both sides.