At the end of the 19th century, at the dawn of amateur photography, hardly anyone could have imagined that over time it would become one of the most popular hobbies in the world. Today, everyone takes photographs, and offers to “conduct professional photography” clearly exceed demand. And yet, photography remains far from the cheapest activity. Not counting phone photos for Instagram, of course. Therefore, these ultra-budget life hacks will certainly be useful to many novice photographers.

Amateur photographers from all over the world offer their options on how and with what they can replace expensive photographic equipment and get decent results. Maybe you have some ideas too?

1. Lenses for a fashionable bokeh effect can be cut out of plain cardboard and attached to the lens using tape

2. The cardboard “sleeve” of a coffee glass will protect the lens and future photographs from the bright sun

3. A box of Pringles chips with a slight movement of scissors turns into a flash tube. Now you can work with light, highlighting individual objects against the general background

4. A fabric bag filled with peas or cereal will serve as a tripod stand. And no effect of trembling hands!

5. If desired, you can replace the lightbox with a sheet of white paper, attaching it to a well-lit window

6. And the ring flash is like a pizza box. True, you will have to practice your cutting skills

7. Wrap cling film around the lens to get a romantic light-exposed effect.

8. And by putting a nylon sock on it and securing it with an elastic band, you can get an even more romantic “soft focus”. The favorite effect of all girls on social networks.

9. You can use a transparent plastic bag and tape to make a waterproof case for filming in the rain.

Equipping a photo studio is a basic issue for any novice photographer. By creating the necessary conditions for photographing, a photography master will be able to obtain clear, high-quality shots, significantly increasing the capabilities of his photographic equipment. However, it is necessary to decide not only on light sources, but also on additional components: tripods, backgrounds, attachments, etc. Of course, in some cases, a kit for ID photos, for example, may only include one flash and a reflector. But how to organize a comprehensive complex?

A ready-made photo studio in the form of assembled, carefully selected sets of technical equipment, ready for use, will help introduce you to the art of photography. The Photochance online store will help you choose a high-quality lighting kit for a photo studio from FST, Grifon and other popular manufacturers to solve specific problems.

Why is it more reasonable to purchase ready-made photo studios?

Considering the huge variety of professional equipment in the field of photography and videography, in order to create a kit you need to have certain experience and professional knowledge. What can you get if you decide to purchase ready-made kits for photo studios?

1. Willingness to complete tasks. The kit contains everything you need to start shooting: stands, light kits for a mini photo studio and a large-scale site, softboxes, attachments, cables, etc.

2. Compatibility of all elements. Remember, it is enough to make a mistake in one component and you will not be able to fully use the flash and camera controls; the light-forming attachments you purchase may not fit the source
lighting, and the reflectors will not perform their functions. Ready-made photo studio kits will save you from such problems.

3. Variability of choice. Do you need a kit for document photography, lighting for product photography, or compact stand-alone equipment? Choose a fully formed option and get to work.

4. Budget savings. Buying a ready-made set will cost less than purchasing all the equipment separately.

Choose for yourself which ready-made studio to buy, based on your current needs and budget. But remember that after gaining initial experience, you can easily supplement and upgrade the kit according to your decision.

What is included?

A ready-made studio solution from Photochance can save you from thoughtless financial costs and unjustified investments. In our catalog you will find the most popular complexes, from simple sets for photographs for documents, to equipment for shooting video clips and films. Typically they include a studio flash, pulsed or continuous light sources, reflective elements, stands, brackets and equipment mounts, and autonomous power sources (if provided).

Contact our operators for advice on choosing photographic equipment!

Most modern people are very sensitive to their photographs, because the cost of cameras reaches quite large sums, so the pleasure of filming should completely repay the money spent, however, if the quality of the photographs is good, then the composition of the photograph and style often leave much to be desired. Our task in this business will be to help amateur photographers, for which they will need very little starting capital, a desire to earn money and hands that simply grow from the shoulder joints. The size of the starting capital matters only for those who are going to open a small office for meetings with clients; in most cases, you can work from home; you will also need money to buy a good color printer if you want to earn more.

