We often see advice on packing up your kitchen or safely transporting houseplants , and even steps for packing your entire home. But what happens when it's not just your personal things in boxes, but something that affects your livelihood?
That's a big issue for many photographers. With thousands of dollars in gear and a business that can’t afford delays, there’s no room for broken equipment or lost time. Every lens, light, and cable matters.
So to help make a move with all your equipment less daunting, we spoke with Seattle-area professional photographer Brianna Bray and asked her to walk you through the most important things about moving your photo studio.
Thomas O'Sullivan is the Senior Manager of Service Operations at Porch Moving Group, where he oversees the post-booking customer experience for HireAHelper. His expertise is the part of a move most people never see — the logistics, coordination, and accountability that turn a booking into a finished move.
Thomas has spent six years in the moving and relocation industry, starting in corporate relocation and long-distance logistics before stepping into his current role. He's supported more than 130,000 moves across local labor, full-service, commercial, and long-distance work — experience he draws on to make sure HireAHelper content reflects how moves actually go.
Photography is more than just a creative hobby. It’s a profession that relies on attention to detail, timing, and expensive gear. A single camera body can run upward of $3,000. That's before adding lenses, lighting kits, backdrops, or editing hardware. In fact, the average professional photographer has between $1,000 and $10,000 worth of equipment. You don't want that tossed into a moving truck like a box of kitchen towels!
On top of that, the U.S. photography industry is valued at $16.2 billion, and many photographers are always on the move. They travel or relocate to meet client demand and find new opportunities. But when you're packing up and moving your entire business, you're moving high-value, highly sensitive tools of the trade. That means you have to plan ahead to make sure it all stays safe and free from damage.
The good news is, just like professional piano movers exist, so do professional studio movers.
Whether you’re planning to move your photo studio somewhere permanent or just temporarily, the pros advise you to create a detailed moving plan anytime your equipment is transported anywhere.
Before you unplug a single cord, back up your digital assets. Then, back them up again.
Client files, editing presets, and project archives are the lifeblood of your photography business. Losing them during a move could mean delays, broken contracts, and lost trust. The safest route? Back up everything to both a cloud storage service and an external hard drive. Redundancy is your friend here.
Cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Backblaze offer offline security and easy access from anywhere. But you should also invest in an external hard drive or SSD that stays with you during the move.
When packing your tech — laptops, monitors, or external drives — treat them with the same care you give your cameras. Use original boxes if you still have them, or wrap each item in anti-static foam or padded sleeves. Label cables and accessories clearly. You don’t want to waste hours untangling mystery cords later.
When you decide to move, give yourself plenty of time to pack your equipment carefully. “It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Take your time packing your equipment and triple-check your gear,” says Brianna Bray. She recommends relegating your photo studio packing to its own day.
If you have glass or other delicate items, check out these tips for packing fragile items.
If you have any large photo equipment in your studio — or just a lot of it —write down the height and width of your largest equipment and the dimensions of your new location. If you don't have the measurements of the new area, ask your realtor to help you get them. If this isn’t possible, research storage units in the area so you have a backup plan in case something doesn’t fit.
“When it comes to your camera and lenses, you might be tempted to bubble wrap everything and put it in a box. However… [f]or this part of your gear, a proper camera bag or hard case is non-negotiable.”
Here’s a helpful guide for determining the space needed for a photography studio. An estimate also helps you decide what size moving truck you may need, whether you rent a truck or hire professional movers.
No matter if you’re an amateur or professional photographer, you likely have a lot of equipment. It’s a great habit to create an inventory list for every single item you own.
Your photo equipment inventory list should include:
Make a separate column to record the condition of all of your items. Even better if you take photos and create digital receipts in case you need to be reimbursed through your insurance. You can use a pre-written equipment list to help jog your memory.
Before you start packing, take a serious look at insurance for your photography gear. If you're moving a studio full of equipment, you'll want insurance.
Here’s what you need to know about how it works.
While standard homeowners or renters policies only cover theft or fire, camera moving insurance is coverage that protects your gear specifically during transit. So if there’s accidental damage or loss while your equipment is being moved to your new place, you can submit a claim and hopefully collect reimbursement or get a replacement.
There are typically two routes:
Pricing varies, but most policies range from $150–$500/year, depending on:
If you only have a beginner DSLR and a tripod, insurance might not be worth it. But if your camera bag is worth more than your car, insurance is one of the smartest moves you can make.
Pro tip: After you create an equipment inventory, share it with your insurance company. Include photos, condition notes, and receipts to streamline the policy setup. This also saves you a ton of time in case you ever need to file a claim.
When it comes to your camera and lenses, you might be tempted to bubble wrap everything and put it in a box. However, bubble wrap is not the best option in this scenario.
For this part of your gear, a proper camera bag or hard case is non-negotiable. Brianna suggests investing in a high-end case to avoid both damage and stress on your equipment during a move: “A hard case with shock-absorbent padding inside is always going to be the best option."
These cases can be pricey in themselves, especially for higher-end brands like Pelican. So, if you’re already spending this much to keep your equipment safe, it’s best to get a custom case that will fit your equipment like a glove. Here are some of the most popular brands you might consider using.
If you’re moving on a budget, Casematix makes a solid basic camera hardshell case. It won't be as durable and weather-resistant as a more deluxe option, but the egg-crate foam on the inside and hard plastic shell still make this a top choice for moving day.
