Thinking of turning garage into studio

Kell said:
The biggest problem here is how to do it to the standard you require and not get kit which is either too good, or not good enough, to begin with.

You don't want to waste money buying anything that isn't up to the job, and then spend even more to get kit which is perfect.

But it's also just as big a problem spending hundreds, if not thousands, on stuff which you'll never use or is over the top for your requirements.

I definitely wish I'd found this site before making some of my purchases as the advice I've received since has definitely made me think twice before clicking 'buy'.

Interestingly, I was watching a lens review yesterday and randomly a video popped up about how to take portraits using only a speedlight (and various other modifier bits) which might be worth a watch.

I'm not saying this is the correct way to do things, but as some of the advice is about doing it in your living room instead, and this is literally shot in the guy's living room, maybe it's worth 20 minutes of your time. Watch the whole video, but here's the link to the kit list:

View: https://youtu.be/nuoc53wcnbc?t=1084
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Thank you for sharing that video it was brilliant
 
Unfortunately, these videos can be confusing, because although they include very good tips on how to produce pleasant shots, the approach and the standard is very different to that of actual studio portraiture.

I was talking with a guy just last week, he has spent years doing high volume, fast portraits in a studio environment, turning out consistently good shots in too small a space and with too little time per client. All that he could do was to use identical, flat lighting that can't show anyone at their best.

After just 2 days of intensive training he now knows better and the improvement is dramatic:)
 
Garry Edwards said:
Unfortunately, these videos can be confusing, because although they include very good tips on how to produce pleasant shots, the approach and the standard is very different to that of actual studio portraiture.

I was talking with a guy just last week, he has spent years doing high volume, fast portraits in a studio environment, turning out consistently good shots in too small a space and with too little time per client. All that he could do was to use identical, flat lighting that can't show anyone at their best.

After just 2 days of intensive training he now knows better and the improvement is dramatic:)
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As the old saying goes, when you only have a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
 
I have a small studio in a spare bedroom that also has the setback of too low a ceiling. One work around for that I found is to sit the subject if feasible. I started with cheap flashpoint lights and except for manually adjusting them from their rear I'm very happy with them. I have a couple of collapsible backgrounds and a white paper roll and stands. I think the most important item I got when I started was a hairdresser dummy head that i mounted on a cheap tripod. With that i was able to experiment with light placement, ratios, gels and whatever. Plus I didn't have to bore my wife with sitting for hours while I practiced.studio.JPG
 
Jess_4 said:
hi im just learning but for me to be able to learn i need the kit otherwise how will i be able to shoot the pictures im so confused about it all im just after help i am and will be setting up in my garage i am not charging people i am just building up my portfolio up so would any body like to recommend a good lighting kit many thanks
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I’ll reiterate what @DG Phototraining posted.
Yes you’re right, you need the kit to learn your craft.
however, until you fully understand what you need to run a studio, you need to understand how that works, and why many of us suggest a garage is an unsuitable place to photograph babies and small children.
Dave hinted at the fact that the key to all of this is how comfortable your subjects are. It’s imperative that you understand how important that is.
your dad could be the best builder in the world and you can buy thousands of ££ of lighting gear, but your subjects won’t be as happy as they are in their own living room (and that’s without considering the technical limitations).
the fundamental success of your own baby’s photo was due to the environment as much as the gear and skill of the photographer; more so, the skill and knowledge of the photographer led to the choice of location.
I’ve run a business shooting kids in their own home, and painful as that was, I’d still prefer that to using a garage,
And if I was doing it again tomorrow, I’d be selling ‘lifestyle’ shoots with a mix of outdoor locations and the kids natural environment as Dave suggested. Pets I’d definitely do outside, babies (if you really need to) require a lot of training and would best be shot in their own home.
 
Phil V said:
And if I was doing it again tomorrow, I’d be selling ‘lifestyle’ shoots with a mix of outdoor locations and the kids natural environment as Dave suggested. Pets I’d definitely do outside, babies (if you really need to) require a lot of training and would best be shot in their own home.
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Same wavelength :)

If the OP does go ahead with the garage approach my own experience and knowledge of others doing the same thing (through my camera club buddies) means I'd give it a year at most before its just storage space again with studio gear for sale :(

If they are truly lucky, talented and work hard though, there'll be a proper studio set-up in town somewhere instead - so I'll just add - Good Luck :)

Dave
 
surely i will benefit more from having a bigger space rather that struggling to set up in my lounge which is small due to furniture i will eventually offer clients the chance to have pictures taken in there own home and i will also offer location shots but i really want a space where people can come and have an experience
 
Jess_4 said:
surely i will benefit more from having a bigger space rather that struggling to set up in my lounge which is small due to furniture i will eventually offer clients the chance to have pictures taken in there own home and i will also offer location shots but i really want a space where people can come and have an experience
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You’d benefit from a bigger space if that space is better.
mad previoysly mentioned a garage is about as small a space as you can use for something ‘small’.
a sitting
A dog or cat
A baby

however (and much more importantly)
Animals and children are spooked easily in unfamiliar surroundings and babies need a very cosy warm and comfortable environment.
and the ‘comfort’ of your subject is far and away the most important ingredient in portraiture.
min an ideal studio space, if you can’t create a relaxed environment you’ll fail. The best gear in the world won’t help. It’s a psychological rather than physical situation

you’ll have more success learning how to photograph people in their own gardens then bringing that knowledge inside than trying to learn the other way round. You could invest 5 grand in a garage studio only to learn that you’d rather be somewhere else.
If you wanted to learn to play football, would you buy a stadium or a ball and go to the local park?

I’d suggest
Learn how to take a decent picture
Learn how to take a decent picture of people / pets
Learn how to take a decent picture indoors
Learn how to use artificial light
During that process, you’ll learn what works for you - which might be different from what works for me or anyone else.
 
I think it would be worth your while to visit a couple of local photo studios. They often have club days or evenings where a small number of photogs get to use the studio and sometime hire in a model or shoot each other. The advantage of an experienced model is that he/she knows what to do and you can just leave them to do their bit, and gives the photographers some practise in posing and different techniques. It would also show that you often need a surprising amount of room to work, in all three directions, and can possibly see why people are saying that a garage is quite good at storing things, its less suited for photography of people.

Jess - whereabouts in the country are you? Someone is likely to know of a studio space nearby that you could visit.
 
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