Photography studio hire can be a complex depending on your requirements. There are a few things that should be considered before you commit to booking a space. To save yourself some time, it’s worth outlining what your requirements for a photography studio are before you request quotes. This way, you get exactly what you’re after in a photo studio and hopefully it runs as smoothly as possible on the day. Whether you’re hiring the space for portraits, product photography or something else, here are some tips for what to look for:

The space

Factoring in the size of the photography studio is crucial – this comes down to how many people you require in the studio space at one time and what you have in mind. Whether it’s for headshots or a music video – the size and height of the photography studio should be thought of before you book. Are you planning on using large props? You may need to consider if you need a space where an above average sized doorway or roller door is available for use. Is your equipment taller than the average height ceiling? Having a high ceiling could be essential.

Studio lighting and equipment

When you hire a photography studio, you can almost always guarantee you’ll be allowed to bring your own equipment in unless specified otherwise. However, not everyone owns everything they require. If you need to hire any equipment for the space, you should have a look at the inclusions or what items can be available through the studio of your choosing. You may find some places have a range of different types of backdrop including coloured ones and green screens as well as a variety of lighting options. If you are planning on doing natural light photography, it might be worth considering if you need a space that has windows, or openings to let light in.

Photography studio hire length

Typically, photography studios will offer you half day (4 hour) or full day studio bookings with a per hour overage for instances where a project takes longer than planned or booked. It’s important to factor in how long your set up and pack down will take as this is taken into account with the booking time requested as well. Say you have a 4 hour long booking but your set up and pack down takes 30 minutes each side, that means you only have 3 hours of shoot time. It’s also unrealistic to be expected to use the photo studio continuously for 3 hours straight with no breaks either, so realistically, you can say you actually only have 2.5 hours roughly for shoot time of your half day booking.

With this timing as well, you’d have to factor in padding for when a new subject is needed in front of the camera, or where models or people involved in the shoot could be late struggling to find parking or the like. As a general rule, work out how long the whole shoot should take and double that time, maybe a little less if it is just a photography hire, or a little more for a video hire since there tends to be more moving parts and more involved.

Location

The site location of the photo studio might work for you as a photographer but you should factor in your clients, subjects and stakeholders that have to travel to the studio too. Not everyone uses their own transport to get to places. so you should think about how transport can impact your location choice. Is there public transport available for use nearby? Is the studio easy to find? What about parking? Do you need any special equipment or large equipment that requires a loading bay or even the closing off of a road? Where is the closest food establishment? These are all questions you should think about when you are scouting for the perfect location. The vibe of your shoot should be flawless and having these things considered can help elevate the mood of everyone involved.

Facilities

Depending on the length of your hire, you might want more included studio facilities if you’re planning on shooting for more than a half a day. Do you need a kitchen or bathroom facilities for example? If you have a range of different shots you need to shoot, separate spaces might come in handy. You might need dedicated change rooms or preparation areas. Even considering if you need a space for relaxing between takes or for food breaks.

It’s worth putting together a check list of what you envision in terms of inclusions before you commit to putting down a deposit or confirm a photography studio booking. Your aim when hiring an appropriate space should be to make it as flawless and easy as possible for everyone involved – that will get people talking and wanting to work with you.