The set of raster graphics editors that you will need for work is not that large. First of all, you need to install everyone’s favorite and well-known Photoshop, which is already legendary. It is not at all necessary to thoroughly understand the program from Adobe, but it is still better to master the basics; for this, there are several thousand sites on the Internet with lessons for beginning photo designers. The main skills required are the ability to use layers, masks and adjust color/tone/contrast/brightness and, of course, the use of graphic filters. Unusual graphic filters become the main weapon. Other lesser-known programs can become additions to Adobe Photoshop. It is even advisable to buy software packages with ready-made sets of presets, in which case you won’t have to master them - it’s enough to just prepare a few edited photos using these presets. In addition to them, there are a lot of programs that work with photographs of all formats, turning them into a certain image style, as well as entire sets of software tools for design work in express mode - programs for making business cards, banners and other printed materials and outdoor advertising.

Further. Using software raster editors, it is necessary to prepare several layouts for demonstration to clients. The main difference between our business and any photo studio is the ability to quickly use already prepared presets, radically change the style of a photograph (oil drawing, old black and white photography, graphics) in a few minutes, followed by printing, and therefore the catalog of ready-made photographs should be extensive, allowing the client to quickly select the desired method of changing the photo. It is best to prepare a small album for photographs, which would contain finished works with a short description of the graphic style. The list and variations of photos depend only on you, your imagination and the number of installed filters and brushes for Photoshop, graphic editors and plugins.

How much can you earn? A question that is not so easy to answer right off the bat. In fact, a lot depends not so much on your ability to persuade clients and professional skills, but on greed. The average cost of working on photographs in express mode should be adequate, no more than one hundred and fifty rubles per job and an additional 15–100 rubles for printing a photograph on photo paper, depending on the size of the photograph. The profitability is quite high, because the cost of producing each individual photograph is not so much, if we calculate the costs of organizing a business and the cost of work, we get (I consider at average prices for the regions of Russia): rental cost (10,000 rubles per month) + payment of utilities (from 2,500 rubles per month) + purchase of a color printer with a continuous ink supply system (6,500 rubles for an Epson Stylus printer) = 19,000 rubles in the first month and 12,500 rubles for each subsequent month, taking into account the fact that the office can also be used for other needs. We will also assume that one pack of photo paper of 100 sheets costs 280 rubles, in this case the cost of 1 photo will be approximately 4 rubles for you (ink costs), it turns out that the price of 60 rubles, say, for one A4 photo, pays for the costs by 1400%. It's a small thing, but nice. Serving 10 clients per average photo size costing 30 rubles, we get: 10 x (120 rubles for work + 30 rubles for printing) x 30 working days = 45,000 rubles. This, however, is an ideal picture, but if you want to work, use advertising, and have the right approach to clients, the result of ten clients a day is not so much, you must admit.

By the way, using an office as a small design studio will allow you to additionally engage in any other business that uses a computer, Internet connection and other gadgets already at your disposal. In addition, having any office automatically allows you to come up with some additional business to work in the “real” world, without losing any profit from your main business. The business described above can itself be used as an addition to an existing business, because it does not impose any significant restrictions on the entrepreneur in his work, and also allows him to be in close contact with clients. Who knows, maybe a person who is photographed against the backdrop of a sea wave in Cyprus will want to buy a house from your real estate agency (and now all realtors are going through hard times). A business idea for organizing an express design studio can be put into production very quickly, spending a little effort and time on it, however, for real results you need to work a lot and invest not only money and labor into the business, but also all your creative energy , it will pay off and, perhaps, in six months you will have your own full-fledged photo studio, which will be contacted not only by private clients, but also by large companies, so that you can create design layouts for them and much more...
So go ahead and get the money.

Below we provide a detailed business plan for a photography studio and consider the following important points of business organization:

• How to open a photo studio for rent and choose the right premises;
• How to open an individual entrepreneur for a photo salon, preparation of documents;
• Equipment for a photo studio, its cost;
• How to open a photo studio in a small town, and make it popular and profitable, methods of promotion.

Register the best thing, it's easier and cheaper. Required codes OKVED: 74.20.– “Activities in the field of photography” and 47 – “Retail trade, except trade in motor vehicles and motorcycles.” The second code is required if the studio plans to sell goods.

