How can I expand to more of a studio setup for low $$?

Hmmm.

First of all, like they all said, figure out the looks you want to offer. Go from there. Unless you know what you need to do, you won't be able to achieve it.

Second, you can get great results with a variety of different gear. Muslins are great, I use them for all my work and they don't look "cheesy" if you know how to use them. Either flash or continuous lights will work, natural light is fabulous, and so on.

What matters most is to have a clear idea of how you want to shoot, then get the right gear for those desired results, then practice until its use is second nature.

Once you have mastered a particular method, then start looking at what you need for and how to do other styles.

Biggest hint for location portraits- keep it as simple as possible. Time is always lacking, there will never been working room or outlets or patience from your clients. The more complex your setup, the more things can go wrong with it.

--
David M. Converse
Lumigraphics
http://www.lumigraphics.com
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