setup a small home studio

[lucas]

Hi all

I want to use one of the rooms in my house for a small photo studio. I know it is to small to setup n proper studio. It is 6m x 3 m . I took all stuff out of the room this weekend. I will use this for taking some photo of friends and family. I will just basically play around there. No ame to make any money. My questions is
1. Do I paint the whole room white
2. There is n big window about 4 m x 4 in the room. Do I also use white curtains or blinds in the room
3. I see there is white, silver and gold studio umbrellas. . Witch one is the best. I will use a permanent light in it for the beginning
Thanks
Lucas

[Hanna-Lee]

Hi Lucas

There has been quite a few posts on the topic of home studios. Type in home studio in the search block and see what u find.

Good luck

[henry]

Don't paint the room white.

[dFe]

Don't paint the room white.

Why?

[EtienneB]

Funny you should ask Lucas,

I had a chat with somebody over the weekend. He has both completely black and completely white studios and he uses them for different things. If you have enough space you can go white because you can effectively turn the background black depending on your light setup. His other suggestion was to go neutral grey - that way it is easier to either blow it out to white or underexpose it to black. All depends on what you want to shoot. Family portraits - I was told that most people prefer clean brighter backgrounds.

[henry]

Why?

To avoid unwanted light being reflected onto the subject. The background is another matter altogether.

[dFe]

To avoid unwanted light being reflected onto the subject. The background is another matter altogether.

Which colour would you recommend? I have started the same exercise, and in my wisdom white was the first thing , with rails around to fit black curtaining that runs onto the floor. My thinking was white walls, black material give me a quick change over.

[tcmiller]

Don't paint the room white.

I disagree, a white wall can be used to bounce light off it, if you want nice soft light. It really depends on what effect you want.

Obviously the perfect studio is a room with no windows and black walls and black floor but some of us don't have that luxury and are forced to work in a spare bedroom or lounge.

[Marcell van Aswegen]

If you guys wanna see a neat studio setup, you must see Ivok in Hatfiled's infinity curve

Big ass hall with infinity curve plastered in, and bg part white with the white floor bg side, rest of the room/hall/studio is 18% grey to reduce spill or absorbsion i guess.

HeY Matt!!! post a pic so they can see!!!

[Mariusbez]

I also opted for the white walls, black rail curtains, and mounted three rolls of backdrop paper Black, grey and whites backdrops.In my mind it just give me more options as to what i can do. (ie bounce light of a white wall) Block/Scrim the light white black curtains ect.

[henry]

It really depends on what effect you want.

I suppose that is most important aspect.

I have started the same exercise, and in my wisdom white was the first thing , with rails around to fit black curtaining that runs onto the floor. My thinking was white walls, black material give me a quick change over.

That's another way of doing it if you have a dedicated room.

[dFe]

That's another way of doing it if you have a dedicated room.

Yes have a dedicated area, not very big, but the area that I am covering with rails is about 4 x 4m.

White ceiling, white walls/black curtaining on rails, but still have to figure the floor out.

[lucas]

Thanks guy for all the help so far. yes mine will also be dedicated room . about 6m x 3 m. Dirkerasmus thanks for the idea of rails around

[Hanna-Lee]

I'll be moving to a new house in 2 months which I will be renting. Quite a nice big space to set up studio, but since it's not my house I can't do what I want. The challenge is this: knotty pine ceilings, laminated wood flooring and face brick walls!! Now there's a challenge, wouldn't you agree?? What would be the solution to set up a temporary studio like this or is this totally unrealistic?

[Mariusbez]

Bull denim, Cover the Knottypine ceiling with white bull denim and cover the walls with black bulldenim curtain rail, for the floor use either Plastic covering from maiseys or Buy some white material again. I started years back with white/ Black bulldenim as backdrops.
Hope it helps

[Hanna-Lee]

Thanx Marius, that'll defnitely help. You have so much wisdom for such a little guy!!

[Narciscus Studio]

6x3 isnt that small for a studio... I work in a space of 4x4, and I do quite a bit of commercial work in there. In fact its a fab size, provided youre shooting down the 6m... Painting the walls is a case of preference really, some prefer mid grey, other's Black, and some (like me White). Ive heard good reasons for all three, and cant fault any of these reasons, so you'll probably have to play a little, and see, which best suits, what youre planning on shooting really. I can tell you why I prefer White... Shooting a fair amount of fashion and brochure work, and great deal of this is high key oriented. I HATE using reflectors... of ANY description, in ANY situation. In the studio, they get in the way, as I seldom use an assistant... outdoors they blow away... even if youre damn well holding them, to the extent where if youre at the beach and the reflector is big enough, you are quite able to paraglide So not cool, when you have a crowd of people laughing their asses off at you flying by holding a 1k scrim... I have learned to control the way, my walls act as reflectors, according to what Im shooting. And when I shoot against Black, it doesnt seem to impact my images at all. There are other reasons, but I dont want to be long winded

As far as the window goes... Id suggest using a bull denim curtain (floor length) with a black facing/backing. This should be sufficient sun blockout. Another extreme way, is to cut a masonite / poly, board to fit, inside the frame, to completely block out the sun. I know some togs, reckon they just burn out any existing light using their strobes... but I prefer to rather have complete control over my lighting.

If youre planning on using a continuous light, Im guessing it'll be daylight balanced tungsten or halogen? Either way, Id recommend a silver or white umbrella to begin with, as Ive always found continuous light to give off a gold / yellow cast, and the silver will balance this nicely. Gold might make all your subjects look like goldfinger

Goodluck mate, I hope you come right...

[A.meiring]

here is an idea,, why dont all of you post photos of your studios???

[Picshaman]

here is an idea,, why dont all of you post photos of your studios???

Been done before, see the following thread:

http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/forum/...e+studio+setup

[Gerrit Laubscher]

nks for the thread ... going to read carefully ...