I feel like this is something I should probably just say upfront so nobody shows up and has a weird moment later.
Yes, the studio is in my garage.
More specifically, it’s a wall on wheels in my garage, which sounds a little wild when you say it out loud, but I promise it makes a lot more sense once you see the photos.
Because at the end of the day, a studio really just needs good light, a clean setup, and enough space to make something good. It does not need to be some huge fancy rented studio with a trendy couch and a concrete floor and a whole lot of drama. This is much simpler than that, and honestly that’s part of why I like it.
It’s relaxed. It’s easy. It doesn’t feel overly serious. We’re not walking into some intimidating space where you suddenly forget how to stand like a normal person. We’re just showing up, using really pretty light, and getting good photos.
And somehow, this is the part that makes people laugh but also the part that works.
Honestly, if I didn’t say anything, you probably wouldn’t know it was a garage. But the behind-the-scenes is kind of funny, so here we are.
For reference, this is what the wall looked like before it was finished:
Not exactly glamorous.
But now it looks like this:
And that’s really the whole point.
The setup is simple, but it works really well. The light is good, the space is clean, and the photos still look like actual studio photos, not like you stood in somebody’s garage and hoped for the best.
If you’re already thinking about booking a studio session and wondering what actually photographs well in this space, I also put together a quick guide on what to wear for studio photos.
So if you’ve been wanting studio photos but the idea of a super formal studio sounds stiff or awkward or just not very you, this is a much more low-key version of that. It’s clean and minimal, it photographs really well, and it keeps the whole experience feeling easy.
Also your man can’t complain that you dragged him into some stuffy studio, and your kids aren’t going to break some expensive piece of furniture while we’re trying to take pictures.
It’s literally just my garage.