How would YOU build a studio? - DPChallenge Forums

07/05/2010 12:41:16 AM · #1

So long story short, I have decided to build a studio at my house. Its going to be a room of about 16ft by 16ft. I have already decided on the light and will be ordering these.

I want to make sure I get the space right so I am looking for ideas from all of you. Would you do any certain thing with the ambient (ceiling) lights? How about flooring? The area is just framed right now so it's pretty much a blank slate. What about things that are not necessary but make a nice addition? Have you already built a studio and wish you had done something different? Enquiring minds want to know!

07/05/2010 01:11:28 AM · #2

you might save some money by going with these guys.

You could look into building a white cove, which might be best with the space you have.

07/05/2010 01:13:03 AM · #3

Originally posted by mgarsteck:

you might save some money by going with these guys.

You could look into building a white cove, which might be best with the space you have.

I appreciate the advice on the lighting but I pretty much have my mind made up on those.
What is a white cove?

07/05/2010 01:15:06 AM · #4

A white cove is like this...

here

its great for lighting in my opinion.

07/05/2010 01:16:24 AM · #5

my bad
correct link

it has a rounded edge on the bottom

07/05/2010 01:18:15 AM · #6

Originally posted by mgarsteck:

my bad
correct link

it has a rounded edge on the bottom

oh ok well i guess i should mention I have backdrops on order as well

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

07/05/2010 01:19:36 AM · #7

The coolest studio I have ever used is like this one here.
//thejesuswall.com/

They are very unique and still has everything I need. (you can see me using the studio in one of the pictures...)

senor_kasper

Nikon D800

07/05/2010 01:52:00 AM · #8

I was going to suggest you do exactly the opposite of the 'white cove', for the simple reason that having reflective surfaces all around makes controlling your lights a nightmare. So, I would paint all the walls and ceiling black except for the one wall where you will place your backdrops, which could be white. When you want to eliminate that wall as a reflectice surface you simply cover it with your black backdrop. Talking about backdrops, you will discover in time that seamless is a must and you will have it sooner or later, so, it may pay if you start with seamless. There are fancy wall mounted and ceiling mounted seamless supports around but they are expensive, so, if you want to save money when you decide to setup your seamless pm me and I'll tell you how I built a very cheap ceiling mounted support using home depot stuff. You can hang seamless using a crossbar installed between two light stands but that would steal a good 2-3 feet from your work area which you can't afford when you are starting with only 16 feet. I made the mistake of installing commercial carpet in mine; the floor should be hard, it probably does not matter what material you use as long as it is hard.

Message edited by author 2010-07-05 02:05:28.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

07/05/2010 02:04:27 AM · #9

Originally posted by senor_kasper:

I was going to suggest you do exactly the opposite of the 'white cove', for the simple reason that having reflective surfaces all around makes controlling your lights a nightmare. So, I would paint all the walls and ceiling black except for the one wall where you will place your backdrops, which could be white. When you want to eliminate that wall as a reflectice surface you simply cover it with your black backdrop. Talking about backdrops, you will discover in time that seamless is a must and you will have it sooner or later, so, it may pay if you start with seamless. There are fancy wall mounted and ceiling mounted seamless supports around but they are expensive, so, if you want to save money when you decide to setup your seamless pm me and I'll tell you how I built a very cheap ceiling mounted support using home depot stuff. You can hang seamless using a crossbar installed between two light supports but that steals a good 2-3 feet from your work area which you can't afford when you are starting with only 16 feet. I made the mistake of installing commercial carpet in mine; the floor should be hard, it probably does not matter what material you use as long as it is hard.

Thank you Andres, now excuse my ignorance but when you say "seamless" you are not speaking of merely a white cloth backdrop correct?

senor_kasper

Nikon D800

07/05/2010 02:08:43 AM · #10

Originally posted by smardaz:

Thank you Andres, now excuse my ignorance but when you say "seamless" you are not speaking of merely a white cloth backdrop correct?

Sorry I wasn't clear, I was referring to seamless paper.

Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS

07/05/2010 02:23:36 AM · #11

Originally posted by senor_kasper:

I would paint all the walls and ceiling black except for the one wall where you will place your backdrops, which could be white.

I had not thought of this, wouldn't white walls on the side come in handy for bouncing light? As in doing high key shots?

