what equipment do I need in a photo studio?

I love photography.
I own a Nikon D40x digital camera.
I want to transform an empty room into a photo studio.
I'm not sure which equipment pieces are necessary -I'm a total newbie at this.
I know I need a couple of umbrellas, lights,and a backdrop but I know there's more to it.
but I'm not sure which ones are necessary for beginners...
Also, I'm looking towards finding reasonably priced items.

I"m glad Andre mentioned strobist. Their site is here:

http://www.strobist.com

It gives some examples of equipment you can purchase to get you started.

Lighting is something you can grow into, especially when on a budget. Lots of photographers get good results with one light, for example. To me, it is better to buy one light that is a little better than two that are underpowered.

Light stand
Umbrella (shoot through or relector) or softbox
Strobe
Some way to trigger (either a sync cord, which means you will need to buy a hotshoe adapter for your D40X, or a wireless trigger/receiver)

If you use a strobe designed with a hot shoe, you may need to purchase an adapter to connect it to the light stand.

Besides browsing online camera stores (which can be intimidating because they read profession (read: Expensive) gear, try looking through eBay. With eBay, it is easy to go TOO cheap. But you can at least look at the offerings as see what the equipment looks like.

E18: Budget Online Video/Photo Equipment Advice and Review

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