Making your Home Photography Studio Space Work
Photographers don’t need to have a commercial photography studio to be considered a professional photographer and be successful. Many photographers, especially newborn and baby photographers have studios in their own home. A studio in your own home can be a great option if you’re in need of a consistent indoor space for sessions that is also more budget friendly.
Is a home studio right for you? In this blog, we’ll chat about the pros and cons of having a home studio and also include some must have items and hacks for making your space work.
Things to consider
Before you convert that empty space in your home to your dream home studio, there are few key things you should consider first.
Insurance
One thing you’ll want to consider before you start working on your home studio space is checking with your insurance to see if your insurance will cover operating your business from your home. What if a client gets injured on your property? Will your insurance cover this? Definitely touch base with your insurance company to see what is and isn’t covered or if you’ll need to update your policy first.
Home Owners Association Rules
Another thing you’ll want to check on before setting up your home photography studio space is checking with your Home Owners Association (HOA) rules. Some neighborhoods with HOAs have rules in place that prohibit running a business out of your home. Similarily, if you are renting your home there might be a clause in your renter’s agreement that prohibits operating a business out of your home.
Do you have enough space? Will you need to build?
How easy will it be for you to make a studio in your own home? You might want to evaluate the unused spaces you currently have – whether it’s an empty room, loft or basement. Some photographers take the approach of converting their garages into a studio. Other photographers who don’t quite have enough space in their home, build small studios on their own property.
Pros and Cons of a Home Photography Studio
Next, you might want to review the pros and cons of having a studio in your own home to make sure this is the right decision for you, your business, and family.
Pros
- It is the more budget friendly option comparaed to renting a space.
- You can access your studio space whenever you need to. No commute time!
- You can make the space your own – instead of sharing a studio space with other photographers.
- You can potentially write of certain expenses or a percentage of expenses on your taxes like phone bill, internet, electricity.
Cons
- Taking up space in your home that could otherwise be used for your family/kids.
- Having clients in your home – sometimes they might have to walk through common spaces in your home.
- You may not have adequate storage space or work space, which means your props could get damaged or it may be tricky to shoot certain session types.
- Difficulty separating work life and home life.
Must Have Items for a Home Studio
Here are some favorite items to include in your home photography studio!
Lighting
If you don’t have enough natural light for shooting or inconsistent natural light, check out some of these for lighting equipment!
Einstein Flash Unit
AlienBees Flash Unit
Flashpoint Pistol Grip Stand
Paul C Buff, B&H Photo, Adorama are all great places to search for flash units, light modifiers, and stands.
Storage
Having some storage solutions is a must to keep everything organized and easy to find. Ikea is the best for prop storage solutions! Check out these systems to organize all of your props:
Pax Storage System
Boaxel Storage System (pictured above!)
Raskog Utiltity Cart
Other great options are over the door storage systems – especially if you don’t have enough wall space for storage. You can find these on Amazon, or at most local stores.
Other equipment
Save some floor space with a backdrop system you can mount on the wall or ceiling.
Neweer 4 Roller Backdrop System
Can’t screw things into the wall? No worries – here’s a cool option to save space while hanging your backdrops.
Impact Basic Varipole Support System
Wanting to make a boho bed setup in your space? Use an airmattress to save money and space!
What are your MUST HAVE items for your home photography studio? Tell us in the comments!
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