How To Get Started In Studio Photography

HERE’S THE GEAR I RECOMMEND TO OPEN A HOME STUDIO.

- Joe Farace

“I think all art is about control—the encounter between control and the uncontrollable.” —Richard Avedon

A DEDICATED STUDIO, no matter its size or location, offers a photographer a place to develop his or her own portrait style. Your shooting space then becomes a refuge from the real world where, like The Outer Limits voice says, you can control the lighting, background, and subject. Even my small 11x15-foot home studio, where many of the images for my Shutterbug articles are made, is a safe haven for creativity.

You don’t need much to get started: all you really need is some space, a camera, and something or someone to photograph. However, the reality is that you’re probably going to need some extra bits of gear and that’s the focus of this month’s column. In my list of favorites, you’ll notice no lighting gear is included, and that’s because it’s the subject of September’s Geared Up column.

FIRST THINGS FIRST 

When most people think about a studio the first thing they see is a backdrop. When space is critical a collapsible background makes the most sense and there are options from Belle Drape, Botero, Denny, Lastolite, Savage, and Westcott. Lastolite’s 5x7-foot Urban Collapsible Backgrounds ($217) are often double-sided, giving you two backgrounds for the price of one, such as the Distressed Paper/Graffiti Art one I use. These backdrops are made from crease-resistant fabric, easily pop open, and are quickly closed for fast changes. You can support the backdrop using a dedicated light stand, like Lastolite’s own Bracketed Stand for Collapsible Backgrounds ($69), or just lean it against a wall.