GiorgioBaruffi

Apple iPhone 5s

07/05/2010 02:43:32 AM · #12

Hi...

i've made my studio one year ago, and i'm very satisfied with this Elinchrome kit:

elinchrom

with the skyport to use both the flash, a really good light at a right price...

then i've made a support for the backgrounds with a curtain rod (attached on the wall) where i hang the towels.

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

07/05/2010 02:46:20 AM · #13

Originally posted by GiorgioBaruffi:

Thanks Giorgio, as I mentioned earlier, I already have some Hensel lights picked out, the advice I am looking for is pertaining to the actual studio itself.

yanko

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

07/05/2010 03:22:55 AM · #14

May I suggest changing the thread title to "Need help choosing lights"? You may get more studio building advice that way. :P

GiorgioBaruffi

Apple iPhone 5s

Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS

07/05/2010 03:31:11 AM · #15

Originally posted by yanko:

May I suggest changing the thread title to "Need help choosing lights"? You may get more studio building advice that way. :P

LOL!!! great suggestion!

chromeydome

Nikon D7000

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

07/05/2010 03:54:48 AM · #16

So I listened on the streaming feed of the Zach Arias workshop a few weeks back: he specifically noted (when asked) that for a large studio space, white walls are fine because you can always back away from them to make them darker--but he recommended for small space to go with darker walls precisely because they will otherwise bounce light everywhere no matter what, making it more difficult to control the light.

Having worked in large white studios and small ones, I completely agree. I'm not sure I would go black, but I have a couple of cans of 18% gray paint I got mixed to match gray seamless paper... That is what I'll use. I second the seamless (I'd start with white, grey & black, but that's just me) and the hard floor. Dunno if you have a high ceiling option, but if so, higher the better, likewise darker paint if lower.

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/05/2010 04:01:15 AM · #17

All I know is what I learned as a child: do not build out of straw or sticks. Bricks are good for keeping the wolves at bay. Good luck, Jason!

chromeydome

Nikon D7000

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

07/05/2010 04:01:49 AM · #18

Also, one studio I work out of has all the walls done differently (one brick, one roughly painted concrete,etc) and two concentric curtain tracks on the ceiling that encircle the room: these have black and white, respectively, full floor length drapes that will reach around the room. So all or part of the room can be made to have black or white backdrops or a mix. This studio also has seamless rolls at one end, and hard flooring.

07/05/2010 04:17:14 AM · #19

Originally posted by chromeydome:

ahhhh....smaller studio needs less reflective walls....makes sense now

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

07/05/2010 04:18:00 AM · #20

Originally posted by yanko:

May I suggest changing the thread title to "Need help choosing lights"? You may get more studio building advice that way. :P

HA! I was starting to question my own thread!

cdrice

Nikon D7000

07/05/2010 05:07:06 AM · #21

Originally posted by chromeydome:

So I listened on the streaming feed of the Zack Arias workshop a few weeks back. .

Since you've already mentioned my Man-Crush, ;) I'll drop another few plugs for his advice here... These are geared (ha! no pun... well, you know) toward a specific setup for shooting against pure white backgrounds, but they have lots of great general studio set-up advice as well. Most studio-specific discussion is in part 1, I believe. Parts 2-5 and video are more suited if you're really looking for the nitty-gritty of using the white seamless / cyc wall / cove BGs, which as luck would have it were also already mentioned in this thread. I'm just on-topic all over the place. ;) Or if you attended the online workshop mentioned above -- this is much of the same material, presented in slightly different form.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 2b, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Q&A Post Processing Video

PS - It's Z-a-c-k, with a "k". You'd think you'd remember that from the workshop, as many times as he joked about people getting it wrong... :P :D <-- Smileys! ;)

Message edited by author 2010-07-05 05:11:06.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/05/2010 12:48:14 PM · #22

bump for ideas from the am crowd

njsabs

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

07/05/2010 01:21:54 PM · #23

Jason, as you know I have the white walls, however, I also have the ability to cover them with my backdrops on my curtain tracks...I love that curtain system....and it was fairly inexpensive. I actually like having the flexibility to have the light bounce all around, or to keep it completely controlled. In our shoot together of Sofia, the walls were covered, with only the ceiling exposed with white. As far as flooring, I would have loved to put wood flooring in, you can use the flooring as part of the image if you would like. Something that looks rich in textures and tones. Or cement flooring can always work as well.....it gives a good texture as well. Hanging a system from the ceiling is a great idea....can save you a bit more space.....you are right on track with your lighting ;O).