D. Brian Nelson wrote:
Storage.  Stuff accumulates quickly.  Plan storage well in excess of current requirements.  Racks, shelves, hooks; anything to keep things from being stacked in the corner.  The floor should be as close to bare as possible.

Electrical outlets.  Can't have enough.  Make sure the mains can handle far in excess of planned loads, if possible.

Non-photographic lighting.  Enough to let you clean effectively, look at slides or for dust on lenses, or anything else.  Nothing's as bad as finding that the first time you really see the subject is when the strobes pop.

Folding chairs - enough for twice the people you expect will ever be there.  If observers are sitting down, they aren't wandering through the set.  Those wood and cloth director's chairs work and are quiet to open.  Have a place to store off the floor.

Horizontal surfaces.  Tabletops or similar kept completely free of everything except during a shoot.  Handy for lenses, meters, film, the rings the model forgot to remove and so on.  Only useful it they accumulate nothing at all except during a shoot.  For that reason, folding "TV trays" are a decent idea, though there are probably better options.

-Don

Outstanding!

Metro Creative Studios wrote:
What besides the obvious camera  and lights would you consider invalueable to your studio equipment.


Please dont be a smart @ss. I want serious recommendations only.

Other than camera's & back drops and props, I would need some real good photo editing programs. I personally have about five photo editing programs and they all help me in different ways. With even the best MUA you will still need to edit your photos.

Chris Brown wrote:
The list from D. Brian Nelson is excellent. And I agree with ward. I would also add:

A place for models to change
A makeup station with mirrors and good diffuse lighting
A small refrigerator

Fortunately, the ones I rent have those ammenities...though, if the fridge is stocked with Michelob, even better...lol

I do wish the studios had better sound systems/cd changer etc...and on-site computers for downloading, as not all do. Some high-end rentals provide this equipment though.

If I built a studio, it would have interchangable sets, and the other things I've noted.

PhillipM wrote:
Buy what you "NEED" -vs- what you "THINK" you need as you go.

This is good advice, with some exceptions.  If the studio will be for commercial work then it's tough to know what exactly will be needed.  When I put my first studio together it was for commercial work and I made a lot of mistakes, resulting in the post above.

One mistake I avoided was that I bought more light than I ever used.  I bought 4000ws of used Norman packs with five heads right away.  In the four years I took assignments I never had to compromise on lighting.  The alternative would have been to rent as needed, but I avoided a lot of driving and ultimately, cost, by simply buying enough up front. 

In most things however, Phillip is right.  Buying stuff because it looks like it might be handy is a trap.  I have so much useless shit cluttering up my (now amateur) studio that I've never used...but it looked like I might some day.

-Don

P.S.  About furniture.  Depending on how much space you have, you'll have to choose between furniture and working area.  Keeping the floor empty, uncluttered and clean is the ideal.  Paper rolls are best mounted to a wall so there aren't stands touching the floor.  Lights too if you can swing it.  I've always had limited space, as in San Diego space is very expensive.  I also didn't have a real dressing room, but did have a clothes bar, and the folding chairs and table for the MUA to use.  A separate and private, but tiny, area was available for changing, but models tended to just change on set rather than use it. 

Given all the possible ways to use floor space, these days I'd want every square inch to be bare and available for shooting.

ward wrote:
Furniture. I've been to so many studios, that have no furniture to use as props for shooting on.

Thanks for the tips  all of you ... I was planning on a leather couch with the rolling arms white or brown...

SimonL wrote:
Effective heaters if you're planning on shooting nude or glamour.

There's little worse than arriving at a studio to do a nude shoot and find the polar bears are campaigning for better conditions..

plus if the place is warm you can use ice to get those nips RT. might sound absurd but i was talking to a gentlemen whos friend got an intern position at a large studio and apparently that was the job they had him do, ice nipples...

PhillipM wrote:
Buy what you "NEED" -vs- what you "THINK" you need as you go.

it's tough to have business if you've got an empty space and no gear in it. would you tell clients "well sure i can shoot that but i have to wait for the things i ordered to arrive first?" there are things you think you'll need that you do need no matter what the job is.  it's hard to shoot without power, or if you don't have a camera. if you're one who uses reflectors or fill cards/flags you need assistants or some way to position these things. i think when your statement applies is once you've got the majority of the most basic things a studio typically has. you don't need the luxurious things to get started. like using a cable instead of spending for pocket wizards etc

Metro Creative Studios wrote:
What besides the obvious camera  and lights would you consider invalueable to your studio equipment.

