My Space-Saving Light Wall Hack
With all the hype around light walls, I thought I’d share my own hack. I set it up by myself, without the need for a custom-built wall. My main goal? Saving space. Even losing 20–30cm of studio space for a built wall wasn’t an option for me. Plus, this setup eliminates trip hazards, and many of my clients actually think the light is coming from real windows—which is pretty cool!
I did this in just one afternoon, after countless frustrating sessions trying to make the two small windows work for natural light. The shutters made things worse, creating harsh, directional shadows and an overall darker look. And before you say, just take the shutters off—I can’t. These windows are at the front of my house, and I want my home to look aesthetically pleasing, not like a studio.
Why LED Constant Lighting?
Unlike natural light, LED constant lighting is fully controlled. It’s consistent every single day—no more worrying about unpredictable weather, time of day, or seasonal changes. This means:
✔ Perfectly even lighting for every session
✔ Effortless editing with no major exposure or color shifts
✔ More creative control over your final look
So, I bit the bullet and invested in high-quality LED lights. The entire setup cost me around $700–$750 AUD, and it’s been a total game-changer for my workflow!
WHAT I NEEDED
10 LED Lights Purchased from BUNNINGS AUSTRALIA. Which is a very large hardware store in Australia. This model comes with 3 colour temperatures 3000K, 4000K, and 5700K, which is something I wanted, I have all my lights set to 4000K. They also come with an easy plug in system and only draw 33W each (the average fridge uses 380 – 780W on a single power point and is on 24/7. This draws a maximum of 330W and is on for approximately 20 minutes for a session. These lights also do not get hot which was a non negotiable.
3M HOOKS – 20 hooks to hold the lights, I wanted something that would not damage my new windows, the home was just built by myself and I wanted to minimise any damage or repair work. These Hooks hold up to 2.2Kg each and the total weight of each light is only 1.9kg
Nylon Cord – I purchased this from BUNNINGS AUSTRALIA. The reason I chose this option was because it was cord for venetian blinds, it’s build to be ‘pulled’ on, it is strong and will withstand the weight of the lights.
RIPSTOP – This is really important, it will scatter the light particles creating a softer light for your subject. This will hang between the lights and the curtains.
4 x White Linen Sheer curtains of your choice (2 packets). I opted for plain white with a slight texture to the fabric.
2 Curtain Rods and 2 Curtain Rod DOUBLE holders
2 x Power boards to plug everything in.
PLUS IT MAKES THE MOST INSANE SILHOUETTE IMAGES!!!
HOW I DID IT
I roughly divided the height of my windows into five sections to evenly space the lights. Precision wasn’t necessary since it wouldn’t be visible. Using large loops of nylon, I threaded the lights through them and hooked them onto the wall. I made sure all the plugs faced the same direction, loosely tied up any extra cord, and connected everything to the power boards—hiding the plugs and cables under the shower curtain and linen sheers. That was it—so easy!
No need to build a wall, wait for someone else to do it, spend extra money, take up more space, deal with dust, or create a trip hazard. That was a hard no for me. If I didn’t have window architraves to attach them to, I would have just mounted them directly on the wall!
Plus, I’m super impatient—I wanted it done that weekend.
You know how there’s girl math? Well, same same but different—if you get me.
Does it look pretty if you pull back the curtains and ripstop? Absolutely not. Do I care? Nope. Because once the curtains are in place, the effect is utterly divine. It takes up zero space, lights my photos evenly—every single time, no matter the weather—and most importantly, based on the specs of the lights and boards, it’s 100% safe.
