Essential Photography Equipment You Need for Every Photoshoot

Running a photoshoot is exciting, but it can also be stressful. Between coordinating models, creating mood boards, experimenting with props and lighting, and finding the right photography studio to hire, there’s a lot to juggle before you even pick up your camera.

And while there are many types of shoots, ranging from headshots, to product photography and social media content, there are some essential items that are needed no matter what type of photo shoot you’re running.

Types of photo shoots

Studio-based photo shoots held in our Yarraville photography studio are able to use our 6m white cyclorama, with the option to have it repainted any colour for an extra fee. There are 4 different coloured backdrops and a mobile table to help you get the perfect setup for your shoot.

There is also an accessible parking space leading to a floor-level garage which goes right into the studio space for easy product and prop unloading.

So if you’re after a cheap photography studio for hire in Melbourne that is also accessible and spacious, look no further than Yarraville Studio Hire.

Equipment to organise for your photoshoot

The following list details the equipment best suited to a studio shoot, where lighting and environment can be controlled and contained. While many items in the list will also work for location-based shoots, items like props, tethers and makeup stations might be more difficult to utilise without trailers, tents or further set up.

Yarraville Studio Hire also offers a range of equipment included in bookings. To see what’s available, check out our equipment page.

1. Your cameras

The obvious one. Your main camera is absolutely essential for every shoot. Knowing what type of photoshoot you’re doing will help inform this choice. Deciding between mirrorless, DSLRs, film, action cameras, polaroid or even just your smartphone is an artistic decision that needs to be made prior to your shooting day/s.

2. Lenses appropriate for your photography shoot

The right lenses (macro, wide-angle, telephoto, fisheye) shape your image style and quality. This is why it’s important to know your type of shoot, your shot list and what sort of angles you might need before you begin. This saves you from having to bring every single lens under the guise of ‘just in case’.

3. Memory cards with enough storage for your shoot and some more

Without storage, you’ll have a hard time saving your images. Bring a few extras more than what you think you need and ensure they have adequate capacity and are compatible with your camera. Remember to format them beforehand, and that any old images have been saved before you format (or say goodbye to those images the hard way). Also consider bringing a hard drive to backup memory cards onto.

4. Batteries and chargers

As with memory cards, ensure all camera batteries are fully charged or bring an AC power supply if your camera supports it. While photography studios should offer AC power, for cameras without this feature, it’s important to prepare in advance to avoid stopping mid-shoot to recharge or change batteries.

5. Camera bags

While studio shoots are easier for managing photography gear, ensuring you have an organised system for your belongings will help with safe transportation for your camera and recording gear, and make finding things between takes a lot smoother. This will also help directors or your assistant photographer who may need to locate certain equipment in a timely manner to keep the shoot running smoothly.

6. Lighting

Lighting is crucial for studio photography. The mood, exposure and focus of your whole shoot will depend on the design of your setup. Lighting should be predetermined in your shotlist so you know which equipment will support your creative vision i.e if you need any silhouettes or lighting gels. While some studios, including Yarraville Studio Hire, have lighting equipment included in your hire, if you have particular lighting needs it’s crucial these are organised. You can always experiment once you have your initial setup.

7. Reflectors and flags

Studio photography is perfect for controlled lighting setups and while bigger lights and gels can light a scene, sometimes the art direction calls for specific shadows or brightening certain spots of a subject. Consider the lighting requirements of your shoot in the planning and storyboarding stage and ensure reflectors are the correct colour for your concept. Any specific shadow requirements e.g shapes/silhouette should also be planned for when sourcing flags, cutters or v-flats.

8. Tripods and gimbals

Depending on your shoot type (as determined from the list at the start of this blog), you may or may not need tripods or gimbals. However for product photography, food photography photography, fine art or low light shoots in particular, having stability from a tripod or gimbal will be vital for getting those clear shots or macro shots while maintaining your creative direction.

9. Cleaning kits and cloths

Dust, feathers, hair, fibres, food… depending on your shoot your camera and gear could be exposed to all sorts of mess. Save your camera (and the rest of the shoot!) by packing cleaning gear in case accidents do happen. The last thing you want is a speckled image that you can’t save without a solid few hours editing on Lightroom and Photoshop erasing marks that could have been prevented.

10. Camera straps and harnesses

While not always necessary (and sometimes more of a hassle than a help), packing camera straps and harnesses can be useful for shoots where you need to be agile e.g up a ladder. Keep your camera safe and your arms comfortable between takes for those longer shoots.

