Behind The Scenes · Camberwell SE5
Studio Photography
Lighting Gallery
Ever wondered how a particular lighting setup was achieved, or what a busy shoot actually looks like in the space? This gallery pulls back the curtain — real shoots, real setups, real results from inside Arch Photo Studio in Camberwell.
Music Videos & Film Production
Music video shoots here range from a solo videographer and artist all the way up to full productions with a director, DOP, stylist and set designer. The studio handles both comfortably — the stage area is large enough to set up properly without everyone standing on top of each other, and the blackout means your continuous LED setup is the only light in the room.
The most popular look is dramatic coloured gel lighting — split tones, single colour washes, hard shadow work. The studio’s 11 continuous LED lights give you the output to make gels work properly on camera rather than fighting for exposure. That said, some of the most effective music video setups in here are clean and minimal — a single key light on white, no distractions. The BTS images below show the range of what’s been shot in this space and how those setups were built.
Musician & Artist Portraits
A great promo portrait starts with the right light. For artists, DJs and bands, the studio setup makes the difference between an image that disappears in a feed and one that defines a campaign. These BTS shots show how modifiers, background choice and light angle combine to create the final image — useful if you’re coming in with a reference shot and want to understand how to get close to it.
Most artist portrait sessions run for two to three hours, with time built in to experiment across different setups. If you’re planning content for a release, a tour announcement or a press pack, seeing how other musicians have used the space is a good starting point for planning your own session.
Fashion & Editorial
Fashion photography in a studio environment lives or dies by the quality of the light. The most common setup here is a large octabox or softbox as the key light paired with a beauty dish for controlled catchlights — clean, flattering, and versatile enough to cover both eCommerce and editorial in the same session. The BTS images here show light placement relative to the subject, which is genuinely useful if you’re trying to reverse-engineer a look from a reference image.
The space comfortably accommodates a stylist, rail, art director and photographer without feeling cramped. Tethered shooting is fully supported, so your team can review selects together on set and adjust direction in real time. If you’re planning an eCommerce run or a full editorial shoot, the gallery gives you a sense of how other brands and photographers have used the space.
Product Photography
Product photography covers more ground than most people expect — and so does the studio. Small beauty products on a table with continuous LED lighting for video, hanging light fittings suspended from the overhead rig, bikes shot clean on white using multiple flash heads, or products given a dramatic edge with coloured gel backgrounds. The choice between flash and continuous light matters here: flash for clean still images, continuous when you’re also capturing video content in the same session.
The BTS images show the actual setup — where the lights are, what the space looks like configured for a product shoot — which is often the most useful thing to see before booking. If you’re unsure how to approach a particular product type, Robbie can advise on the setup before your session so you arrive knowing exactly how the day will run.
Commercial & Corporate
Commercial shoots tend to be more precisely planned — brand guidelines, specific deliverables, multiple stakeholders on set. The studio handles that kind of shoot well: there’s a production office space that doubles as a briefing room, and the stage area is large enough to run a principal subject setup alongside a secondary BTS camera without the two getting in each other’s way. Interview filming, campaign portraiture, product-led brand content — the gallery shows the range of commercial work that comes through.
For brands and creative agencies, having BTS footage of a commercial shoot is increasingly standard — both for internal content and social. That’s easy to factor into the day’s plan from the start rather than as an afterthought.
Personal Portraits
Not every shoot is a big production — and that’s fine. Individual portrait sessions, actor headshots, maternity and family shoots are a regular part of what the studio does. The lighting approach here is usually simpler and softer: a large softbox for flattering, even light, with a reflector or second head to open up the shadows. The BTS images show how those setups look in practice, which can be reassuring if it’s your first time in a professional studio environment.
Robbie is on-site throughout every session, so if you’re not sure how to pose, where to look or what to do with your hands, that’s part of the job. The goal is images you’re actually happy with — and the BTS often shows how relaxed sessions end up being once you’re in the space.
Seen Something You Want To Recreate?
Book the studio and bring your own brief — or come with a reference image and build from there.
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