9 Must-Haves For Your In-Home Studio

Building your in-home studio is a process and can be daunting when you're first starting. Here is my list of 9 things you need for your product and food photography studio.

1. Softboxes - Whether you're shooting pop photography or doing food styling softboxes help support your natural light or can give you a great harsh light to build shadows. This is the first step to building your lighting options.

2. Adjustable Height Table - I love this simple table from Ikea. The legs can be adjusted to move height. It's especially helpful if you're adjusting for natural light.

3. Backdrop Frame - my newest addition to my studio. This can be adjusted to be the full height for a person or can stand next to your table like I have mine. It gives a quick and easy way to use multiple backdrops and provides easy transitions.

4. Tripod - I mean, obviously. 😉

5. Reflectors - Shooting in a room can be challenging when you want to work with natural light but you don't have your dream room with windows on every wall. Reflectors help bounce light from a window or can bounce light from your strobe to add soft light.

6. Variety of Backdrops - Shout out to Replica Surfaces. Their backdrops look natural and are super durable. I also use a variety of colorful plastic backdrops, leather, and other textiles.

7. Variety of Dishes/Props - Food Photography is all about your dishes. These are key in expressing the brand style. I like to keep a variety of neutrals and bright patterns to choose from.

8. Ancillary Items - Ask any studio product photography what they use the most and I guarantee fishing line and duct tape rank at the top. I'll share a BTS soon, but it's amazing how useful these are in giving the illusion of movement. I also use clamps and the tabletop reflector every day. So helpful!

9. All The Linens! - textiles make the image. They can provide dimension with height and depth in the image. It's amazing how adding a dishcloth or piece of fabric in just the right spot takes the photo to the next level.

Good luck with your studio photography journey. 😍

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