11. Remote shutter releases

Remote shutter releases are another optional extra depending on your shoot type, which can be especially useful in corporate photography or with large groups. They can be a useful tool when taking on more of a directorial role particularly with models where you might need to get onto a set to capture certain moments and poses, or if you need a consistent background.

12. Lens filters

In studio photography, you usually would only use special effect lens filters as polarisers and ND filters are generally used for outdoor shoots. If your photography shoot requires this for its creative direction, ensure you’ve done a test run before you get to the shoot so you can get into the action and spend less time experimenting. For any experimental or crazy product shoots, it may be worth adding a lens protector for that extra peace of mind for your camera.

13. Computer/Laptop & Editing software

While a laptop and editing software is a must for post production and batch editing, using a tethering software is important for reviewing photographs throughout the shoot as well. This can ensure you have the right lighting, focus and direction to continue your shoot (and prevents you having to redo anything afterwards). Plus, the larger screen of a laptop will help you to pick up on errors and ensure continuity.

14. Phone camera

Again depending on your shoot type, your smartphone camera may be all you need if it’s for social media behind the scenes footage or photos. It can be handy to have folders set up to organise shots of different scenes or models. Even if you are using a camera, sometimes some quick phone snaps, while not your main tool, can help bring a raw and authentic quality to your shots.

15. Make up station and mirrors

Studio shoots that utilise talent should have a makeup station for preparing models and working with hair and makeup artists. This is essential for touchups between takes, or changing looks. Yarraville Studio Hire is pleased to offer two portable makeup stations with Hollywood style mirrors at no extra cost to studio bookings.

16. Steamer or iron, clothing racks and hangers

For fashion photography and e-commerce brands, it’s important to have an iron or clothes steamer handy to smooth fabric as wrinkles can become even more pronounced under bright lighting and with cameras that capture high detail. Yarraville Studio Hire provides an ironing board and iron for your convenience, along with a clothing rack for garment spotlights.

17. Tables, mounts and plinths

For product and food photography, it’s important to consider where and how you’ll be showcasing products that make the most sense to your shoot. This will depend on your art direction on whether you lay a flatlay on a table, or mount a product on a plinth. Yarraville Studio Hire has 2 mobile tables that can be used to photograph small objects and food, but for specific mounts, you’ll need to supply your own. Please note, we don’t allow mounts to be installed into the cyclorama wall.

18. Props

Many of the listed studio shoot types also rely on props to help create a scene. This can range from flowers, leaves and fabric to accessories like lamps, telephones, musical instruments, sports gear or even stuffed animals. These props should be decided on in your planning stage and included into your shot list or storyboard. There is ample space in our studio for storing props around the main shooting areas. We’ve had all sorts of props in our studio; everything from big furniture and dance ribbons to DJ decks and even stone tiles – nothing’s been too quirky for us (yet)!

19. Tubs for organising props

Our final recommendation for equipment to organise for your shoot is big tubs. At the end of a long day of shooting, the last thing you want is to be meticulously putting things back. We’ve found many photographers put everything into big tubs and back into the car or van to make cleanup quicker. E.g a tub for costumes, a tub for props, a tub for makeup, a tub for gear.

20. Snacks and water

Keep yourself and your talent fuelled for your shoot. Standing under lights for a long time can be dehydrating and taking regular breaks between takes and setups will keep everyone focused and energised. Yarraville Studio Hire has a small kitchenette with a bar fridge, microwave and sinks available for use where you can store food and snacks. We also have a small coffee machine. Alternatively, there are several food options around Earsdon Street including Smash Burgers Co, Madison Cafe, and the Victoria Hotel.

And there you have it – Yarraville Studio Hire’s list of essential photography equipment for every studio photoshoot. While we’ve tried to be as comprehensive as we can, your creative ideas are the limit, and you may have items and especially props that fall outside this list.

While the setup of a photoshoot can be stressful, being organised before your studio booking and having a few hands to help out on the day will mean you can get into the creative flow and get those epic shots!

The studio welcomes bookings from all types of studio photoshoots from creative agencies to businesses, students and artists. If you’re looking for a cheap photo studio hire in Melbourne that’s going to actually be of value to you and your talent, and allow you to take full creative control of the studio, make a booking with Yarraville Studio Hire.