The space is 23 ft deep and the width 24 with 11 ft ceilings . doing a 2 car garage conversion.

You didn't specify what you will shoot.  I guess people, since you mentioned a makeup area.


Frankly a two car garage  is not much space.  Barely enough to shoot full length with your  lights pulled around to the sides and with your gear hanging neatly on the side walls.

Your office, retouching area, prop storage, bathroom, and makeup area will likely wind up in another room.

Since floor space is at a premium, you will need to be very organized.  Hang everything on the walls, or better yet on mobile racks.  Paper rolls hang vertically from the ceiling with a rope through the tube and a piece of flat steel at the bottom.  Put casters on the bottom of your pegboards, racks and cabinets so you can roll them around to reconfigure the room different ways.  Folding tables and folding chairs for guests.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

WCL

Metro Creative Studios wrote:
What besides the obvious camera  and lights would you consider invalueable to your studio equipment.


Please dont be a smart @ss. I want serious recommendations only.

I god the heater thing and AC , but would also like suggestions on a MUA space , like size is a big concern i know the MUA loves her space lol, The dressing room will be small but its ok. The space is 23 ft deep and the width 24 with 11 ft ceilings . doing a 2 car garage conversion.

Depends what you intend to shoot.

An overhead rail system is wonderful for holding on-the-floor clutter down to a minimum. You can attach anything to it and swing it into position pronto...no cord clutter on the floor. Works really well.

A good sound system.

A controllable source of natural light.

A clean bathroom.

Photography by Martin wrote:
As far as MUA space, I use to have the MUA do the prep in the main camera room, under the lighting I would actually be using to shoot.  I and they found this to be invaluable.

Just curious: Do you work with flash or continuous in the studio?

Olaf S wrote:
Outstanding list from DBN! Also consider:

Clothing rack.  Full length mirror. Coffee maker etc. Those large "A" clamps, and lots of them.  Gaffers tape and duct tape. Fridge stocked with water, soda etc. Some sort of snack that won't go off...granola bars are good, chips too. Hairdryer. Iron and ironing board and a steamer. Basic make up kit. Advil & Tylenol(!)

I know a guy who is a terrific chef. So when I need something i get him to make two massive platters of sandwiches which everyone gets to tuck in at lunch time. Generally there are a few left over so ive even had my lunch made for me for the next couple of days... SCORE

Metro Creative Studios wrote:
What besides the obvious camera  and lights would you consider invalueable to your studio equipment.


Please dont be a smart @ss. I want serious recommendations only.

I god the heater thing and AC , but would also like suggestions on a MUA space , like size is a big concern i know the MUA loves her space lol, The dressing room will be small but its ok. The space is 23 ft deep and the width 24 with 11 ft ceilings . doing a 2 car garage conversion.

I would read the information found at this link

www.nynphotography.com

Of course, no one is going to open a studio in the garage and start making $3,000 over the weekend, but reading through it, I found many great tips that I still use today.  They have a lot of advise.

D. Brian Nelson wrote:
Storage.  Stuff accumulates quickly.  Plan storage well in excess of current requirements.  Racks, shelves, hooks; anything to keep things from being stacked in the corner.  The floor should be as close to bare as possible.

Electrical outlets.  Can't have enough.  Make sure the mains can handle far in excess of planned loads, if possible.

Non-photographic lighting.  Enough to let you clean effectively, look at slides or for dust on lenses, or anything else.  Nothing's as bad as finding that the first time you really see the subject is when the strobes pop.

Folding chairs - enough for twice the people you expect will ever be there.  If observers are sitting down, they aren't wandering through the set.  Those wood and cloth director's chairs work and are quiet to open.  Have a place to store off the floor.

Horizontal surfaces.  Tabletops or similar kept completely free of everything except during a shoot.  Handy for lenses, meters, film, the rings the model forgot to remove and so on.  Only useful it they accumulate nothing at all except during a shoot.  For that reason, folding "TV trays" are a decent idea, though there are probably better options.

-Don

This is very informative.  Thanks, Brian!