Aaron, you should put a warning label in your episode title that there will be humor in your video that will make us laugh uncontrollably for at least five minutes causing everyone we work around to look at us like we’ve lost our minds, causing them to eventually have to get up and move away just in case we HAVE lost our minds. Of course, you know I’m referring to the Darth Vader bit.  Okay, now I’m thinking about it again and cannot see through my tears to type anymore. 

In addition to all the gear/tips you mentioned, some folding chairs, a small table, and especially a wardrobe rack go a long way towards making your model and makeup artist comfortable.

Was this post for me? Seriously, you’re timing is incredible. I just had a contractor leave here an hour ago after going over the plans to remodel my office. Although the primary function will be as an office, I’m trying to get it to double as a studio when necessary. I have most of the equipment you’ve mentioned, with the exception of the boom (those are handy). I’m trying to find a good way to suspend my crossbar from the ceiling to make setup even easier. I’m also wondering if I should make any special arrangements for power outlets. Trying to think of as many things in advance.

Keep up the good work!

thats a great advise, i’m always kind of lazy but that would surely help out not having to edit a lot the background after! Thanks!

Sandbags.  4 for $22 is a steal.  You have to fill them yourself with some play sand from your local hardware store.  
http://www.amazon.com/PBL-SANDBAG-HEAVYDUTY-SADDLEBAG-DESIGN/dp/B001AHALEC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327535681&sr=8-2    
The trick for me was to use a gallon size ziplock bag.  Fill the ziplock bag with sand and then it slips in through the double zippers of the sand bag very easy.

Another must have for me was a few sheets of white and black foam core from Micheal’s Craft Store.  They are $15 for a 4×6 sheet in my area.  I cut them, fold them, warp them with water, and use them for both large reflectors and gobos.

Just watched again…thank GOD i’m at home this time, so only my dogs think i’ve gone off the deep end. Do you ever have that thing where you are in a public place like classroom or work or doctor’s waiting room and you start thinking of something funny and your shoulder’s start uncontrollably shaking up and down because your trying to squelch your laughter?  Thanks, Aaron, that’s what your doing to your viewers….I love it

Natty Light shot

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianarneson/6747089007/

On some location shoots I use ankle weight for sand bags. I can put them on at the car. An once I get to location take them off, easy hands free travel.

I love to work with light! and I found that foil paper can be great as a reflector!
also when you cover any lamp with white chiffon fabric, it gets the soft box effect! sometimes I use colored chiffon to get a bit of color in my light!

Very true about C-Stands. We use them when working underwater with our waterproof strobes. They are not light so make sure you know that. When I shoot outside, I use a nice heavy duty C-Stand for my reflector. Since the reflector can sometimes act as a bit of a (wind) sail… the weight of the C-Stand counteracts that.
Video of using C-Stands underwater: http://www.hasselbladusa.com/promotions/chris-crumley-video.aspx

First of all, beautiful ending on this video haha.
Anyway, here’s what I have done:

When I go home for a photo shoot I take a Calumet travel lighting kit with me that I can just borrow from school. The kit is about $2,400 which is expensive for college students but if you happen to be a student take every opportunity to rent/barrow lights if you can.  I also have a reflector and a few large pieces of white foam core to help bounce some light into the images.  When I first did a photo shoot at home with my 35mm film camera and I wanted a studio setting, I just used some of my step dads work lights and completely blinded my subjects but I got the contrasty lighting I wanted with my images which worked out well.

Last but not least, I tried food photography for the first time for the restaurant I work at and what I’ve learned from that experience is to take advantage of natural lighting.  I had the Calumet lighting with me there just in case but I just placed the food on a table near a window and the lighting was beautiful.  It was sunny outside and the snow was also a great reflector on the food so it worked out so much better than trying to get up a lighting situation to suit the food and environment.

Here’s an example of food with natural lighting:

I’m going to grab some sex and fill it with sand!

Thanks for the video Aaron, appreciate you taking time out to explain the essentials to setup a studio at home, really enjoyed the video.

Great episode, but…but!…a fan before lighting on the list of essentials? Hmmm. List of cool stuff, maybe, but essentials? No lights? I’m looking fwd to the studio. I’m sure everyone is dying to get a look at your lighting. 

For anyone who does want to spend their time making sacks filled with sand, I did a blog post a while back about making legit sandbags for about $3 a piece. Here’s the link: http://blog.philblairphoto.com/2010/11/15/tutorial-diy-sandbags/

I tried something new; normal wallpaper as a backdrop. I did use it in a real photo shoot yet but I did some tests which were promising.
All you need is one roll of a fancy wall paper, a pvc tube, tape and some time
Cut the wallpaper into even long parts and then tape those parts together. I use 3 parts and got about 1,60m x 3m as result. You want to tape them from the backside so you don’t see the tape While taping you need to make sure that the edges are very close together. You will see gaps on the later picture if they are not. Though it is pretty easy to clonestamp those away in post.
After fishing that you tape one end to the pcv tube and now you can roll it up and use it.
It took me one or two attempts before I got it right. So be prepared that the first one might not look as good.
You may also not want to use the cheapest wallpaper. I don’t know the right term but in Germany we have Fleece wallpapers. They cost a bit more but they are much thicker and more robust.

I’m not sure what that means but I like the sound of it.  LOL

As for cheap studio stuff – I recommend having a look at this:

http://www.crazy-ivory.de/2011/11/07/cheap-home-studio-buying-list

Gaffers tape for sure! Also, black and white king size bed sheets work great as solid backdrops, if you have wrinkles, back up and have your model take a step forward. Spaghetti boxes make great speedlight snoots too.

I’ve been going back and forth between paper and canvas and i am leaning toward canvas because i can get it for the about same price and if it gets dirty i can wash it and iron it. Paper isn’t as durable.