Home made tabletop photography studio

How to make a photo studio on a shoestring budget? This question is asked by many aspiring photographers. The main reason for this is the extra cost it involves setting one up. The good news is that actually you don`t need thousands of $$$ to get yourself started in studio photography. In this article I'll go through the possibilities and options you have to make a table top studio for shooting small items and subjects.

Most of the things you need you probably already have at home. One thing you'll need to buy is a tripod with a tripod head (there are some cheap ones available too). For a tabletop studio you don't need a fancy carbon fiber tripod that costs some $300 without a head. The main thing you should be looking for is the sturdiness of your future tripod.
Now, lets go through the set up. First thing you need is a light source. For most applications window light will satisfy your needs and you'll be able to produce some great shots. Choose a large window and place your chosen work surface next to it. Make sure to avoid direct sunlight. Get yourself a background. You can use a lot of different materials as a background: paper, fabric, plastic, wood, stone etc. Paper backgrounds: you don't need special paper backgrounds. Go to your local art supplies shop where you'll find large sheets of paper in different colors. Choose the colors you need, bigger size is better, it will give you more space to work with. You can attach your background directly to the wall behind your subject or construct some sort of a support system. Just use your creativity.
One more thing you need is a reflector. Again, you can buy one in a camera shop, or use any reflective surface. A sheet of white paper (use a large one), cooking foil (make a frame and attach the foil to it). The main thing to look for is the reflective qualities of the surface and the size (should be at least the size of the subject you're shooting) of the reflective surface. Use a reflector to fill in the shadows of the subject. Different reflective surfaces have different reflective qualities, some produce harder light some softer. Just try out different reflectors to see the difference.
Artificial light sources is another option. You can use them to compliment the window light or on their own. As an artificial light source you can use an off-camera flashgun or some household light sources, just remember to adjust the white balance accordingly to the light you're using.

Lets summarize the things you need to set up a home made tabletop photo studio:
1. Work surface
2. Light source
3. Background
4. Reflector
5. Tripod
6. Tons of creativity

Remember one thing, it's not the gear one is using that creates great images, it's the photographers creativity. Try this setup out and you'll know if you need some special equipment.