David and I started building sets for our photoshoots four years ago, and it changed everything for us! Before that, we were shooting with seamless paper backdrops—which are great—but building our own sets gave us so much more creative control.
We didn’t start out building giant sets, though. It began with just two walls, shooting into the corner of a room. From there, we gradually expanded.
Because you have to start small before you can go big. You need to learn the basics first.
To help you get started on your own set-building journey, David created a Product Set-Building Course. He teaches you everything you need to know, guiding you step-by-step through building a product photography set. The course includes an e-manual, a master material list, a master cut list, blueprints with exact measurements, plus 7 self-paced guided videos where David shows you how to build the set.
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The idea is simple: start small and go big later. Once you master this product photography set, you’ll have the skills to scale it up to any size!
The beauty of this set design is its versatility—it works at any scale. David and I have used this same basic set design for countless shoots over the years. Sometimes, we add a window or some trim work, but when you look closely, you'll notice it’s the same foundational set, just adjusted in size or detail.
We keep coming back to this simple box set because it’s incredibly adaptable. It can be super minimal, or, as your skills improve, you can add more elements like trim, windows, or other features. Once you've built the box set, you can paint and repaint it to easily switch up the color and create photos with completely different vibes.
This product photography set is perfect for shooting small to medium-sized products. David even shares his lighting setup in the course, showing you how to achieve beautifully diffused light.
You can purchase the full course, complete with 7 step-by-step guided videos from David, or, if you’re confident and don’t need the extra help, you can grab just the e-manual.
You can purchase the set-building course [here] and start building your first set! Don’t forget to tag @jadaanddavid in your finished sets—we’d love to see what you create!