The activity is not licensed. It is also necessary to register with the Federal Tax Service. The cost of the registration procedure is no more than $60.

Services

Main services of the company:

1. Photos of the documents;
2. Carrying out studio filming, including interior photography;
3. Filming for business, subject photo sessions, food photography;
4. You can profitably rent out a photo studio for photo shoots;
5. Printing photos from removable media;
6. Development of graduation albums, photo retouching;
7. Sale of related products - flash cards, batteries, disks, albums, etc.

Market analysis

In order to carefully plan how to open a photo studio, where to start and calculate the costs, you need to decide on the target audience. The main clients are photographers who rent a salon for filming, young people, couples with children, future newlyweds (Love Story filming). Average age category of visitors: 16-35 years.

Room

The best location for your studio is as close to the center as possible, an additional plus is the availability of a parking space. Most often, the studio is located in a business center, less often in shopping centers.

Additional clientele for printing will be obtained by locating near universities, migration services, and other government agencies. The area of ​​the room is 60 square meters. Of these, 40 sq. m – studio, 15 sq. m – reception with an administrative desk and a small shop, 5 sq. m - bathroom.

Studio requirements:

• Warm floor, you should use laminate or commercial linoleum as a covering;
• Ceiling height – from three meters;
• Large windows draped with dark fabric. Drapery is needed for shooting with shutter speed and lighting. It should be possible to easily remove the fabric from the windows;
• Monochromatic wall decoration;
• Availability of air conditioning;
• Fire safety system, evacuation diagram, fire extinguisher.

Renting a premises requires monthly costs of $800-900. In how to open a creative photography studio, design is of great importance. You need to make your establishment a popular and fashionable place. Repairs and finishing will cost about $1,500.

Equipment for a photo salon

What do you need to buy to open your own photography studio?

Professional equipment

For a small company you will need:

1. Digital camera and two removable lenses– $2500-2700. Good cameras are offered by Canon and Nikon, lenses - Sigma, Tamron;
2. 4 light sources of various powers (aka flashes or monoblocks) 400-800 J each - $1200-1300. Falcon Eyes, Profoto, Bowens, Godox;
3. 4 flash stands. Of these, three are standard (2-4 meters), one is a crane stand. Total cost: $150. Manfrotto, Falcon, Godox;
4. Three softboxes different sizes – $130. Bowens, Green Bean, Lumifor, Dedolight;
5. 2 photo umbrellas– 80-90 $. Lastolite, Elinchrom;
6. Two stripboxes– 150 $. Falcon Eyes, Godox, Hensel;
7. Two reflectors(1 with curtains) – $200-230. Profoto, Elinchrom, Bowens;
8. Octobox– 130-150 $. Hensel, Fujimi, Godox;
9. beauty plate– 120-130 $. Lumifor, Falcon Eyes, Godox;
10. Two reflectors– 25 $. Lastolite, Westcott;
11. Jelly color filters for flashes (6 pcs.) – $90-100. Maxilite, Falcon Eyes, Bowens;
12. Radio synchronizers for flashes (2 pcs.) – $80-100. Youngnuo, Aputure, Godox;
13. Set of paper backgrounds different colors – $150-200. Polaroid, Savage, Colorama;
14. Backdrop holder automatic – $150-170. Manfrotto, Phottix;
15. Accessories(memory cards, batteries, cables, fasteners) – $100. DigiCare, Fujimi, Nikon, Prolike, Transcend;
16. Photo printer– 70-100 $. Zebra, Conica, Canon;
17. Computer or laptop– 450 $. Asus, HP, Lenovo.

Furniture and software

To open a small photo studio, you will need to purchase furniture and display cases for the reception area. It will cost approximately $700 to purchase display cases, a cabinet, a table, a chair, a sofa for visitors, an air conditioner, a telephone and a cooler.

To process photos, retouch, create collages, you will need to buy licensed versions of programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Studio Pro. You will have to invest about $600 in software.

You should budget approximately $170-200 for the renovation of a bathroom.

