Via DIY Photography I found an interesting article about setting up a budget photographic studio. The article covers the basic studio setup from the point of view of the low-budget freelancer, but also goes on to cover some other related topics. An interesting part which stands out is the following:

The idea here is to give you new skills you can add to your résumé, not a bad reputation. So before you attempt handling photography for a real-life project, you should definitely make sure there is enough time and money to pay for the work to be retaken if need be.

How can you tell if you need the skills of a seasoned professional right off-the-bat? Ask one. Here is what our photo pro told us to watch out for:

• Architecture, interiors especially. Resolving mixed light sources is a hell you don’t want to enter.
• Shiny Things. Got a prototype with a curved chrome top? Hire a pro.
• Food photography (and beverages, too). You’ve seen bad menus, where it looks like the account exec decided he’d take the pictures. Food photography is difficult, expensive, and worth every dollar you pay for it.
• People. It’s the most tempting one… let’s save some money on the company web site by going out into the courtyard and taking everybody’s pictures. And, heck, maybe it’s all you need. But if you’re putting those faces in the public eye, don’t you want them to look the best they can? Shooting (and lighting) people is a skill that’s often well worth hiring.

It’s good to have professional backup on my fear healthy respect of people-photography! I know that I will gain the necessary skill… just not for a while.