Design For a Compact Photo StudioWriten by Kenneth C. Hoffman
Often a beginning professional photographer must do with a single large space to set up a new portrait studio. It must contain a reception and display area, a dressing room, an office, and of course, a camera room.
The camera room must be able to accommodate large families, various groups and the typical wedding party with bride and groom. These demands require a background wall of at least sixteen feet wide for a group portrait without wall shadows. The background wall can be covered with floor to ceiling drapes of a solid color in a muted shade. Colors that have worked well in the past are gray/green, light gray, blue/gray and wine red. The drapes should part in the middle to expose most of the back wall which will be artistically painted in tones of brown, gray, and beige with accents of apple green and rose red. The drapes should extend six feet along the left and right walls for extremely large groups. A curved bracket will eliminate the corner. If a rear exit exists in the back wall, a false wall can be built with a door to the extreme side for rear access. This door will be hidden by the drapes and the area behind the wall can be utilized for frames, ready orders and back up equipment.
Since the camera lens sweeps a triangular area, the dead spot to the left can be utilized for an office and the area to the right, a dressing room. Props can be stored on shelves along the wall and hung from the ceiling. The floor should be kept free as possible for lights and equipment. Walls should be painted in a bone white for use as a reflective surface with bounce lighting. The posing area may be carpeted with a loop type rug in a neutral solid color. The area used by the camera stand should be covered in cushioned tile or linoleum for easy rolling. Ideally, pulleys can be installed on the ceiling for raising and lowering muslin type backgrounds. It takes but a few minutes to attach two corners of a muslin and raise it to the ceiling and stretching it out to the edge of the rug. Several muslins can be stored in bags for easy access.
The reception and display area can utilize low couches and a cocktail table for showing albums. One area can be reserved for a computer terminal for displaying poses and another desk for taking orders and making reservations. Only sixteen by twenty and larger portraits should be displayed on the walls. Smaller sizes for selling purposes can be displayed on the desks.
The dressing room should incorporate a lighted mirror and dressing table with bench, hooks and hangers for clothing and a small lavatory. The office can double as a room for computer work, ordering supplies and customer calling. Your new efficient studio will be a pleasure to work in making for a happy photographer and satisfied customers.
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