Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/06/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Lea, please fix your address book to remove the old name (leica-users@mejac) and substitute the new name (LUG@leica-users.org) About a month ago I set up my portrait studio in some warehouse space in an industrial city 7 miles north of my home. I've been using it for the last month. Here's what I've learned: * Height is very important. This room has a 30-foot ceiling, and it's the best lighting I've ever achieved. I can put a hair light in a snoot 12 feet in the air, and the lights don't bounce off a low ceiling. * I have East windows. The studio is usable in the afternoon, but not the morning. A perfect studio for me would have electric blackout curtains on the windows, so that I could let in natural light when I wanted it and keep light out when I wanted it. * This building has a concrete floor. I love it. The hard floors are very good for my backdrops. Don't use carpet. I damp-mop the concrete every morning. Wood would be perfect. Concrete is better than carpet, from my perspective. * Storage space is critical. I now have three cabinets (one office-supplies cabinet and two with drawers) to hold all of the stuff I need nearby. * You need to have a computer in your studio. This is 2004. Make room for it. So: I'd recommend 20 x 16 x 12 feet, or at least 12 over the half of it that your subjects will be sitting in. I cannot say enough good things about high ceilings in a studio.