Smallest Studio

[james_martin9]

I have a room that is 10 x 10 with an 8' ceiling. Is this big enough for some

single light or even two light headshot or 2/3 stuff? I want to keep this

simple wnd watching a photo shoot with Sheryl Crow was done in a small room.

[brucecahn]

Yes it is big enough for what you mention. You try to get the lights as close as possible to the subject to soften them. Be careful not to tilt the camera up too much or you might get the ceiling unless using a long lens. My shooting area is much smaller. It is about a 6x11 foot area which narrows to 4 feet behind the subject. It is hard to work with, and there are limitations, but it is big enough for portraits and partial body shots. This is one of the problems caused by being in midtown Manhattan--space is so expensive that only the wealthy have much of it.

[jake_crews]

Quick answer, Plenty big if you manage the light right.

[Gary Naka]

Just paint the walls and ceiling dark gray, to minimize unwanted reflections from the wall.

[pge]

I agree that it is big enough. I shoot in small spaces, although I have to admit that I shot in a big space the other day and it was quite a pleasure.

[steve_levine]

With what's considered standard focal length portrait lenses, your room is about 10 feet too small. A 100MM 35mm lens, or a 150MM on a 6x6 camera needs around 20 feet in order to have the subject far enough from the background and to fill the frame.

 

Of course we have all made do with smaller rooms, but spillover light and background shadows can drive you crazy. Unless your room is painted black (walls, floor and ceiling) you will never be able to shoot any high ratios (low key) due to the spilled and bouncing light.

[colinsouthern]

I set one up that was 12' x 40', but to be honest, by the time we setup a couple of lights on tripods there wasn't a lot of room to move laterally whilst shooting, and we stopped using it.

[john_mireles2]

"Unless your room is painted black (walls, floor and ceiling) you will never be able to shoot

any high ratios (low key) due to the spilled and bouncing light."

 

Not so! Try a Chimera softbox with a fabric grid (or any other brand for that matter). Spilled

and bouncing light will be a thing of the past.

 

John