In home studio setup

[chrisvl]

I have a corner in my basement that 10ft by 17ft. Is that big enough for a studio?
Secondly I'm thinking of getting the Elichrom D-lite4. Are they too much power for that space. Someone is telling me that it might be too powerful.
I can always get the D-lite2 instead but would hate to want more power and know I didn't get it.

[TMR Design]

The "is this enough space for a studio?" question is commonly asked and the only way for us to help you is to tell us what you plan on shooting and to also specify the ceiling height.

[chrisvl]

Ceiling height is either 7 or 8ft.
Plan on shooting people, full body. Not just portraits sitting on a stool.
thanks.

[Unity Gain]

I have a corner in my basement that 10ft by 17ft. Is that big enough for a studio?

Yes, definately


Secondly I'm thinking of getting the Elichrom D-lite4. Are they too much power for that space. Someone is telling me that it might be too powerful.
I can always get the D-lite2 instead but would hate to want more power and know I didn't get it.


D-lite 4 should be perfect for that space....but the 200 kit should work very well too...I'd say it's a judgement call on your part about how much money to spend.

There only real drawbacks to a small space can be light spillage and room to put booms or stands. Other than that, it's not a big deal. Accessories like grids and snoots can help you control the light in a confined situation and prevent spill. Good luck with your shooting!

[ben_r_]

I think thatd be enough room for me to work, so yea Id say thats enough.

[SkipD]

Ceiling height is either 7 or 8ft.

Plan on shooting people, full body. Not just portraits sitting on a stool.

thanks.

In my opinion that space is too narrow and the ceiling height too short.

One can optimize the use of the limited space by hanging the background on a ceiling-mounted or wall-mounted support instead of using the more common light stands and bar method.

A more difficult and expensive problem to resolve, though, is the lighting support. Using conventional light stands, you'd never have enough room to be able to move the lighting around appropriately. With wall-mounted and ceiling-mounted booms, you'd have a little better chance of being able to pull it off. However, hair lighting for standing subjects would be a real problem with the lack of vertical space to work in. You'd also have one heck of a time lighting the background in some situations in ways other than having a light directly behind the subject(s).

[chrisvl]

Thanks for all the replies.
Some good points skip.
So now let me ask this. Given that I'm not a pro and that I want to learn and experiment do you still think the space is not good enough.
With those limitations what could I shoot?
A person sitting or laying down? Could I shoot 2 persons standing?

[cookey]

Give it a shot,if you succeed in confined spaces imagine what you could do in a bigger space.

Perhaps portraits using chairs,sofa or even a bed etc

[TomTomTuning]

Give it a shot,if you succeed in confined spaces imagine what you could do in a bigger space.

Perhaps portraits using chairs,sofa or even a bed etc
That would be great.

Yea i also suggest try it out, you could always use that light for any future setup so it wont hurt.

I have a family large garage that i plan on sectioning off to make a studio, so i might be pretty lucky. I just hope it come to the point where i make the entry garage a studio lol... Where would i put the cars/tools! haha

[SkipD]

Thanks for all the replies.
Some good points skip.
So now let me ask this. Given that I'm not a pro and that I want to learn and experiment do you still think the space is not good enough.
With those limitations what could I shoot?
A person sitting or laying down? Could I shoot 2 persons standing?I'd suggest you start with single seated subjects for portraits and possibly get into tabletop photography. Groups of standing people will be challenging with that space.

[chrisvl]

Got my gear today. D-lite4 from BH for $849 less $100, so at $749 you can go wrong with that kit. Fairly easy to setup with the exception of the soft box which required a little more effort and the DVD is very helpful.

Ended up setting it up in my upstairs family room as the ceiling is 12 or 15 feet and the space is size of a 2 car garage.
Good for now.
Thanks for all the input.