How to open your own interior photography studio from scratch

In a small room it is possible to design five interior zones. The most popular options: an area with a fireplace for family photo sessions, a boudoir option with a mirror and a bed, a cozy area with a wide window and blankets/pillows, a brick wall and a leather sofa, a bar counter, etc. Themed corners are created for the holidays: New Year's, Christmas, etc. Valentine's Day, Halloween, etc. It is convenient to style an area with a fireplace.

Don't forget about the children. Opening a photo studio for children means dooming yourself to too narrow a focus, but it’s worth setting up a children’s corner. There is always a stable demand for family and children's photo sessions.

For a standard photo zone with removable paper backdrops, 2-3 square meters is enough; for interiors, a space of 4-5 square meters is required. m.

To open your own photo studio with decorations, you should carefully consider not only the interior of the area, but also accessories and decorative details. For example, candles, LED garlands, gift boxes, retro records, decorative pillows, etc.

The cost of equipping one site with decorations ranges from $200-300. In total you will need from $1500.

Pay special attention designing a corner with a dressing room mirror and special lighting. This is a good place for a makeup artist to work and an additional photo zone. Such a mirror with a dressing table costs $160-200.

Pricing

How can a beginner open a photo salon and navigate the prices correctly? Analyze the average prices of similar establishments in the city and form your own price list based on them. To get started, put the following price tags:

• Shooting, including interior photography, with a studio photographer – $60. The premium service includes the work of a makeup artist, printing of several photos and costs from $70-80;
• Studio rental – $13/hour;
• Retouching – $5/photo;
• Creation of photo books and albums – from $23.

Staff

The studio staff consists of three people. Photographer, sales administrator and technical assistant, exhibiting light and advising clients.

Almost every photographer dreams of becoming a professional photographer and opening a photo studio, so there are many who want to work with you on a permanent basis. The photographer receives 50% of the cost of shooting, the salary of the administrator and assistant costs $700 per month.

Marketing plan (advertising)

Step-by-step instructions on how to open an interior photography studio and promote your business include the following activities:

1. An external sign for a company will require an investment of $300-400;
2. Creation of a logo and corporate identity – $100;
3. Printed promotional materials (business cards, flyers) – $100;
4. Website development, detailed description of services, studio portfolio – from $100.

Sales promotion methods and promotion channels

A good advertising move is to distribute gift certificates at a discount. Promotions for regular customers, discounts on the second and third hour of studio rental, etc. work great. You should look for your first clients among members of photo clubs and advertising agencies. Most on the Internet: website promotion, .

Costs and profits

To properly open a photo salon, calculate your business investment in detail:

• Documents – 60 $;
• Rent of premises for six months in advance, repairs, decoration, necessary communications – about $7,000;
• Purchase of equipment, furniture, design of photo zones – $10 thousand;
• Promotional events – $700.

Capital costs are approximately $18,000. Monthly costs (salary, utilities, rent) – $1600. We add here the purchase of goods for sale - $1,500. Total $3100.

The studio will receive a minimum profit if the salon is rented daily for at least 2-3 hours, 10-12 orders for shooting by a full-time photographer, and the production of several albums. Together with sales of related products, the monthly net profit will be about $600-800. This figure is increasing every month.

A detailed plan on how to open a small photo salon will allow you to foresee all costs and plan the work of the company. Such a business will only expand and prosper over time, gaining popularity and fame among clients.

Photographers now have a very large selection of accessories for shooting. Especially when the question concerns light or other elements for a desktop portable studio, which will provide wide functionality for product photography. Nowadays you can find various diffusers, reflectors and backgrounds. However, most accessories have a serious drawback. They are very bulky. Their cost is also high. Many shooting equipment can be made independently from scrap materials. You can organize a mini studio almost anywhere in a short time.

Your own solutions will be tailored to your personal needs and you don't have to be an engineer to design and create a light modifier or background. Everything is very simple. The main thing you need when shooting small objects is the ability to redirect and change the light.

A simple studio on your desk can be done very quickly at minimal cost. To work, you will need something that is available in almost any home, and if you don’t have something, you can buy it at the nearest hardware or office supply store. The main elements of the studio will be paper and adhesive tape.

