My In-Home Photography Studio

"Dream... The Impossible Dream..."

I've been singing that line as I work on this post to show off my new in-home photography studio that used to be my office/craft/junk room. You will understand why I've been singing that after you see these "before" pictures. 

Remember how I had that list of projects to do before Maylee was born? This was one of them. It never got done. The office and I have had a love/hate relationship. I loved it for it's potential as a work room, it was a place where I could go and craft and sew and keep my junk out without having to hide it from tiny toddler hands and clear off the table before every meal... But that's just what it became. A junk room. Full of JUNK. Junk that I have a very hard time parting with. (You remember that I'm a hoarder, right?) That's why I hated this room. It wasn't fulfilling its potential. 

I'm not sure why I am sharing these pictures. Maybe the "afters" will look better if you see how bad the "befores" are. (And please don't mind that random "44"... I just noticed it and am too lazy to fix it in Photoshop!)

Anyone that's come over to my house for an indoor shoot knows that I have a small space to work in. I would move my kitchen table into the living room and setup my portable floor & backdrops in the kitchen because that's where the most space was with the best natural light. I used to think natural light was the only way to go until I realized (from TONS of research) that I could do simple, effective studio lighting without spending thousands of dollars on equipment. This realization, coupled with the hassle of rearranging my furniture for every shoot made me want to move my studio setup into its semi-permanent home in the office.

This transformation took me two weeks. I wanted to finish it so I could bring clients in this past Tuesday, and I did it! Any time both girls would be asleep I was in there. The time I'd usually be doing laundry I was in there instead. When I should've been sleeping I was in there... And I got it done! Well, it was good enough that I felt okay taking clients in there. There is still a LOT I want to do...

 Clara likes hanging out in the new space.

May modeled for me for my new two-light setup late Monday night when I finally finished. I love the catch lights in her eyes that the big umbrella makes. I also decided I'm a fan of the umbrella because it is so quick to setup and take down, unlike the softbox that just stays set up all the time because it is such a hassle to put together.

I have future plans for a backdrop rack to hold my backdrops rolled up (so they don't get wrinkly and need to be ironed the night before a shoot- something that takes about 20 minutes per backdrop), more of my prints covering the walls, a new floor, new prop storage solutions... Exciting things are happening.

I love that I have somewhere that I can leave my backdrops & floor setup out of the way, but that I can also clear away the space if we have company over. I also plan on putting Maylee in there in her pack and play at nights now that she is sleeping for long stretches at a time. Eventually she will be in a crib and she and Clara will share what is now Clara's room, but I am not comfortable leaving Maylee in a room all alone with her big sister quite yet.

And here's a picture of the little cutie that was the motivation to get it all done by Tuesday. Isn't she a doll?!