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Daylight studio or blackout: which do you hire?

The difference between a daylight studio and a blackout studio, and when to hire which for photo or film.

Last updated: 7 November 2026

Daylight studio

A daylight studio uses light from windows or skylights. That gives a soft base for fashion, interior-like sets and natural portraits, and can make extra lamps partly unnecessary. The downside: colour and strength change with the weather and the time of day. Filter for daylight.

Blackout or dark studio

A blackout studio lets you fully control the light: important for product work, green screen, consistency across a whole day and film continuity. Filter for blackout. Some rooms can do both, such as Westerpark Studio, which states that daylight can be blocked completely.

What you ask the studio

Ask whether windows can be covered, how long that takes, whether doors leak light and whether you keep the same look in the evening. For film, also ask about flickering lights and background noise. More questions are in what you ask the landlord.

Frequently asked questions

Is a daylight studio cheaper?
Not necessarily. Our directory shows both low and high rates for daylight studios. The saving is more likely to be fewer hired lights, not automatically a lower hourly fee. See what a studio costs.
Can I shoot green screen in a daylight studio?
Yes, but changing daylight can cause shadows and colour differences on the screen. A blackout or a pre-lit chroma-key studio is more predictable; see hiring a green screen.

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