You can change the setting to suit your needs and get different effects. If you want to create a permanent studio that will work for a long time, then this option will not be the best.

Necessary materials and equipment

• Thick black cardboard. It is needed for the base, so its density will affect stability
• White and colored paper or cardboard
• Duct tape
• For the base, a wooden board or other object that will raise the subject slightly above the table level and will look good in the photo
• Additionally, paper may be required as alternative backgrounds or light modifiers

Assembly of the structure

The entire assembly process consists of gluing together the necessary elements. You need to rely on the diagram. It's very simple. It is important to ensure that the height of all sheets is the same.

This is what the assembled structure looks like:

She doesn't look very professional, but that doesn't matter for a temporary studio. The main thing is that she will do her job in the best possible way. No one outside will see it, and the result will not reveal that everything was done for pennies.

How to install

When shooting in a studio, whatever it may be, the main thing is to properly control the light and be able to change it. You can work with any light source you like. This form of mini-studio will allow you to get good results with flash and natural light. Still, it is best to use one directional light source.

The main subject of the photograph is illuminated from the front. Since the side panels are black, they will control reflections very well. The band of light will be narrow and will not fill the object on all sides. This will add volume. The contrast will also increase.

The side panels can be expanded wider or moved at your discretion. This will allow you to change the resulting effect. Keep an eye on the background at all times. The side panels should not cast a shadow on it. This will be very noticeable in the photo and will ruin it. Almost any shadow will create an unpleasant gradient.

Given that the main subject is small and very close to the background, they will have the same exposure most of the time. Try using different background colors.

You need to build your composition especially carefully. Because the background is narrow, corners may get caught in the frame. This shouldn't happen.

Using reflectors

When shooting in natural light, the light will most likely come from above. This can cause deep, dark shadows to appear. A small reflector will help correct this phenomenon. It needs to be positioned in front of the subject, but in such a way that it does not fall into the frame. By changing the angle of inclination you can achieve the optimal result. You don't have to buy a reflector, although you can find a small 12-inch one for a reasonable price. The reflector itself is made from ordinary baking foil.

The reflector can also be installed at the rear. This will soften overly harsh shadows that hide the details of the receding parts of the object. White cardboard can be used as a reflector. It is easy to install vertically.

Transformations

The design of our mini-studio is very simple and compact, but it is also quite flexible. You can make any changes in minutes. You can change the following:

Side color

Black panels can be replaced with any color that will be in harmony with the main subject. In addition to color, you can change the material, for example, cover the walls with foil. With this configuration, the shadows will be filled with light and the subject will be more detailed, but will lose depth and volume. Different materials and colors can be used on different sides. White paper will create a less strong shadow filling effect.

Backlight

If you used thick cardboard for the base, then you can cut out the central part from the back panel, cover it with translucent paper (a thin A4 sheet or tissue paper will do) and install a light source behind the hole. The paper will act as a diffuser. This will give you excellent backlighting.

Backlighting will greatly enhance the contrast. This can be used for a creative effect or to compensate for deep shadows by using reflectors.

Various backgrounds

The background color can be changed depending on the plot or creative idea. You don't have to limit yourself to plain paper. You can use fabric, wallpaper or even wood. All this will create a unique look and open up wide opportunities for creativity.

Studio dimensions

We have now described a small setup that is suitable for photographing various objects, such as mobile phones, tablets, jewelry, toys, figurines, etc. However, nothing prevents you from taking large sheets of cardboard, for example, from a TV box or refrigerator, and making a studio that will allow you to photograph large household appliances, interior elements, musical instruments, or even people.

Afterword

Such a mini-studio is not a high-quality workspace that will last a long time. It is needed in order to quickly fulfill a sudden order or simply practice working with light. For beginners, this option will be ideal, since they will not need to invest a large amount of money, but they will be able to try out different shooting and lighting techniques in order to decide what style to work in next and what equipment to invest in.

Also, a portable studio made from scrap materials is very light. You can take it with you outdoors or to a customer who needs to photograph his product, but in case of commercial use, make sure that your homemade design looks decent and does not spoil your authority as a photographer and a serious business partner.

Based on materials from the site: