Name: Will
Location: Tampa, FL
Occupation: Photographer/Videographer
Room size: 21 m² (230 ft²)
Cost of setup: ~$5K
Social media: Instagram
Being productive at home is about getting the right things done, not everything done. That's why we built Bento Focus.
Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself
I discovered photography two years after high school, and it very quickly became a major part of my life.
I was photographing cars in the local car scene every weekend. At first, it was strictly a hobby.
Occasionally I would find someone willing to pay me $50 to photograph their car, but it was mostly just something I enjoyed doing for fun.
It remained this way over the next 4-5 years as I hopped from one full-time job to the next, taking pictures only in my free time.
It wasn’t until 2019 that I became burnt out of working office jobs, and decided I should try to make a living out of something I loved.
I purchased my first ‘real’ camera, which I still use today, and began shooting freelance work on the side. It was still mostly cars, and the occasional portrait shoot.
After a while, I began working for other companies, doing mostly in house photography and video production for state government and small businesses.
One thing led to another, and without going into too much detail, a combination of unfortunate events and fortunate early investments, allowed me the freedom to leave my job and pursue starting my own business.
I consider myself incredibly lucky to be in this position, which is nothing more than being in the right place at the right time.
I spent the next year exploring different types of photography to determine what niche I wanted to specialise in, and two facts remained; I did not enjoy taking portraits of people, and I thoroughly enjoyed photographing buildings.
A glimpse through Will’s architectural eye — @cillwarraway on Instagram
I recalled the first career I thought I wanted as a child, an architect, and in August 2024 I decided I wanted to become a professional architectural photographer.
I am now in the process of building my portfolio through passion projects in order to appeal to my target clientele.
Take us through your setup
| Item | Model |
|---|---|
| Monitor | Apple Studio Display |
| Laptop | 14″ Macbook Pro - M2 pro |
| Speakers | Six speakers with spatial audio built into display |
| Headphones | Bose QC-35i Apple Airpods 3rd Gen |
| Keyboard | Apple Magic Keyboard |
| Mouse | Apple Magic Trackpad Logitech MX Master 3S |
| Desk mat | Nordik Large Felt Desk Mat |
| Desk | (~1970s) George Nelson for Herman Miller ‘Action Desk’ |
| Docking station | Utilizing ports built into display until I run out |
| Web camera | Built into display |
Being productive at home is about getting the right things done, not everything done. That's why we built Bento Focus.
The key features of my setup are the Apple Studio Display, and vintage George Nelson for Herman Miller ‘action desk’.
The timeless and sleek design of the desk pairs nicely with the similarly sleek and minimalist design of the display.
The setup as it exists now, only came to fruition in the last 6 weeks.
Before that I worked exclusively from my MacBook Pro, on a fold out desk which doubled as my kitchen table.
In January, I moved to a slightly bigger apartment with a more open layout so that I could fit a dedicated work space in the living room.
Having purchased the Studio Display already, I searched relentlessly on Facebook Marketplace for the right desk, before finding this one.
I drove over two hours to pick it up the same day, where I found that the seller also had a Herman Miller office chair for sale.
Makers
I was able to squeeze both in my hatchback, complete the workspace in one trip, and save some money in the process.
I set everything up around 10pm that night, and could not have been happier.
It added the perfect touch of nostalgia and sophistication to my living space.
I get plenty of natural light, so I don’t need to supplement much, other than a small desk lamp which is mostly there for aesthetics.
However, I would still like to get a BenQ ScreenBar for work at night, as well as a monitor shelf to raise the display to a slightly more comfortable viewing angle.
What’s your favourite item on your desk?
My favourite item on the desk is the dual temperature and humidity gauge, which is often mistaken as a dual timezone clock.
It came from my late grandmother’s house, so it’s very sentimental to me.
It’s also from the same time period as the desk, and I think it fits the retro theme very well.
A close 2nd would be my late grandfather's 1950s Cine-Kodak camera.
What apps or tools do you use to get things done?
The only apps/software I use on a day to day basis are Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop.
I have always been a loyal Adobe user, even when I worked in video production with Premiere Pro.
Aside from that, Spotify is, of course, always running.
I use Lightroom to organise photos, and typically do most of my editing there, only pulling an image into Photoshop when more refined touches are needed.
For architectural photography however, I am using mostly Photoshop to edit, since almost every image requires compositing.
Any tips for other makers who want to improve their workspaces?
I’m a big fan of sophisticated, minimalist setups.
At the end of the day, it’s a workspace, and I find having too many objects on or around the desk to be distracting.
I think having your setup consist of mostly neutral colors, with a couple smaller pops of color, is key to achieving a sophisticated looking setup that minimises distractions.
Make each purchase for your setup intentional.
Think, “how will this look with that?”.
Your tips for working from home?
My morning routine plays a big role in my overall productivity throughout the day.
I drink plenty of water upon waking up, go for a 20-minute walk, then come back home to have breakfast, coffee, and sit down at my desk.
Makers
I am a fan of the Pomodoro technique for managing my time, and I play Lofi Beats throughout the day when I am doing anything that requires me to be creative, like editing, or writing this.
I find that lyric free music helps mitigate potential distractions around me or in my own head.
For those just starting to work from home, my advice would be to first ensure your workspace is free of distractions.
If you’re a gamer, I think it’s important to have a separate space for that if possible. I also highly recommend dressing as if you were going to work in person.
This doesn’t mean putting on a suit, but it does mean not wearing pajamas at the desk.
Some people can work this way, but I’ve found putting a little effort into your attire before sitting down helps get you into a more serious headspace.
We’re a reader-supported publication. This article might contain affiliate links. It means we may receive a commission if you click a link and buy a product that our maker has recommended. The interview was done independently.
Discussion