As a blogger I know the importance of having high quality photos for my articles. Since I write so many articles I needed a spot in my home that was assigned just for my photo taking needs. I came up with an idea that works great! I partitioned out a room using bookshelves and made myself a photo shoot nook complete with a pull down backdrop using a shade. All the details are below.
Supplies
Everyones photo area will be different but below are the things I used for mine.
- Table. I used an old wood kitchen table that was 30″ x 47″. It’s a perfect size.
- Good quality roller shade. I tried a cheap one and it was a waste of money as it was far to thin and got ruined easily. I finally ordered one online from from a blind store and paid a fortune but you can also find them on Amazon and other places: Room Darkening Roller Shade. I also chose the roller mechanism rather than the spring type blind. It’s a perfect quality for your photo shoot area!
- Various material for other backdrops. I purchased 1 1/3 yards of 4 basic colors for the times I don’t want a white background.
- Spring tension rod. Because of how my nook was set up I use a tension rod to hold other fabrics in place if I need a different color background.
- Clothespins to hold my fabric to the rod.
- Photo lights. Lighting makes a HUGE difference in photo quality. I purchased this set of three. They were reasonably priced and have worked great for me.
- Camera. I purchased a Canon Rebel T3 and I LOVE it! iPhone camera’s actually take pretty good pictures too!
Visuals
My photo area is in my library room. I used bookshelves to create a nook that is hidden behind them.
This is how my small room is laid out.
Whether you mount your blind on a wall or on the back of bookcases as I did it’s a good idea to measure a 1″x4″ piece of wood to mount it too. Roy measured the wood to fit for my situation. He painted the wood white then attached it to the back of the bookcases. Then he attached the blind mounts on each end to hang the blind. 
Extra Backdrops: I use the white shade 99% of the time as it gives a nice clean look. However, sometimes I have an item that is clear or white and it needs to have a darker background in order to show up well. For these few cases I purchased 1 1/3 yard of several fabrics I found on clearance for $1.00 a yard. I hemmed around each each folding it over and using a zig zag stitch. I then clip on one small binder clip to the corner of each one. This clip stays there at all times and lets you easily hang the fabric on tiny hooks or nails. This is how I keep my fabric from getting wrinkles. 
Because of how my space is set up I use a tension rod for draping my fabrics over when I need a different color background. I hold them in place with clothespins.
This set up makes it very quick to use a fabric background when needed.
To decorate I just used what I had for now. This included a photo from the 70’s of me in my dad’s darkroom and also a framed image that my daughter Amy created and sells in her online store. It says “I’d Love To Shoot You With My Canon”. (Amy’s RB store.) Then I tossed on some other items and a basket to hold some of my camera accessories.
The large photos you see are of our family dressed as pirates for a party we went too. 
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Hi, Nancy ~ I’m working two link parties at once and confused myself! I actually saw your link as a feature at the One Project at a Time Link Party. Congratulations on being featured!
Ah… yeah I post on quite a few of them!
Hi, Nancy ~ I’m visiting from the Hit Me with Your Best Shot Link Party. I am so thankful for this post! I’ve been struggling with my blog photos SO much recently. Usually I have amazing natural light to use, but we’ve had a lot of rain and overcast days, so my pictures have been TERRIBLE! I’ve had to completely rearrange my blog editorial calendar because of it. I can’t wait to get my photo nook set-up and hopefully get some better pics. Thanks so much for sharing!
Hello Tiffany! I’m thrilled that you found the post helpful! The lighting sure can make or break a photo though I’ve had some bad one’s that I’ve manged to correct using my photo software. But nothing beats good light. Its why I finally broke down and got a cheap light set. It’s made a WORLD of difference! Something I’m going to do but not yet tried is to replace the lighting in my home with bright white or day light bulbs. I was told by another popular blogger that that will help a lot.
Thanks for visiting and for your comments!
I’m planning on setting up a photo nook too, so you’ve given me some great ideas. Visiting from One Project at a Time.
So glad to hear that. Thanks for visiting!
Great ideas! Will definitely be pinning this.
I appreciate that!
Great setup! I know my photos definitely need work, and someday I’d like to find a space to do a setup like this. Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty 🙂
Thanks for visiting Brittany!
Great set up! I love the idea of using the white shade as a backdrop. Currently I’m using a poster display board, which is great because I can move it around as needed. My trouble is with lack of natural light. I need to invest in a light kit I think.
Yes, even a cheap light kit can do wonders for you! Good luck!
What a great post with useable tips. I’m still trying to figure out the best place and layout for a photoshoot nook.
Thanks for the tips. Great pictures was what really caught me off guard when I started blogging. I did not even thing about, but rather was focused on good content and writing. I am reading as much as I can on taking pics and trying to implement all the suggestions.
Thanks Kim for stopping by and commenting. Good luck on your photo work!
What a brilliant idea. I really need to work on my photos! A lot of the time I end up of running out of time and just rush my pictures. I wish I had space for a photo area.
Over from Made by you Monday.
Great tips & setup!
Team Craftwell
Thanks!
This is such good information! Thanks for linking up and sharing. Visting from the DIY Sunday Showcase. Sharing and pinning!
Thanks Wendi. Appreciate you stopping by!
Love your set-up and the idea of using a blind is genius!
Thanks Gilly!
Like a lot of bloggers, I struggle with getting great photos…for one thing, no extra funds for an awesome camera so I use a Canon point and shoot. I especially love taking photos of food…a very hard subject.
Thanks so much for your tips…I think I may can make a tiny corner of my bedroom into a tiny studio…how fun that would be.
Here from Rattlebridge….
In all honesty having an expensive camera is not all that important. Good WHITE lighting is key and then some sort of software to adjust your photos with. There are lots of free one’s out there. Good luck on your blogging adventures!
Great set up, I need to work on this. Where it would be best to not get too much light and shadows, it is on my to do list. Thanks for the tips.
Your welcome Nikki. Thanks for stopping by!
Nice setup. Great photos are a must. I still struggle with mine but they have improved with my new light setup. I probably could use one of those roller shades too. As of now I have shutters as my backdrop. Thanks for sharing! I found you via Thrifty Thursday!
Thank you Linda. Appreciate you stopping by and commenting!