My First Studio Test Shoot: Learning Lights & Tethering at Darwin Studio

So, I did a thing. I booked the Darwin Innovation Hub studio for a test shoot. I did this because I wanted to finally learn how to use a proper studio lighting setup and shoot tethered. Up until now, I’ve always worked with natural light and on camera flash so walking into the Darwin Innovation Hub studio felt a bit like stepping into another world.

Thankfully, I had Rodney with me. He’s the guy who actually built the studio, and he was kind enough to mentor me through it. He showed me the basics of the lights, got me set up shooting tethered, and then let me have a play. Having him there made such a difference.

At first it felt a bit like I was pressing random buttons and hoping something good would happen. But once I started to see how shifting a light slightly could completely change the photo, it clicked. I get why people love studio lighting, it gives you so much control.

And tethering? Oh my gosh, game changer. I had my camera plugged into my laptop, and as soon as I clicked the shutter, the image popped up on my screen. No more squinting at that tiny display on the back of my camera. I could see everything clearly, fix little details straight away, and even show my model so they could be part of the process too.

By the end of it, I walked out feeling like I’d unlocked a whole new side of photography. I went in with zero clue about professional lighting or tethering, and came out with new skills, more confidence, and a bunch of images I’m really proud of.