How to shoot in a rental studio with Mark Wallace

What is your workflow when you shoot at the studio? How do you prepare? What is the strategy? As with any other important event where your skill has to shine, a certain level of preparation is definitely required. While there has been a plenty of articles written by FD, we have decided to seek a third respected party opinion. Today, we would like to introduce to you the Studio Workflow of Mark Wallace, captured by Adorama TV. First step, once you get inside the stage:

EXPLORE THE STUDIO AND EQUIPMENT

It is very important to know what is included in the hourly rate. Some studios would charge extra for the strobe lights or rental grip equipment. Some studios would lack the essential furniture required for any successful photoshoot. The list of the things you need to make sure you will have:

Strobe Lights

With our studio you will always have three strobe already included in the hourly rate and ready for you inside the stage. It comes with various modifiers that are available upon request. In other studios however, it might cost extra.

Backdrops

While it is impossible to have all colors at the constantly running studio, the essentials are always required to be available. Make sure that the most useful and common colors – white, grey and black – are available. Find out, how the studio prices its use. At FD, you will have black, grey and white colors installed from the start, with 5 feet for any color included for free. We also provide other colors upon request at the additional price.

MakeUp Station and Changing Room

Is there a place for a model to change? Is it private? Is there a makeup station available for a professional production? Every photo studio in good standing must have it inside each stage. It also must come with clothing racks that are mobile, so you could load your wardrobe from your car right on it. Thinking in advance about the steamer is also a good idea. Some of these things would cost extra for you, so make sure to ask about it. At FD, we have it inside each stage except rooftop, included in the hourly rate.

Other Furniture

Couches, chairs, stools, cubes, plants, beds, anything that you might use in the shoot can become a crucial point of your success. Awesome studios, like ours, would always have a variety of props available for your game.

IF WORKING WITH MODEL

If you are working with the model, make sure to establish professional boundaries depending on your initial agreement right from the start. If the model hired you, pay attention to her needs, ideas and desires, your creativity is your asset but her wish is the law. If you are organizing the shoot for yourself however, make sure to set the legal agreement with the model, aka model release. While there are many of versions of model releases available on the web, Mark Wallace prefers using Easy release. He also advices to sign the release at the end of the photoshoot, with the witness in order to fulfill all points of the leal agreement.

Have Your Equipment Checked

This one is the worst. Because if you forget battery, battery charger, lens, or (!) camera, and as it always happens, you realize it upon already entering the stage, friend you are screwed. And your client is screwed. So it’s double kill. To avoid it, let’s double check instead!

• Camera
• Lens
• Battery
• Battery Charger
• Tripod (if you need it)

Be Prepared To Improvise

While there are many great studios (FD one of those) who strive to keep their equipment in plug’n’play mode and perfect working condition, sometimes small hiccups happen here in there. The trigger might not sync, the modifier might not turn, the backdrop might be stuck, and other that might happen while your shoot. DO NOT PANIC. At any great studio there is always a staff member that is trained and ready to fix it up for you, just ask for their help! Watch the full YOUTUBE tutorial here: