How much space do you need for a studio

mmcp42

mmcp42

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Title says is all!

I'm thinking about setting up a studio for portraits, small groups, parents & kids, for example

How much space do I need?

Is it the sort of thing you can set up in:
a) small bedroom (8' by 8')
b) conservatory (12' by 12')
c) garage (18' by 18') or is that going to be too cold?
d) what - even bigger?!?
 
thanks,
better add space heaters to the project then
it's darn nippy out there today!
 
mmcp42 said:
thanks,
better add space heaters to the project then
it's darn nippy out there today!
Click to expand...


:lol:
i do all my "studio" shots in my garage 18' long by 8' wide.
space will all depend on what style of shots you intend doing.. i:e a group of 5 people would take up a fair bit of space if you did them all full length yet if you shot them all . say head and shoulders you could do it in a very small space...

personally i would go with the larger space if possible but you can do alot in a small space if needed..

:shrug:


md:thumbs:
 
..MD.. said:
:lol:
i do all my "studio" shots in my garage 18' long by 8' wide.
space will all depend on what style of shots you intend doing.. i:e a group of 5 people would take up a fair bit of space if you did them all full length yet if you shot them all . say head and shoulders you could do it in a very small space...

personally i would go with the larger space if possible but you can do alot in a small space if needed..

:shrug:


md:thumbs:
Click to expand...

cheers - most helpful!
 
I have found that however much space you have it would be nice to have a little more.

Then you need more and bigger lights and bigger everything and then you hand all you money over to Bowens and your family have to leave you because you can't eat a Bowens Monolight and you end up on your own with no food and only a half bottle of whiskey for company. So you start living at the studio and then, for no reason that you will ever understand, all you clients want outdoor shots and the studio hardly ever gets used so you sell it.

Then you are left with tonnes of gear that you spend years and years selling only to find as the last piece of excess kit goes off to it's new home, you get a call from a client asking for some big studio shots.....

Where the hell is that half bottle of whiskey.....
 
Badger UK said:
I have found that however much space you have it would be nice to have a little more.

Then you need more and bigger lights and bigger everything and then you hand all you money over to Bowens and your family have to leave you because you can't eat a Bowens Monolight and you end up on your own with no food and only a half bottle of whiskey for company. So you start living at the studio and then, for no reason that you will ever understand, all you clients want outdoor shots and the studio hardly ever gets used so you sell it.

Then you are left with tonnes of gear that you spend years and years selling only to find as the last piece of excess kit goes off to it's new home, you get a call from a client asking for some big studio shots.....

Where the hell is that half bottle of whiskey.....
Click to expand...

hee hee - something we need to know?
 
Jamieconverge said:
the largest space you have available!

ive always found ceiling height a problem as well, the higher the better.
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hmm, garage is only about 10' to where the ceiling ought to be

now do I fit a false ceiling to keep the heat in
or fit tracks for the light?
or this this becoming a major works project?:bonk:
 
Jamieconverge said:
the largest space you have available!

ive always found ceiling height a problem as well, the higher the better.
Click to expand...
That's a good answer IMO

Whatever space you have, you'll always find a use for more.
However little you have, you can manage.

More space makes the whole thing easier and allows you to take on a wider range of work but the amount of space doesn't affect the quality
 
Heres mine it's was made by a stable company who left a hole in the front for me to put patio doors in it's 10ft wide, 15ft long, about 10ft tall in the middle going down to 7ft at the eves. One end is painted all white the front converets into a Nail salon for the wife when she can't fit people in to her place in town.

Pics sorry for the quality I just rushed out at took them a few minutes ago

3326576298_815830c46a.jpg


3325740339_c3759c4e12.jpg


3325740595_7dc8fbe8d9.jpg


I photographed 6 people in there on Sunday aged between 14 and 25 as a group and I think I just got away with it

But would love somewhere bigger!!!!
 
wow!
that's fantastic
many thanks for posting
gives me hope that I might actually be able to do something with what I've got! :thumbs::thumbs:
 
I was gonna buy a load of breeze blocks once and build a 20x20x10 high area. Worked out the amount of blocks too and everything. Just never got of my arse to do it.

Plus the planning rubbish....
 
