Question on studio size

I am building my own studio, but I have a lot of doubts on my current project.
I am not a pro, but an amateaur that sometimes gets paid for portraits.
Do you think that a room of 5.5 x 3.5 meters, with 2.9 meters of ceiling would do as shooting area? That would be 18 x 11.5 x 9.5 feet.
And, with this low ceiling, is it still possible to suspend the flashes to a railway system?

Thanks

Tiziano

That's more than enough room for portraits. Floor stands may be less expensive and more convenient than a ceiling rail setup, though.

DC Fan wrote in post #5682773
That's more than enough room for portraits. Floor stands may be less expensive and more convenient than a ceiling rail setup, though.

Thanks! Yes, for portrait is enough, but I would like to have enough space to make something else too, like modeling, books, full body shots. That's why I was thinking of a rail setup, to save space on the ground.

From experience: at distances you're specifying, you can handle anything from a single head-and-shoulders portrait to a full-body picture, standing or prone, or a group of several people.

Any prejudice against ceiling rails comes from working too much with floor stands.

Thanks DC!

Length:

1' for background stands and b/g
5-6' for separation of subject from b/g
2' for subject
8-10' for portrait shooting distance, camera to subject
3' for camera tripod
2-3' for photographer to stand behind tripod...

...equals 21-25'

Less, and you will fall into the usual lighting trap of shadows from subject falling onto your background, and issues of not being able to sufficiently separate subject from background and wrinkles and folds being too well in focus (DOF separation insufficient).

tiziano wrote in post #5682262
I am building my own studio, but I have a lot of doubts on my current project.
I am not a pro, but an amateaur that sometimes gets paid for portraits.
Do you think that a room of 5.5 x 3.5 meters, with 2.9 meters of ceiling would do as shooting area?

You'll be able to shoot headshots, but not full body... maybe with a 17mm lens on a crop camera.

You need your model at least 2 meters away from the background for full body. It means you're 2 meters from your model. So the longest lens you'd be able to use is a 35mm on full frame. And I'm not counting the stands, brollies, etc.

Plus, modeling needs soft light, which means bix softboxes and you don't have room for them.

Wilt wrote in post #5686550
Length:

1' for background stands and b/g
5-6' for separation of subject from b/g
2' for subject
8-10' for portrait shooting distance, camera to subject
3' for camera tripod
2-3' for photographer to stand behind tripod...

...equals 21-25'

Less, and you will fall into the usual lighting trap of shadows from subject falling onto your background, and issues of not being able to sufficiently separate subject from background and wrinkles and folds being too well in focus (DOF separation insufficient).

Yep. My living room is 10 meters long and I ended up walking out of it to the balcony. But I couldn't control the spill as nicely as I wanted to, because I used diffusion panels, so I needed extra separation.

On the other hand the images didn't need any PP, which is nice.

You live in Italy, and you want to shoot indoors???

Just kidding, I'm having the same problem, I have a room that is 22 feet long and its tough to do much more than standing or sitting...

I lived in Vicenza for 3 years and I'd give up body parts to go back!!

I have 3.63m wide, 6m long and 3,2m height space for shooting. For portraits is ok, but I can hardly shoot full body with 50mm on crop body. If you shoot full body with less then you have "perspective distorsion" and your model look unnatural. I have railing system and height is good, but I will like 3.5 height for some over head light placements.

Horizontal full body is allmost imposibile to shoot. I need more space.

Ideal size will be 5x10x3.5 meters for people shooting, with railing system in use.

Topalov Djura wrote in post #5687796
Ideal size will be 5x10x3.5 meters for people shooting, with railing system in use.

I think it's more of a minimum. For some effects, I'd like to have a barn.

i have this problem - 3mx6mx2,9m is all i'll get for new studio. i know i could do one-two full body shot there but no more i'm afraid. but i cant complain since i may use that studio free of charge.

Thanks to All for this great information. I'll change my project so to get more space and height.

a521 wrote in post #5686888
I lived in Vicenza for 3 years and I'd give up body parts to go back!!

If you happen to come back here, you can be my guest. The studio will be a mini apartment for guests as well. onlly, It will take a while...these are the current conditions:

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In which part of town you're building it? (in quale quartiere?)

Maurizio Bassani.

Laurentina.
You want to share the fun?