Studio lighting question

[milkyc]

Hi

I am opening a small photo studio for products, food, head/body shots, kids and new-borns.

The studio can be any colour I like before I move in. The studio is 15x15 feet.

I was thinking about painting the walls and floor a mid-grey matt to slow any mad reflections in my small studio, and leaving the ceiling white. (just because I believe its artexed and hardwork to paint!)

I am thinking of getting darker drapes or black panels scattered on the side walls also, to create nice shadows and depth if needed.

I will be using a wall mounted roller option for mixed vinyl backdrops, including a true white, black, and a textured.

Can anybody see anything drastically wrong with my choices?, or can suggest a change for any of the above?

Thanks in advance

Mike

 

[Patryk_Rebisz]

No. Go for it.

 

[Michael Carter]

I was an art director for a big branding agency, and then a major US mall retailer for years and years, purchased a few million bucks of photography...

Fashion guys: white walls, big windows. Product guys: black walls, blackout curtains.

I owned a studio for a decade or so until digital got me out of the stills business and into the video business. I went very dark in my studio.

The reason: in a dark room, it's pretty easy to place a few white cards/drapes for a highkey look. I had a conduit grid where I could make diffusion cloth walls, 10' x 10' on each side of the camera if needed… and that's some soft, soft light, I could shoot models head to toe with a big sweet spot for movement. White diffusion fabric (I didn't even use specialty stuff, just found a good density at the fabric store) was cheaper, lighter, easier to sew, hang, store, and handle than heavy black curtains (which I had to have specially made). I'd just toss the white when it got dirty - I still have some giant velvet drapes stored because they cost so damn much!

But in a light room, it's really difficult to get big-drama, very selectively lit scenes, especially full-height models or groups. Unless the room is very big, it's tough to kill any stray fill and seems to take twice as much draping and dark boards as getting a dark room bright & soft. I find it really maddening to this day.

Just my .02, and I did enjoy doing real dramatic work vs. soft white work (though I probably had a lot more "bright" bookings for fashion/apparel than dark).

 

[forbyfiev]

Michael explained it exactly the way we think of it too:

 

[morgan_moore]

As above..

Fashion/liftestlye - white

Products - black

Im not sure where grey takes you.

S

 

[forbyfiev]

yes the floor should be darker but that's the way it worked out. In reality it'sdarker than it looks in the photo

 

[keithlango]

As above..

Fashion/liftestlye - white

Products - black

Im not sure where grey takes you.

S

Fashionable products?

 

[morgan_moore]

Say a motor bike engine or bit of a satellite you would probably want a black studio but croissants or clothing a white studio.

Of course there are no rules. Just huge diffuse sources are easy with white but as stated above you can get problems with spill.

 

[Michael Carter]

In a nutshell - always seems easier to brighten up a dark studio vs. darkening a bright studio...

 

[legrevedotcom]

Agree with Michael.... that's more or less how our studios are laid out. We have a big white seemless which can be used for a lot of things, and then we have a dark studio for the product things where we need to control light.

Food might be one product category though that enjoys a bright white room, atleast if you are doing nordic light like we do.

 

[milkyc]

After searching forum after forum for the correct answer, (reading on the internet is dangerous stuff!) I believe that I have found my answer on the above.

Thanks muchly guys.

Onwards and upwards....

 

[emretufekci]

To add the the comments above, here is our approach in my studio. 360 circular drapes w/black or blue curtains. Dedicated blue/green screen (on a pulley system). I plan to turn the floor gray soon.

 

[Michael Carter]

AFood might be one product category though that enjoys a bright white room, atleast if you are doing nordic light like we do.

Maybe if the food set was really big? For tabletop, it's not that critical really (my opinion) since a good deal of the set will be covered by softboxes, fixtures, etc. Seems like you'll fly a big sheet of foam core either way, white or black, epecially if there's reflective stuff (jewelry reflection nightmares anyone??) If you're building a small set for a sense of the room (prop tabletop, backwall or window)… then things get more intense...