Constructing an In-Home Studio: What You NEED to Know
Hi! I am Dallas Rogers, owner of "Suite Clicks," my in-home studio! Suite Clicks has been a dream turned into a reality thanks to my parents' love and support. But, the process wasn't so simple. Hoping to construct an entire studio plus invest in lighting and other equipment for under $300 seemed impossible. However, with some DIY magic, a bit of arguing, and research, we set out to create a stunning, miniature In-Home Photography Studio.
Despite being a new studio owner, I am not new to the studio scene. I have been shooting in studios since my junior year of high school. Since then, I dreamed of one to call my own. Having started with the $150 Neewer Lighting kit, I was able to book a significant amount of studio sessions within my house. It worked well for the first few years of my career. It *workED* - past tense. It became grueling to have to clean up our living room, set up my stands each time, break them down, and clean up so we could use our living room to, well, live in. Not to mention, constant washing and handling ruined my fabric backdrops. I knew I needed a more permanent alternative.
When I started @wejustclickaz, an artist meetup group, I turned to local studios. Don't get me wrong, they're great! I still love and support them, especially Space One2One. But, my wallet did not. It became too expensive to be hosting these events at studios. This realization tipped me over the edge. I needed my own permanent space that I could use for personal and collaborative uses.
I begged my parents, using my big, brown puppy dog eyes, to transform our spare room into a studio. You can probably infer what they said. I set out researching setups, DIY projects, everything home studio-related. Here are the videos we took inspiration from:
DIY Home Studio for YouTube Videos
DIY Bedroom Studio Seamless
Is this the Best Way to Hang Seamless Paper?
How to Build a Photo Studio Backdrop for under 500 Euros
Our Secret Space-Saving Backdrop Hack
Make a Seamless Backdrop Holder out of Hooks and Conduit
These were super helpful to help lay the foundation for what supplies we needed. We ended up modeling Suite Clicks after this setup because it provided the most flexibility within our space.
A tip I've learned from this endeavor is don't fear used items. It's just a label. I managed to stick under our budget by figuring out what we could cheap out on or not. Props and chairs were items we could cheap out on. They're great because they can be refurbished or DIY-ed. However, do not skimp out on the wall mounts because these translate to safety and structural strength. I, luckily, found a used wall mount in great condition on Amazon for HALF of the original price, and it works just like new. "Dallas, then why was it half priced?" Good question, my friend: the box was janky. That's it; nothing missing or broken, just damage on the box's exterior. Granted, it's not the most assuring thing to see a box show up this damaged, but if the product works, FANTASTIC.
After buying the wall mount, we measured the backdrop's cardboard opening and bought pipes that snuggly fit inside. A few screws and bolts later and the studio's backdrops were up and running. As of now, all that is left is to get someone in the studio! If you'd like to book a studio session or, better yet, rent out the studio, visit the "Suite Clicks" Instagram! Hope to see you soon!
