Some of the newer trends tend to be leaning more towards the urban or industrial looks. I personally love these looks and try to get at least one or two new backdrops for the studio each year, while removing one or two of the oldest. This keeps the studio's options fresh and changing and you force yourself to not shoot the same backdrop all the time. As a studio you want to provide a wide variety of options for your clients, but at the same time you do not want every photo you take to look exactly like all the others.

So bottom line - spice up your studio a bit with some fun backdrops, and have the old standbys on tap as well. White, Black, Gray all still need to be the go to back drops. That doesn't mean however, that you can't have an urban sidewalk or wood flooring looking backdrop hanging around to be utilized as well.

Here are a few links to some great deals on photography backdrops - some of these sales will not last long so make sure you take advantage while you can!

MyStudio MS20J Tabletop Photo Studio with Jewelry Kit and Bonus Tripod #MYS20J    US $259.00

Westcott Modern Vintage Backdrops, Pasha and Willow, 2 Pack #1211H    US $149.90

Kelby Training DVD: Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It by Scott Kelby, 3 Discs    US $129.95

Westcott 9x20 Feet Wrinkle Resistant Cotton Background, High-Key White #139    US $129.90

Westcott Modern Vintage 5512 Polyester Background    US $99.90

JTL 48" Photo Tent Black White Backdrop #2948    US $58.50

Capaturing Couture Sofia Blue Sky 2in D/SLR CameraStrap #SLR20-SOBS    US $49.00

Photoflex DPMCK001 Solid 10x20 Dyed Muslin Background    US $129.95

JTL 60" Photo Tent Black White Backdrop #2949    US $84.50

FXhome Ltd Photokey 4 Pro Green Screen Removal Software #PHOTOKEY4PRO    US $299.00

If you are looking to book a photo session now is the time. My spring schedule always fills up very quickly so book your session today!

Stay tuned for more, much more.

So sure enough I found a great box that would fit the needs I was looking for. I wanted to use a refrigerator box due to its large volume. I wasn't really sure what I would be photographing on the table, but I wanted to make sure I had enough surface area to shoot anything I came up with. I also took the step to make the box into a triangle as you can see below in the photo. This allowed a much more stable platform to work with, and would let me support a greater weight of object. If you decide to build one for yourself, which I highly recommend over buying one for $100 or more, be sure to have a lot of packing tape handy. Duct tape also works well, but clear packing tape makes it look a bit more upscale.

Once the box was completed I took my strobe and placed it in the center of the box. I'm using an open faced strobe and bouncing it off the walls of the inside of the light table. This further softens the light coming from underneath the subject material and makes a nice subtle light. You can also take a soft box and drop it in the middle of the home light table to further control the light source. For this particular setup I wanted a fairly harsh light to really create some pop on the light table surface.

The next step after getting the initial form set up was to find a suitable backdrop to work with. Normally I would throw a roll of seamless paper behind the box, but I'm working in a confined space on this project. I chose to go with a muslin canvas that has eyelets in one end to hang from a support stand. This would allow me to have a few feet of distance from the back end of the light table to the muslin itself. Having a decent distance from your backdrop to the edge of the light table accounts for light fall off and should keep your backdrop nice and dark if you choose to go with black.

With the muslin backdrop being a good twenty feet long, I had plenty of material to work with. Once I managed to get it strung up and holding itself to the wall, I took the other end and flowed it over the back side of the light table and down into the middle. This lets the back of the home light table match the backdrop and creates a nice transition from table to back wall while maintaining the same color.

After getting the setup this far, I needed to run to my favorite home improvement store to grab some more material to complete the home light table setup. The final item needed was an inexpensive piece of plexiglass. If you've never worked with plexiglass in photography before, then you've been missing out. Not only is plexiglass safe to work with since it very rarely shatters, it also can create stunning reflections. As you can see in the next photo, I'm just laying it directly on top of the box. No need to secure it down to anything since the triangle box setup nicely supports a center weighted object.After this point you're all set to start shooting some objects on your new home light table. Be sure to have a note pad handy to write down your camera settings for quick reference next time you want to shoot a product. To create some more interesting light effects stay tuned for a further post on additional light setups.

Hopefully this will help out some photographers that are starting out with a home studio. Basically everything you can create from very low cost items if you're really trying to cut down on the monetary investment in this very expensive industry. Now go build your own home light table and post some images you've taken with it. I'm always interested in seeing what others are doing with home projects.

