# If you could build the perfect studio, what would you have?



## tentwo (Dec 29, 2012)

OK, So this is to assist individuals that are looking to get a fully professional studio to handle anything. I think it would be intresting to see what our members think would make the perfect studio? Lets put a cap so noone goes crazy here. I think this will assist many individuals in asking the questions in several different ways?

Here are the *areas of focus*:
   a. Studio Space
   b. Lighting System
   c. Camera Choice
   d. Backdrops
   e. Hardware (Softboxes, Stands, leaf system, etc.)
   f.  Accessories (ie. Slave units, Props, Reflectors, etc.)
   and if you want to add a little more......well keep it in budget 

*3 scenarios 

*1. Amateur Studio ( budget of 1000 - 5000) 

2. Pro Am (5000 - 8000)

3. Pro (8000 - 25,000)

Lets design the TPF Studio! hahaha


Edited:
Here is an example of what we should be presenting:

*Amature &#8211;*
Camera: D60 or equilivant (approx 500.00)
Lights:   1-2    AB800 or 600 (approx 500.00)
                2-3    200 w/s strobes (approx 500.00)
Softboxes: 70&#8221; Octagon (approx 90.00)
                     2 &#8211; 1&#8217;x3&#8217; softbox strips (approx 180.00)
Backdrops: white and black and gray seamless (Approx 200.00)
Total: Approx $2000.00
Space Requirements:  18&#8217; x 16&#8217;6&#8221; x  9&#8217;
Set-up



Notes:  This is for the Amateur so usually started in a garage or basement.  This setup is perfect to allow the amateur to start shooting and learn the fundamentals before moving to the semi-pro level.  It allows for the photographer to move up to 7 ft away or more from the subject when shooting.  


This gives everyone the understanding of a real life studio setups and what to look for in creating a studio.  Sure we will all have different ideas, but it starts everyone somewhere.  Please do not place ridicolous dream studios, I know we all have them!!!  But for this thread lets keep it simple and to the point.  To teach each other simple to advanced lighting setups and who knows maybe we can learn something in the process.  I look forward to seeing everyone's input.


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## KmH (Dec 29, 2012)

My perfect "fully professional studio to handle anything" studio would be 15,000 sq feet or so, and cost several million $$$$'s for the buildings and equipment. The land would be extra.
Budget? For perfection? No way, Jose!

Actually, there is no 1 perfect studio, so you would need a building large enough to have 6 inside studios (2 for products, 4 for portraiture), plus 4-6 semi-permanent outside sets right there on the studio property.
One product studio for small products, and one for large products. The large product studio would be a separate stand alone building and it would double as a sound stage for video production. It would be 80' x 80' with a 30' ceiling. The exterior North facing wall would be a 60' x 30' door - like an airplane hanger has.
Three of the 4, 30' x 30' x 20' inside portrait studios would also have semi-permanent sets on at least 2 walls for 6 inside sets. The 1 portrait studio with no sets would have a north facing 30' x 20' exterior wall that could be opened.

So with a reception area, sales area, storage, bathrooms/changing/hair/makeup rooms, office, kitchen, computer room, sound mixing room, living area ........


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## tentwo (Dec 29, 2012)

Thats a dream studio we all wish we had!  But well over our budgets! Let's keep it in the budget constraints.  But thanks for the new vision inside my already crazy mind! lol.  This is to assist those who are starting, have started and looking for ideas, or pros to see fresh ideas.


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## cgipson1 (Dec 29, 2012)

OP... Why don't you go first... so we can use that as an example!


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## Derrel (Dec 30, 2012)

What would I have???? *"Everything!!!"

Anyway...the question's pretty ambitious, but my answer will NOT be. Okay...basically...let's start with the most-essential stuff. I favor pack-and-head systems over* monolights. More power, more flexibility, more options with pack and head.

Mmmkay...two six-outlet 2400 Watt-second Speedotron Black Line packs and six flash heads to start. Eight decent light stands, bare minimum. 16t stands is more like it. At least two roller-wheeled boom stands with 15 lb counterweights. Two rouhgly 4x6 foot white reflectors,minimum, for almopst every shoot, with at least 12 of them on hand. A BUNCH of foam-core boards with Bogen foam-core forks and clamps. Gaffer's tape. Cinefoil. Bunch of umbrellas, 8 or 10 different ones. Softboxes, multiples, 36x48, 48x48, couple strip boxes, couple of 24x24 boxes with grids. Multiple kinds of reflectors for the lights: 7-inch, 11.5 inch, 16 inch, 22 inch. Bunch of honeycomb grids in 10,20,35 degrees. Two sets of 11.5 inch barn doors. Bunch of Speedotron snap-on mylar diffusers in 7.5, 11.5 and 22 inch sizes.
Tripod. Plenty of seamless paper rolls.

Camera: whatever is needed. Nikon D3x or D800 for 35mm style. Leica S2 for MF work maybe, just for the killer lenses it has. The new Alpa 12. Sinar 4x5 view camera and a full set of Rodenstock lenses, all of the same vintage. Kick-butt scanners, like 3 of them. Four killer Macs and monitors out the ying-yang.

Location: Los Angeles. Or Miami.


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## KmH (Dec 30, 2012)

Speedotron

Camera stand, justin clamps, super clamps, lowell clamps, more gaffers tape (variety of sizes and colors), several sizes of cinefoil, several sizes of brolly's, light stand weights, a couple of fans, snoots, a couple of articulated arms, gels, a couple 4x8 sheets of bathroom wall board (use white (back) side up on top of white seamless), posing stool, posing table, apple box posing set, step ladder, zip ties, more gaffers tape, safety pins, hair pins, foundation powder, cosmetics brushes to apply the powder, yada, yada, yada.

Heck, you could spend $6k on just one pro portrait lens - Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200mm f/2.0 G ED VR II Telephoto Lens 2188 B&H


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## Steve5D (Dec 30, 2012)

Two words: "Wet bar"...


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## DannyLewis (Dec 30, 2012)

wet bar  bedroom and models, restroom oh yeah a camera! maybe even some lights.....


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## Hickeydog (Dec 30, 2012)

Lots and lots (and lots more) space both inside and outside the building.


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## gsgary (Dec 30, 2012)

This studio My New Studio. How to Spend 300k Euro on lighting Equiptment | Yuri Arcurs


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## orljustin (Dec 30, 2012)

tentwo said:


> *3 senerios
> 
> *1. Amature Studio ( budget of 1000 - 5000)



I'd make sure I had a dictionary to spell "scenario" and "amateur" correctly.


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## tentwo (Dec 30, 2012)

orljustin: You are correct, long day and this was done late last night. Fixed.

gsgary: wow! Yes definitely one large budget and beautiful studio. Thanks for the share.

hickeydog: I think there is never enough space!

Danny and Steve: Keep it educational....Though I know where you are going 

cgipson: Sorry made this thread late last night and didn't think about an example.  I have modified the first to show an example.

Derrel: Interesting.

KMH: Your right in all the incidentals could be overwhelming, lets stick to gear and setup recommendations.  yes one could get a 6K lens but is that for the amateur budget...no, but maybe a pro-am.  This is really for the setup and equipment recommendations that everyone sees as a necessity for the studios.  Though you do show how running overhead could increase as experience increases, thanks.


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## gw2424 (Dec 30, 2012)

Everybody should include at least 5 miles of gaffers tape.


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## Mully (Dec 30, 2012)

20,000 is not enough to start a pro studio in any major city.


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## nycphotography (Dec 30, 2012)

hmm.   Fantasy time?

1500 sqft of studio space w/ 14' ceilings and an overhead rail system for lighting.  It would have old industrial ceiling to floor windows on the e, w, and n side and at least one 100 year old brick wall.

500sqft of it would be used for a lobby / office / retouching stations, some for a dressing / changing room, some for a makeup station w/ a curtain that can be drawn to separate the lighting, the rest would be the studio.

It would have another 2000 sqft of unfinished, but dry and clean, warehouse space for accumulating props and sets.

And on fantasy island it would be located next to both a dozen vintage stores and a dozen furniture/ home decor stores, all of which are eager to lend out props in exchange for prints.

ha.


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## Tony S (Dec 30, 2012)

It would have to have a Kegerator in it...


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