Hardwood Flooring in Studio - Groove orientation

[dw1]

<p>We are putting down flooring for a portrait studio and decided on hardwood flooring for the subject area.<br>

We selected a coffee-brown, with a dull sheen. We chose hardwood to offer some uniqueness to full<br>

length portraits -- where the flooring essentially becomes a contemporary prop.</p>

<p>The question we've been struggling with is *whether to run the boards parallel or perpendicular to the<br>

line of sight*. In other words, groove lines running at the camera - or groove lines running sideways.</p>

<p>The struggle is one of symmetry and perspective. For straight on shots, both require perfect alignment<br>

for perspective control, which is to be expected. However, for off-center/off-symmetry shots I just can't<br>

decide which orientation would affect composition the least (or complement the composition the most).<br>

Perhaps I've become lax on my perspectivevisualization from using solid backgrounds</p>

<p>So, my oddball question is - does anyone use hardwood flooring for their subject area and which way<br>

are the planks oriented. Please tie that into how you think it affects, or doesn't affect, composition.</p>

<p>Thank you</p>

<p> </p>

[mark_sirota1]

<p>Does it need to be straight boards? How about parquet, or some other indecisive pattern?</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>Usually the background should cover the floor unless you are making it look like an "interior" shot. Pergo or a similar material would be a whole lot better in a studio with all that stuff being removed around, dragged, etc etc</p>

[dw1]

<p>Thanks Mark & Jeff.<br>

All I ever do is seamless or muslin, so yes - the hardwood opens up possibilities for a<br>

new type of shot, ie., a metro look, or a staged interior. The dull dark brown flooring was special<br>

order, so I cannot switch the parquet. I'm not sure parquet would give me the metro effect I<br>

have it my head either.</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>Pergo can look just like wood floors. I have some and people don't notice that they have moved from wood to pergo. It comes in all sorts of "board types" so you can make it look how you want. If you look at something like this, it's easy. Parquet is a patterned surface, very different from Pergo and other wood laminates.</p>

[charlesheckel]

<p>Compositionally, lines leading into your subject will bring the viewer's attention there, and horizontal lines will set up a series of stopping points, with a feeling of greater formality and separation. If you run into a problem, there's always the possibility of covering the flooring with a square of sheet vinyl or an area rug.</p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>My bamboo flooring runs lengthwise, from camera to subject. But that said, I regret not using something more durable such as Pergo because the constant rolling around of chairs, light stands, etc. is damaging the floor more than I imagined.</p>

<p>Not to mention that the grooves are a nuisance when the tripod leg sticks in them.</p>

<p><Chas></p>

[Former P.N Member]

<p>If your space is large enough you could lay the flooring at a 45 degree angle. In one corner the pattern would be parallel and in the adjacent corner it would be perpendicular. <br>

Just a thought...</p>

[matthew_newton]

<p>Can you reposition the lighting/backgrounds for shots? For interior design you generally want the boards perpendicular to the main entry way to the house/building. For pictures...you'd probably want to choose the same, but you could play with it if you can reorient the lighting/backdrops.<br>

My bamboo floors in my house are also getting a bit beatup, but nothing worse then any hardwood flooring I have seen before. Charles, is yours a much older bamboo flooring, you mention the tripod legs hitting groves is why I ask. My bamboo floors are the type where the bamboo is planed and adhered to other strips to form boards just like you would find with any modern laminate or solid wood flooring. The gaps are just as small.</p>

[jason_e]

<p>Well, if your floors aren't concrete and you have floor joists with a plywood subfloor, you have only two choices ...<br>

1). run the hardwood perpendicular to the floor joists<br>

2). run the hardwood at 30 - 45 degree angle to th efloor joists.<br>

If you run the hardwood in the same direction as the floor joists, gaps will form between the planks, eventually you'll get a lot of squeaks, and eventually you'll have a bit of a washboard effect.<br>

If you've got concrete floors, I'd run the planks in the same direction as the longest length of the room ... which will probably be the same direction you'll end up shooting larger sets from.</p>