The Casematix 8-inch hard case is a solid budget option. It's lightweight yet rugged with foam padding and an IP67 waterproof rating. It provides dependable protection for compact equipment at an entry‑level price point.
It’s no secret in the photography world that Pelican makesgreat cases. For photographers who can spend a little more on a case, Pelican 1510 is a great carry-on-sized option. It's perfect for short or long distances and has both roller wheels and a pull handle.
“If you’re moving your studio across the country…[keep] your cameras with you at all times. If you’re flying [instead], put your most expensive camera in your carry-on.”
The 1510 is a military‑grade, waterproof hard case designed for airline carry‑on sizes. It is pretty durable and will keep your gear safe in all kinds of weather and temperatures. You can customize it with foam inserts, padded dividers, or mesh lid organizers for the best fit and protection.
For those looking for a custom hardshell, My Case Builder offers a variety of options. The Nanuk 945 is fully customizable. You can use a builder app to look up your camera equipment and find foam that matches your gear. It’s also dustproof, waterproof, and fully TSA-compliant.
Pro tip: If you earn income from your photography and pay taxes, you may be able to deduct these cases as a business expense when you file your taxes. Double-check with your accountant for specific tax guidance.
Boxes and bubble wrap can work nicely for less expensive and fragile equipment. This would be for your lights, backdrops, props, and hard goods. Just make sure that you buy enough so you don’t have to skimp on moving day.
Bubble wrap is best for anything you don’t want getting scratched, or that needs some extra cushion, like monitors, external hard drives, battery grips, and props. We recommend getting a large, 100-foot roll of bubble wrap from an office supply store. For more on what type you should buy and how to wrap your belongings, check out our Bubble Wrap 101 guide.
Stretch wrap or shrink wrap is typically used to hold things like moving blankets in place on large furniture. But in the case of packing up a photography studio, its main use will be to secure the legs of tripods and umbrellas, light stands, and stacks of hard goods. Make sure you get a dispenser as well — it can be tricky to use without one.
Packing foam can be used as a soft layer of protection and is good for smaller components like filters and lights. The foam prevents scratches and dust from forming, and adds just a little bit of extra padding.
Try to avoid using plain old cardboard boxes with no padding for your camera equipment. Get boxes that are big enough to properly fit your gear but not so large that everything you pack into one rattles around. You’ll also want to have enough on hand to avoid overloading a single box. Not only are too-heavy boxes dangerous to lift, but they also run the risk of collapsing.
If cardboard won't protect everything you have, use a wooden moving crate instead. They might be a little more expensive, but they're a better way to prevent damage during a move.
Pro tip: No matter what you use, avoid empty space inside the packing space. Empty spaces allow items to move and knock into each other in transit, which can cause damage. Bubble wrap is a great way to take up space, but you can also use crumpled newspaper, dish towels, or a bunch of plastic bags.
Got everything packed? Now you have to choose the best way to get things moved. Photo studios come in many different shapes and sizes, which means you have a lot of options on how to move them. Here are the best ones.
If you’re moving your studio across the country, Brianna suggests keeping your cameras with you at all times. If you’re flying, she highly recommends you put your most expensive camera in your carry-on.
If you can’t carry your gear with you, keep it packed separately from everything else and clearly label those boxes as fragile. You might also want to give them an additional label, so you know that it’s your photo gear.
You also have the option to use a postal provider like FedEx to ship your gear to you. If you do this, make sure you plan to ship them far enough in advance to ensure you're not waiting for your items to arrive after you, and cover your purchase with insurance and tracking.
As Brianna explained;
“If you have to ship your gear, I would heavily research the carrier company prior to using their services. See what company has the least issues, best insurance options, ideal shipping speed, etc. Make sure everything is labeled as ‘fragile’ as well.”
Also, don’t advertise that the boxes contain photography gear. A simple “PS” (for photo studio) will tell you the materials belong in your studio. There’s no need to announce to potential thieves that the box contains expensive goods.
If you’re transporting your items in your own vehicle, rental truck, or container, ask yourself:
When packing the vehicle or container, you’ll need to make sure your cases and boxes are secure. This means:
And it might seem obvious, but Brianna stresses, “Never leave your equipment unattended. I always have my gear properly packed and then stored in the trunk of my vehicle. You never know when your car could be broken into so it's best to not leave anything in sight.”
Your photography studio is a large investment — and might also serve as your livelihood. Because of this, you may want to hire a professional moving company to help. Some moving companies are actually professional studio movers. This means they have experience moving equipment just like yours.
“Cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Backblaze offer offline security and easy access [to your backup data] from anywhere. But you should also invest in an external hard drive or SSD that stays with you during the move.”
If you're moving locally, take time to get to know moving companies in your area. You may be able to find movers who have experience moving studios. You can also skip some of the legwork and instead see mover profiles, compare quotes, and read customer reviews all on HireAHelper.
Now that you’re aware of all the options you have when it comes to moving your photo studio, there are still some pitfalls you should be aware of. After all, missing certain steps in the process can be costly. Here are some of the most common mistakes photographers make when moving:
If you can avoid these mistakes, you’ll make your move more efficient — and safeguard the tools you rely on to do your job.
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