Coffee/Tea/Espresso Maker
Lets face it, most of us need a shot of something to get going in the morning. I myself need a big shot of caffeine before I'm fully awake for the day. Depending on what time of day you are working in the studio you should have the ability to always have some sort of beverage handy, and by beverage I mean coffee, tea or espresso. This gives the models something to fidgit with as well. Its also a great ice breaker for a new model to come in and sit down for a few minutes to chat with you before the shoot begins. Tea has been known for its relaxation properties for generations, so its something good to have on hand. The last thing you want in a photo shoot is a stressed out model, it will show through on the final images. Enabling the model to take a coffee break or start off with a tea or espresso before the shoot is a must have for any pro studio or home studio alike.

Large Mirrors
Most studios will already have several mirrors hanging in the changing room or makeup section, but its a great tool to have handy in the studio itself. Not only can you use mirrors to create very stunning visuals in photographs, but it allows the model to see themselves and change poses if they don't like the look. This is a double edged sword however, as the model can get so wrapped up in looking at them self in the mirror they start over analyzing and the shots become tedious. Use mirrors with caution in your studio, but have them handy and within reach as they have all sorts of uses.

Fun Unique Props
Props can either make or break a photo. Having fun, interesting, unique props handy will make your images stand out from competitors that might be in the same geographic area as your home studio. The trick with props is to find the most outlandish and interesting items you can get your hands on. Something like an over sized white with purple polka dots shag pimp hat for example would certainly fall under unusual but severely interesting prop. From my experience, models that are new tend to gravitate towards props that can enhance a shot, so give them something to fidget with and you'll turn a boring mundane image into something unique that will entice the customer to return to your studio for another shoot. This is also a great technique to use in marketing your work as well. If a customer shows their friends and family the shot of the white, purple polka dotted pimp hat, it will be remember and talked about, which will lead others back to your studio for other bookings and word of mouth.

Sound System
This is one of the most important features of any studio I feel. Moods can be altered with music so profoundly if done correctly and with the right setup. If you have a home studio or pro studio it goes without saying you should have a good sound system, and I don't mean the 1980's boom box you've been storing in the attic with your gold chain. Invest a little money into getting a nice surround sound system that has a good sound. When setting up your shoot with the model, be sure to tell them to bring a few cd's or mp3's of music that they would like to listen to during the shoot.

Studio Mascot
This is a semi must have for a studio, more so for the home studio, but it still works in pro studios. Having a furry little friend with you in the studio is a great way to put clients at ease and relax them a bit. Be sure to check with your client before the shoot to make sure they aren't allergic to animals or afraid of the particular furry friend if you decide to have a studio mascot however!

Each color has its own unique problems and affects the way you work in your home studio. Specific shots will obviously require a certain color backdrop to effectively create the look you are attempting to achieve, but colors can always be done with cheap studio backdrops. The base wall layer in my humble opinion needs to be either white or black.

If you decide to paint your home studio walls black, you can do some unique effects. A black wall will allow you to drown out shadows more effectively then a white wall would, but there are still occasions where a pesky shadow will show in a photo, even on a deep black base coat. Be sure to paint the wall with a heavy coating of non reflective paint, the more coats the better. This will ensure less light bounce and an easier control of shadow. Obviously a wall painted a deep color will provoke a much more moody and somber type of photograph initially, but also works well for fun portraits with a closed in focus on the subject.

Painting your home studio wall white allows you to achieve various techniques that aren't available with a black wall. Turning up the strobes a bit will enable you to drown out any shadows and completely white out the wall to make that magazine look and feel for portraits. Conversely, a white wall on the home studio will allow you to play with shadow tremendously. Working a home studio with a large window and white sunbathed walls and subject is a without a doubt one of the best photographer setups. White walls also bounce light tremendously and act as bounce reflectors for any strobe or light source, so take care in creating your setup as you need to account for all bounced light.

In the end the choice is yours, but I highly suggest thinking about what type of shots you will be taking most in your home studio. I would tend to lean towards the white walled home studio, as I think it has more potential uses, but the black walls can come in handy if you do not feel like dealing with hanging backdrops constantly. Please comment below on your own personal home studio setup and vote in the poll!

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