Georgia's Dad said:
Heres mine it's was made by a stable company who left a hole in the front for me to put patio doors in it's 10ft wide, 15ft long, about 10ft tall in the middle going down to 7ft at the eves.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much exactly the same size as my loft that I am planning to convert and would love to use as a studio occasionally if there is sufficient space. If you can shoot 6 people in your studio then I'm sure I could do what I'd want to do up there.
 
Hi Georgias dad.

I have a large shed I have started using as a studio too. I have been using a white vinyl backdrop but I plan on painting it all white now too just like yours.

Have been trying to think of whats best to use on the floor though. Don't want to use a white sheet in case it scrunches up all the time. What have you used. Do you get a line as well where the wall meets the floor.

Missmoloko
 
what you usually do is drape the backdrop down and pull it forward so it's a curve rather than an abrupt corner
 
missmoloko said:
Hi Georgias dad.

I have a large shed I have started using as a studio too. I have been using a white vinyl backdrop but I plan on painting it all white now too just like yours.

Have been trying to think of whats best to use on the floor though. Don't want to use a white sheet in case it scrunches up all the time. What have you used. Do you get a line as well where the wall meets the floor.

Missmoloko
Click to expand...

I put mdf over the laminate floor and 2" masking tape in a curve around the edge all painted white but I will soon cove all the edges and paint it with a washable acrylic paint so it can be easily cleaned .

Rob I would think you'll be fine
 
Im not sure if i can help, but i can tell you what i use.
I currently have a background support which goes either 2.2m wide or 3m wide, which fits my background perfectly. So I needed a space at least 3m wide.

My garage is just wide enough, but as you say its bloody freezing, so at the moment im using my lounge, then when it warms up a bit Im going to strip the garage and use that. That way I can keep all my equipment setup and just move bits, instead of packing everything away.

I think if you have the stuff then it will be a good idea to try different areas out and work out which is best. I find that its most important to have length than width so you have flexibility to zoom in and out, areas at the side that are exposed can be cropped out. My lounge luckily is as long as my garage so makes it easier, but io have to move sofas and stuff so the garage is going to be the best place.

When I have the inclination to start it im going to start a thread on how to convert it, so keep an eye out in the coming weeks
 
FetchMeMyTools said:
Im not sure if i can help, but i can tell you what i use.
I currently have a background support which goes either 2.2m wide or 3m wide, which fits my background perfectly. So I needed a space at least 3m wide.

My garage is just wide enough, but as you say its bloody freezing, so at the moment im using my lounge, then when it warms up a bit Im going to strip the garage and use that. That way I can keep all my equipment setup and just move bits, instead of packing everything away.

I think if you have the stuff then it will be a good idea to try different areas out and work out which is best. I find that its most important to have length than width so you have flexibility to zoom in and out, areas at the side that are exposed can be cropped out. My lounge luckily is as long as my garage so makes it easier, but io have to move sofas and stuff so the garage is going to be the best place.

When I have the inclination to start it im going to start a thread on how to convert it, so keep an eye out in the coming weeks
Click to expand...

thanks - looking forward to hearing how you get on
I'm grappling with what needs to be done to turn the garage into a studio, yet still let the car in as well
biggest problem is how to seal the garage door to prevent extortionate amounts of heat escaping
(not a carbon footprint issue, more of a £££ issue! does that make me a bad person?!?)
 
potential issue with leaving kit set up in a garage is cold and damp upsetting your kit. Might be worth putting in a dehumidifier or maybe heating (but theres the cost issue with that)
 
david1701 said:
potential issue with leaving kit set up in a garage is cold and damp upsetting your kit. Might be worth putting in a dehumidifier or maybe heating (but theres the cost issue with that)
Click to expand...

good call
I was thinking of adding heating for when it's in use
and storing the kit elsewhere in between
 
Well I have a workshop (previous owner loved motorbikes), slightly too small to fit a car (unless you removed the side mirrors) in, but should be perfect size for a small studio. Currently trying to move all the current stuff out, but once done, I need paint, sort the lighting, heating and then pretty much done :)

Looking forward to it!
 
grahamc said:
Well I have a workshop (previous owner loved motorbikes), slightly too small to fit a car (unless you removed the side mirrors) in, but should be perfect size for a small studio. Currently trying to move all the current stuff out, but once done, I need paint, sort the lighting, heating and then pretty much done :)

Looking forward to it!
Click to expand...

cool, keep us updated on progress!:thumbs:
 
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