My studio is done. (Long post, a few pictures)

[iwatkins]

Hi All,

Some of you will have been following my thread about my new studio.

Anyway, done all he hard work getting it done, now time to have some fun. I hope to start doing product photography almost straight away, but portraits are still a few weeks away as I'm awaiting delivery of backdrops/system.

So some photos and words below to run you through it all:

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1. This is the store room I started with. Full of speed rack and several tons of cardboard sleeves packed with acetates. Half of the speed rack was bolted to the wall (drywall) so these parts needed patching, filling and sanding.

http://www.asrv84.dsl.pipex.com/Studio/studio-before1.jpg

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2. Read all about the rest of the work, purchasing etc. over in this thread:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=54329

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3. The finished item. This shot shows the main portrait area, which will be set up almost permenantly. I have a backdrop system and backdrops yet to go in, should be in the next week or so. The lights you can see are the Elinchroms Style 600RX monoblocks. They may seem a bit powerful for portrait work but they will occasionally be used for lighting cars as well, hence the extra power. Behind the small backdrop I currently have is a storage area (right of shot) where all the props, lighting kit etc. not being used will be stored. It is a 6 x 8 foot area, so plenty of room there. Currently two shelf units there, but will probably end up with much larger units, hooks for materials, racks for papers etc. But all that can wait.

http://www.asrv84.dsl.pipex.com/Studio/20050219_1705_6975.jpg

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4. This is a shot looking back up the studio. I hope this shows how much free floor space I have (I've taken Bloo Dog's advice on this).

http://www.asrv84.dsl.pipex.com/Studio/20050219_1707_6984.jpg

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5. This is another shot looking back up the studio. Here you can see a small shelf system with a small table lamp (fitted with a daylight bulb). With just the strobe modelling lights, there isn't enough light back this end of the studio to safely move about, hence the small lamp. Also on this shelf is the sound system (CD or Minidisc ;)). The sound system is reclaimed from the attic at home, so didn't cost a penny. :)

Up on the wall I have a clock for client use and the speakers for the sound system (they are KEFs Gary ;)). In the right hand corner I have my shooting table for product photography. I've a very large sheet of wood coming for this along with some castors so I can move the whole lot where ever I want easily (more advice from Bloo Dog here). Sitting on top of that is a Colorama MiniCove which I got second hand but have repainted to as new.

You can also see my studio stand, also second hand. This needed a lot more work, reduction of the internal counter weight, cleaning, fixed some of the fixings etc. It was a lot more work than I wanted, but it was worth it. It is massively stable. With a large ball head fitted I can position my 10D where ever I want (high up, low down, left or right) without having to mess about with tripod legs. And more importantly, without tripping over tripod legs. ;)

http://www.asrv84.dsl.pipex.com/Studio/20050219_1706_6981.jpg

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6. A closer shot of my "product" kit. The cardboard tubes you see contain various graduated vinyl backgrouds. (another eBay bargain). Once the table itself is finished, these tubes will be stored away underneath, along with all the other stuff you pick up for product shooting, e.g. the two zillion different pieces of foamcore, glass, paper, material etc. :) I have a small background support system coming for this table that will hold the narrower paper rolls.

http://www.asrv84.dsl.pipex.com/Studio/20050219_1708_6987.jpg

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7. The very first "portrait" shots (I put that in quotes as all I did was take a quick meter reading and banged off two frames). The model is a friend of mine who just dropped in to see how the decorating was getting on.

http://www.asrv84.dsl.pipex.com/Studio/20050219_1718_6994.jpg

http://www.asrv84.dsl.pipex.com/Studio/20050219_1717_6993.jpg

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8. Costs:

OK, I've added up the total costs:

a) Decorating the room = £246
b) Fittings for the room (shelves, door hooks, speakers, etc. = £405
c) Studio equipment (lights, eBay bargains etc.) = £3867

Ouch ! :)

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So there you go. How to build a studio. :)

Seriously, it will be an ongoing thing I'm sure, i.e. it will never really be finished as such. I'll probably be spending quite a bit of my time in here while I get the hang of it all. Paying clients for portrait or product work are a little way off yet, but it'll happen.

So, look out for my first "proper" portraits and product shots coming to a forum near you.

Thank you to the people who gave me advice when I started all this. You know who you are. 8)

Cheers

Ian

[Bruce Hamilton]

Hope you get enough studio work to make the expense worthwhile.

[timmyquest]

I envy you...

