What Equipment Do You Need To Create a Photography Studio?

Many photography and videography enthusiasts that have developed skills, and even beginners that are capable of producing amazing shots, have considered opening up a studio to monetize their skills. If you are in love with this hobby it is one of the best ways to make a living, because you will do the thing you love every day, and work will be just you practicing your hobby, it isn’t that amazing.

But what about the equipment you need for setting up a studio? While it is a little costly, consider all of the equipment you will buy, investments. Since you will not only earn money from them, meaning that they will pay for themselves, most of the photo and video equipment are quality pieces that you can use for a decade at least before needing any upgrade. For you today I have compiled a list of the essential equipment you need for video and photography studio. Without further ado, let’s get on with it.

Camera(s)

First, off you should invest in a quality camera that is capable of taking excellent images, autofocus and sensor. I would advise you to opt for a full-frame mirrorless camera such as the Sony A7 III or even a full-frame DSLR model such as the Canon 6D Mark II, both of these cameras deliver excellent photographs and are capable of shooting video at least at 1080p. If you are more serious about video than it is wise to add a professional video camera to your arsenal such as the Canon XA11.

Lenses

Next up we have the lenses. Over time you will buy a countless number of lenses, but to start off you only need two lenses. You need to buy a prime lens, such as the Sigma 56mm for Sony, and a zoom lens, for example, the Canon EF 70-200mm. Before buying your lenses make sure that they are compatible with your camera.

Computer, software, and storage

This may seem obvious, but I should note that you must have a powerful computer that is capable of running the demanding post-production and video software. On top of this, you should invest in quality software, and lots of storage devices, such as external drives, SD cards and so on.

Backdrops and backdrop support

To create a professional studio setting you should invest in a variety of props. Two different materials with two different colors is a great start. I would recommend you to get a Muslin backdrop preferably black or darker color and a seamless paper, and first consider the size of your backdrop support.

Tripods

While you are shooting photography or video, you will need a good tripod to support your camera, as well as tilt and pan smoothly. While there are pretty cheap models in the market, I would recommend you to invest in a quality tripod that has stabilizing weights.

For example, let’s say the sky is looking beautiful tonight and you want to capture some shots. A tripod for astrophotography would come in handy in this situation because it will let you capture a lot better photos.

Lights

This is extremely essential for photography and video studio, whether you are shooting portraits, products, or anything in between you will need good lighting to bring out the best in your subject. For that purpose, it is important firstly to invest in a softbox light that provides a softer and even light that isn’t aggressive. After that, if you have the budget you will need to invest in umbrella lights and shoot-through umbrellas.

Sound equipment

While most of the cameras have microphones that pick up the sound, they don’t quite deliver in terms of sound quality and are pretty lackluster. Buying a capable microphone that can pick up sound adequately is essential, for example, the Rode VideoMic Pro. Acoustic panels are also worthy investments as they will eliminate echoes and result in better sound. On top of that, you can invest in a shotgun microphone and a boom pole that is compatible with it.

Other Accessories

Those up top are essentials, and these other accessories will prove to be very useful in the long run. Depending on your budget you may want to look at wireless microphones, a good pair of analytical headphones, photography reflectors, polarizer, and macro lenses, extra sets of batteries, mounting rigs, a 360 camera, an action camera, and even a drone.

For example, if you shoot food pictures, you should get a softbox for food photos, or if you do product photography, you can get a softbox for product photography.

Conclusion

If your budget is endless you can compile a very long list of equipment for the studio, but if you stick with the essentials, and pick up on the others over time you will be in a safe way.