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Create a Professional Photography Studio at Home for Under $1200

Oct 26, 2011

Creating a professional photography studio at home is entirely possible, and we want to help you do it for under $1200.

What You Will Need at Home

  • Space

You need to have enough space to fit all of your equipment and still be able to work and maneuver around comfortably. Floor space at least 10’ wide and 15’ long will do it.

  • Hard Surfaced Floor

You’ll want the floor to be a hard surface. It’s much easier to work with.

Dark

You’ll want to be somewhere that you can control the light, either with curtains, tape or by waiting until after the sun sets to shoot.

Equipment You Will Need for Your Background

Savage Seamless Colored Backdrop Paper  ($29.99 to $99.99 per color)

Control the color of your backdrop with easy-to-use and switch out colored backdrop paper. Having a few different color options makes it easy for you to switch things up. You’ll want to have black and white for sure but having some fun colors won’t hurt.

Photo/Video Backdrop with Stand and Clamps ($70)

You need a framework to hold up all of those backdrops. This one comes with two clamps, but you might want to get some extras just in case.

Extra Clamps ($8)

An extra pack of clamps will come in handy. You can use them to control how much of your backdrop is unrolled, which helps preserve the life of your backdrops.

Sand Bags ($15)

These will also help preserve the life of your backdrops by holding them down without using tape.

Equipment You Will Need to Light Your Subjects

Digibee 800 Black Front-Facing Main Strobe Light ($320)

Considered by some, the “most underrated flash unit on the market,” this is a small portable studio light that will be the main light you use to illuminate your subject from the front.

Fotodiox Pro Octagon Softbox 48″ with Speedring($50)

This front light diffuser will diffuse the light cast by the front light, avoiding harsh contrasts.

13′ Air-Cushioned Light Stand for Digibee 800 Black ($100)

A light stand will hold the front-facing light and modifier at the height needed.

Speedlight – Secondary Back-Facing Light ($180)

This unit will light your subject from behind or from the side. It gives you more control of color, depth, space, and light, which allows you to make your subject pop out from the backdrop.

Speedlight – Softbox Diffuser ($26)

Diffuse the backlight against your subject with this portable and collapsible softbox.

Speedlight – Holder for Stand ($20)

You will need this piece to securely attach the speedlight to the light stand.

Speedlight – Stand ($24)

This will hold the speedlight and softbox to the height needed.

Universal Flash Gels Lighting Filter Kit ($12)

These neat little gels slip over your lights to easily change the color of light being cast from the back or the front.

Other Things You Will Need

PocketWizard Wireless Flash Trigger (2-Pack at $169)

You will mount this to the top of your camera. You can set one channel to communicate with the shutter and the other to trigger the flash, allowing you to control and time the lights for each shot.

Extension Cord & Power Strip ($30)

Lastly, you’re going to need a place to plug in all of your equipment!

Learn and Travel with Steinberg Photography

Are you looking for adventure and professional growth? Photographers Jim and Lori Steinberg of Steinberg Photography combine those aspects in their workshops and tours.