Now have charles send some women over and your set! :-D

[Pyromaniac]

Looks good. I wish you the best of luck with it.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Wow,. nice job! What the heck is the big I.V. looking thing on wheels?

[bigadg]

well done

looks very nice and well worth all the work, wish you good luck with your new venture
would like to come and have a look some day
stu (shropshire)

[iwatkins]

Thanks everyone.

CDS
The big I.V. thing is a studio stand. Tripod to you and me but very heavy, very stable and no legs to trip over.

Cheers

Ian

[JohnEBongo]

Very well done Ian, having recently finished my studio, I know it was alot of work. I really wish my space was that big. Have fun!!

[Mike Panic]

what are the general dimensions of the room?

you need a lil more power in your hair light :)

[Mike Panic]

found the dimensions in your other post, 60x25... nice size - ill b working in one slightly smaller next week, im pretty stoked at this point

[iwatkins]

Mike,

No, I had to use a different room and this one is 31 x 17 feet (with a 6 x 8 foot alcove). Yes, more power to the hair light, and even aimming it as well would have helped :) As I said, just switched the lights on and took two frames. No setup or ratios at all.

I will hopefully get some time to play with the setup this week.

Cheers

Ian

[Mike Panic]

ok whew, i dont feel so bad about moving into my 25x30 studio this weekend then :)

[iwatkins]

Mike,

Yes, 25 x 30 will be fine. It is wider then my studio and about the same length.

If it is any help, with my subject 6 feet from the backdrop, I can just fit a person standing in portrait mode with my 10D and the 50mm lens. At approx. 35mm I'm quite a few feet from the end wall. i.e. plenty of room.

Cheers

Ian

[Claire]

Congrats Ian! I wish I had a studio.

[Mike Panic]

yes ian, that helps a LOT - thanks :)

[digihack]

hi! Nice studio! I have a recomendation, you might want to actually paint the studio black or a darker grey. If you are shooting digital, the white is nice, but you will have alot of trouble controlling the light in shots where you want to keep stuff 'moody' or have areas that are dark. The digital's sensitivity in the shadows will keep the photos looking 'incontrolled' in terms of light levels. I'd say either paint it black (or dark grey) or get big sheets of velvet to use like 'shades' up at the walls so you can control the reflections. Cheers!

-dennison
www.digihack.net

[iwatkins]

Hi Dennison

That is good advice and is in hand. I've already seen the effect of the white walls on my first few shots in there.

I've approx. 30 metres of black out material (very light weight, very matt (reflects only approx 8% of light)) on order so that I can make a curtain that runs from ceiling to floor around the back of the backdrops and three metres down each side of the studio. This should solve this (I hope).

I did consider painting the walls black but coudln't bring myself to do it. :) I think with the curtain hanging it will solve the problem and also reduce the amount of echo in the studio as well.

Thank you though.

Ian

[iwatkins]

Just a quick update.

Background support system is now in and bolted to the floor. Black material is now fixed to the wall on left and right of shooting area to cut down cross bounce. Works well and can be taken down in 10 seconds (Velcroed on).

Done a little rearranging of the studio and added some finishing touches to make it feel a little less clinical.

Pictures below.

Cheers

Ian

http://www.focal-one.co.uk/Stuff/20050423_1106_8061.jpg

http://www.focal-one.co.uk/Stuff/20050423_1111_8066.jpg

[neil_r]

To quote our friends from over the ocean ...... "Nice Job!"N

[Todd Jacobsen]

8. Costs:

OK, I've added up the total costs:

a) Decorating the room = £246
b) Fittings for the room (shelves, door hooks, speakers, etc. = £405
c) Studio equipment (lights, eBay bargains etc.) = £3867

Ouch ! :)

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Ian

You never mentioned the monthly lease cost... Which generally, is the largest expense.

[mdm]

Gordon is that you?

[Red]

You must have been busy spending since then too! The figure you told me was a bit more than that!

Great studio though. Can recommend it to anyone needing to use one.

[iwatkins]

Red,

Nah, those costs were from back in February. Total costs are more like I figure I gave you :)

Cheers

Ian

[quangdotca]

c) Studio equipment (lights, eBay bargains etc.) = £3867

Im from canada...thats works out to about $8000 Canadian for equipment? that sounds really pricey.

[MattL]

Holy Thread revival, batman!

Im from New Zealand, that works out to be about $10,008 NZ for that lot.

Conclusion: Good Studio equipment is pricey!