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Archive 2014 · Small studio space - Help designing

  
 
professorman
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Small studio space - Help designing


I am trying to design a small photo studio in my sister's house. The room is only 11'3" x 13'8".

I am planning to use wall mounted lights so that I can free up floor space.
I plan to use 2 alien bee b400 with strip boxes for the background light.

Can I use a alien bee b400 for the main light with a giant soft box, or should I use a b800?

Do I need a rear hair light as well? Should I put other lights in there?

I would like to have a sofa in the room. Do you think this is practical with the small space? I would like to confine my activities to this room, because the house is rented as individual rooms and I do not want to 'overstep' my usage. I would like to meet clients here as well.

Anyone else has a small studio? Show me your setup and or pics.




Jan 14, 2014 at 11:45 PM
cwebster
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Small studio space - Help designing


That's a very small space. The size will limit you to head & shoulders portraits of one person. Your lighting setup will limit you to one lighting style. In that small of a space you will have trouble controlling light splash (which wrecks your lighting ratios), so you'll need to paint it dark gray or black, making it fairly oppressive to work in.

There are few positives about a space that small, sorry. I speak from experience from shooting in a 10 X 14 space for 4 years. Frankly I do much better work since I moved the studio to the garage.

<Chas>



Jan 15, 2014 at 01:26 AM
leethecam
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Small studio space - Help designing


Black walls don't have to be oppressive... My modest studio has black walls but a medium grey floor (non-slip like in hospitals,) and once the backdrop is down it quite transforms the atmosphere.

(Just make sure you have a backdrop hanging if your invite anyone to see your studio then!)

I'd lose the couch though. It will drive you endlessly mad by being in the way.

True you are limited in the scale of image possible - but there are plenty of opportunities for tighter shots and mid-length.

My modest place is essentially 15ft x 12ft (with an extra bit off to the side to hold light stands and bits) along with about a 10ft ceiling. You can see my studio space on my headshot site at www.HeadshotPortraits.co.uk

(Not all the shots were done at the studio though).

I keep all the bits and pieces not actually in use in the utility room just outside the studio room so I'm blessed with this extra space. It's essential to keep things very tidy.

I also find it useful to have long mains cables for the lights rather than using extension leads as it keeps things neater, and I trigger wirelessly to reduce cabling even further.



Jan 15, 2014 at 07:15 AM
dmacmillan
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Small studio space - Help designing


Why do you want to do this? You mentioned clients. There's practically no market for these kinds of photos. Frankly, your space is inadequate to do a proper job. I'm sure the ceilings are standard height which is way too low.

I've seen the work that comes out of these kinds of home studios and in 99% of the cases, customers could get much better work at Olan Mills or JC Penney. It would be a lot cheaper as well. I think you'd have a better chance of success shooting location and environmental photos.



Jan 15, 2014 at 09:48 AM
BrianO
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Small studio space - Help designing


professorman wrote:
...I would like to have a sofa in the room. Do you think this is practical with the small space?


I'd suggest re-drawing your space and then measuring some sofas and adding them to your drawing to scale.

I think you'll find that the drawing above makes the room too big and/or the sofa too small to give you a realistic idea of how much space a sofa will occupy.



Jan 15, 2014 at 06:53 PM





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