Dimensions/specs for home studio

[Dare1325]

Starting the process of building a house and I want a room I can use as a studio. Would this be best in a basement or upstairs? Windows or none? How high should the ceiling be? How long and how wide? Since I am building and have the option of doing it right the first time, I would like to do so. Anyone out there done this and/or have recommendations? Thanks!

[DaveG]

Starting the process of building a house and I want a room I can use as a studio. Would this be best in a basement or upstairs? Windows or none? How high should the ceiling be? How long and how wide? Since I am building and have the option of doing it right the first time, I would like to do so. Anyone out there done this and/or have recommendations? Thanks!


If you could start with a blank sheet of paper (and who can, sigh ...) I'd say a room with a big big northern facing window. The sun is never there but you could take advantage of northern light and it's wonderful and free.

I'd also want to be able to be able to screen out this light from time to time, if the need arose. I'd want the camera room at least fourteen feet wide and twice that long.

If you can, make sure that you have twelve to fourteen foot ceilings. You need to get your lighting as high as you can and that's usually a problem in a basement as the ceilings are even lower than on other floors.

Make sure that there are lots and lots of plug-ins in the room and none at the end that will be your background. Your electrical service should be very robust for this room since you will be powering up strobes and power supplies. The safest thing is to plug each one of them into the wall without any use of extension cords, and that means lots of outlets.

If you can air condition this room then do so. I'd also have twice or three times the cold making capacity that was spec'd out for a room of this size. If you stick those strobes, window light, and ten formally dressed people in the room all at once you will overwhelm the airconditioning and make it one hot and muggy shoot.

A bathroom/dressing room area right off of the camera room is great for primping purposes, as well as having access to running water.

I don't know if you are planning on using this room for commercial work but if you are the comfort of you clients will help with word of mouth reccomendations as much as excellent work will.

[PhotosGuy]

Great stuff guys! I'm sitting here wondering what kind of studio & you've covered most of the bases!

[Dare1325]

Thanks for the great suggestions, this really helps. I spoke with a contractor today and I think I can take the "third car garage", frame it off and make a studio out of it with the dimensions you have suggested. This was the cheapest option, and I think the layout will work nicely. I'm excited to get going with it.

[PhotosGuy]

PhotosGuy, DaveG, and I will be there sometime in October of this year to check it all out. :D:D Is there snow at Snowbird that early?
Are you planning on using strobes and/or Quartz? If Quartz too, you may need to put in more than one electrical service to the garage.