Darkroom Techniques Article
So, You Want to Setup Your Own Photography Studio
When most people start out in the photography business, they work on a part time or freelance basis, until they build up their reputation, and if they do well, will eventually open up their own photography studio. You have the option of setting up your photography studio in your own home, which can save you some money if you have the extra space, or you can rent a local space for your studio. It all depends on your budget and your own personal preferences. If you live out in the boonies, odds are you will be more successful by renting a space near town for your studio, so people wont have to drive so far out of their way to get to you. Your studio will be a reflection of your own style, and so you should set it up as thus. There are three basic areas that you will need with your photography studio, regardless of what type of photography you are doing, or what kind of studio you have.
In general, your photography studio will need to have an office space, an equipment storage area, and a work area. You will use your office area to store your paperwork pertaining to your business, invoices, expenses, bills, etc. You should have a decent sized desk, which you will use to sign contracts, do billing, and other routine office functions related to the running of your business. You will want a phone, so that customers can contact you, a computer equipped with a fax and a printer, and a filing cabinet to store everything in. You may also choose to use this space for creating and maintaining your portfolio as well. You can store photos here, which you may use in the future for projects or your portfolio as needed.
In your storage area, you will keep all of your photography equipment. That being said, you will need to install some strong shelving units, to hold fragile, heavy items. Organization will be important here, so you might want to come up with a way of storing everything so you can access it quickly and easily when it is needed. There is nothing more frustrating than knowing you have an item, but not being able to find it, until you give up and purchase it again.
Odds are, the work area will be the focus of your photography studio. This will also be the area that is allotted the most space. You also will need to pay special attention to the lighting in this room as well, as it can impact photo quality. You will want to have several different types of lighting, so that you can change them around to get different effects in your photos. It is also equally important to have plenty of natural light as well, so skylights and windows are also important. You will want to have different photo backdrops, and some seating for parents and waiting customers. It may be a good idea to also create a space that customers can use to change their clothing in, especially those who are doing many different poses. You dont want to be wearing the same clothing in all of your photos, so this could be important.