Photography Studio Guide (Get to Work + Hobbies & Businesses Pack)

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Running a photography studio in The Sims 4 can be a fun and stylish business, but it’s important to know exactly what’s possible in-game. This guide covers how to run a photography retail store using Get to Work, with optional Hobbies & Businesses pack décor boosts.

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🏗️ How to Set Up Your Photography Studio

✅ Buy a Retail Lot

• Use the phone or computer to purchase a store.
• Your Sim’s home lot is separate from the retail lot.

✅ Transfer Funds

• Move Simoleons from household funds → retail funds to pay for store setup and operations.

✅ Essential Studio Setup

• Photo studio backdrop (found in Build/Buy)
• Professional camera and tripod (better quality photos)
• Studio lighting for clear, sharp shots
• Retail register (required for store operations)
• Display frames, tables, or walls to place finished photos for sale

✅ Important Note
Your Sim cannot sell photo sessions as a service; you can only sell physical photo objects (the framed or loose photos) placed in the store for purchase.

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📸 How to Run a Photography Business

1️⃣ Take Photos

• Use the camera + tripod setup to take portraits, landscapes, or creative shots.

2️⃣ Frame & Display

• Enter Build/Buy mode, place the photos, and set them for sale.

3️⃣ Set Store Prices

• Use the cash register to set your markup percentage.

4️⃣ Open the Store

• Customers will browse items you’ve set for sale.

5️⃣ Engage Customers

• Use sales interactions: Answer Questions, Offer Information, Discuss Shopping Preferences.

6️⃣ Ring Up Customers

• Watch for the shopping bag icon and ring them up at the register.

7️⃣ Restock or Recreate

• After sales, you must replace sold photos manually — the system does not automatically generate duplicates.

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✨ What the Hobbies & Businesses Pack Adds (Cosmetically)

While Hobbies & Businesses doesn’t change the gameplay, it gives you:

✅ New shop décor + furniture → Add hobby-themed counters, signs, plants, and displays to style your space beautifully.

✅ Roleplay flexibility → You can pretend to run a combined shop (e.g., a photo studio with art or crafts), but in reality, only objects you place on sale can be purchased by customers.

✅ Extra retail-themed assets → Make your photography shop look more realistic and stylish, but it does not introduce new photo products, services, or gameplay mechanics.

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💡 True Gameplay Tips

✔ Build the Photography Skill to unlock better poses, filters, and shot options.
✔ Use good lighting setups for higher-quality photos.
✔ Manually replace sold photo stock to keep displays full.
✔ You cannot sell photography sessions as a service (only physical photo items).
✔ Combining hobbies + photography for sales only works if the crafted objects (e.g., knitted items) are physically placed for sale in the shop.

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