Studio Setup

[methd]

Hey guys,

I'd like to setup a studio from scratch and I have access to a commercial room that is about 7x5m which should be plenty.

I need two lots of things

1) lighting - softboxes, umbrellas, streaming light etc

2) backdrops (black and white) and the frame/anchor points.

What's your recommendations?

I haven't considered a budget yet but I don't want to go overboard. Need a fairly simple setup to learn studio work and when I grow out of it, I can simply add more lighting.

[Yi-P]

I would start off with Poon's offer here. With ~$360 a whole pack, it is nothing much to lose. Comes with plenty of toys to play with (stands, umbrellas, lights)

Also, there are many members here, including myself, using OzPlaza (ebay) studio sets. They have 110W, 300W and 600W setup packs. Depending on your budget. I'm happy with these so far for my 100W unit, not professional heavy duty flash, but cheap enough for my experimenting/learning taste. They come with a pair of very nice (heavy duty) stands.

Those people on ebay also sell background stands for a fair reasonable price.

With the backdrops, dragon image or simple Spotlight solution will be the choice. (I'm not sure if they are available in Melb)

[!~DeViNe~DaRkNeSs~!]

lots of spotlights in melb, very cheap background material...from $3 -$12 per metre

[gstark]

How high is the ceiling in this room?

What about windows? Does the room have a south light? Consider window location when setting up the room for shooting. Windws might aid, or hinder, the photographic processes.

Yi-p's suggestions are perfect; the lights from Oz Plaza are sourced from the same supplier that Poon uses, and, from either source, they represent great value.

The background stands are essentially the same as the lighting stands, with a cross-piece added onto (or from) which you'll drape your backdrop.

If you can attach things to the walls or ceilings of the room, you can do things like mount several different types of curtains, or perhaps roll paper hangers, and even affix rails to the ceilings that you can mount your lights to, thus removing some of the clutter from the floor.

Also consider - depending upon your cameras - the use of shooting tethered or with a WiFi adapter on the camera.

And consider too the purchase of some seating - a couch, and/or a couple of stools - as well as some soft furnishings and adornments that can be used as props.

[methd]

The window is facing north but i plan to paint it black so no light enters it.

ceiling height is well over 4m, one of those really old period style buildings that has apparent historical value

I'm thinking also of getting this backdrop on ebay, but then i'll also need a black and white cloth too.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-Background-stand-for-professional-backdrop-4M-X4-1M_W0QQitemZ290169432015QQihZ019QQcategoryZ30088QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The light set from poon looks really good for what u get v price. I think I remember seeing a thread about it somewhere (wasnt interested in lighting back then).. might have to dig it up now.

[gstark]

Don't paint the window, just use some curtains or blinds, but do try to lightproof it to a major extent.

I'm thinking also of getting this backdrop on ebay, but then i'll also need a black and white cloth too.

That looks to be good value, and should be adequate for your initial needs and beyond.

Look at Vanbar to get some rolls of background paper, which you'll find very useful when you need to have a seamless background.

Don't overlook the possible need for a light tent either, in case you need to do some small product shoots.

[methd]

gary, i dont see the light setup in the bargains sheet.
how do i go about ordering it?

[gstark]

I need to re-add them. I'll do that in the morning.

[Oz_Beachside]

that stand set looks ok. especially if you can leave it set up. if you can hang on the wall, a rack will give you more floor space, as they take up space, and, if you get a nice background stands, they will be light stands as well (with brass spigots on top).

get a grey paper (or white) to start. borges in port melb have them on the shelf, about $120.

fabrics, you can bet from spotlights, say 145cm wide, sew together, or single width i use a lot, and it works fine too (for 1 person portraits).

think about long term. do you want a learning set of lights, or a scaleable set?

i think the high end "starter" sets are fantastic, but only if you are in for the long term, and have funds.

bowens have a 500ws 2 light set, for about $2200. they are very powerful, and you can add a nice location battery pack later if you want.

photoflex have somehting, go to borges in port melb.

or, before you go to ebay, dragon image have some korean lights that are pretty good for the price.

vanbar or camera exchange sell bowens kits. they come in a suitable wheely bag too, great to move it around. vanbar have interfit too.

i just checked vanbar, they have bowens 2x 500ws monblock kits, with stands, and soft boxes, for $1800!!!
http://www.vanbar.com.au/catalogue/inde ... Item3=Kits

consider getting radio triggers too, but perhaps use built in flash to trigger first.

with lighting kits, you can get trapped with accessories. they are not cheap, and if the kit doesnt have them, then it can add up.

[dviv]

Sorry if it's slightly off topic, but

If you were setting up a studio from scratch, would it be a good idea to paint one of the walls as a background? (or even 2 or three walls as different backgrounds??)

I assume that "gloss" paint could cause unwanted reflections but I was thinking the "suede effects" type paints might make really good backgrounds.

Anyone tried?

[gstark]

Dave,

Yes, and no.

Part of what's needed in a studio setup is depth, so that you can get some distance from the camera, to the subject, to the background. In this room, you don't have any real depth between two of the walls, so that kills a part of that theory.

Second, it's often convenient to have a semi permanent setup, and thus you might not want to go moving everything about from one end of the room to the other.

Finally, painted walls will, at some point, meet the floor, causing a line of some sort in many images. Might be ok, but more often you'll want a plain, seamless background.

So this could work for head shots ....

[dviv]

That makes sense.....

Thanks Gary

[gstark]

I need to re-add them. I'll do that in the morning.

Now done.

[Reschsmooth]

The other potential problem with coloured walls as opposed to neutral (18% grey?) walls is caused if you ever wanted to bounce light off them - imagine trying to bounce off a red wall?

[methd]

thanks to all the comments, it has been really helpful as usual.

[Reschsmooth]

Just to add, our lighting kit consists of:

1. Oz-plaza 110w lights x 2, stands x2, brollies x4
2. Oz-plaza backdrop kit.
3. Oz-plaza white muslin backdrop
4. Half-share in a black backdrop.
5. Oz-plaza 140x90cm or so soft box.
6. Oz-plaza share plan.

For a small studio set up, this has all been great. The quality is great (for the price or more).