How to Make a Photography Set

Select a room in your house with a neutral wall color. If you are going to use the set permanently, paint the walls a light gray or off-white color that won't compete with studio lights and cast a tint.

Use a few yards of muslin fabric to hang as a backdrop. Install hooks in the ceiling and grommets to the backdrop, or tape the fabric to the wall. Customize your backdrop by spray painting it a neutral color that will work with clothing choices and skin tones.

Use a shop light for your main light source if you don't have studio lights. Place this light at a 45 degree angle about 8 feet from the backdrop. If you're using a shop light, hang a white sheet in front of it to diffuse the light. Hang the sheet from the ceiling, being careful that it doesn't touch the bulb -- these are continuous lights and are very hot.

Set up a smaller light opposite your main light source as a fill light. Place a small light that is directed toward your subject's head as a hair light to create separation between the subject and the backdrop. To create more direction, attach a snoot to the end of the lamp. A snoot is a cone-shaped device that points the light directly where you need it to go. If you don't have a snoot, create one by attaching aluminum foil to the wide end of the lamp with the narrow end pointing toward the top of the hair.