# Studio celling color



## Nwcid (Sep 6, 2019)

I have been modifying my shop into a studio over the last year.  

Basically I have a 20'x20' area that I am using for my main shooting area.  I have a few different back drops, both canvas (20'x10' showing in pic) and seamless that I can use. 

My celling is 9.5'.  With my current set up should I be concerned with the celling color?  If so should I paint it some shade of white or grey?


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## zombiesniper (Sep 6, 2019)

I would take a few test shots (differing lighting set ups) and see if you are getting any colour cast in any of the images.
If you aren't getting any then I'd leave it as is. If you do notice a bit of colour then it would be time to paint it.
If you paint it I would go the same colour as the walls. This will provide a similar colour and amount of reflected light as the walls which makes using bounce lighting easier.


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## Nwcid (Sep 6, 2019)

I don't feel like I am getting any cast, or if I am, I do not see it.  

So far in this space all of my lighting has been direct, or at least not bounced off of any native surface in the shop. 

Here are 2 examples from one of my last shoots in there, on 2 different backgrounds.  Is there cast I am not seeing?


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## mrca (Sep 6, 2019)

Use a color checker passport for each light set up. Looks like you are shooting tethered.   Adjust the first image in Lightroom then apply the changes as images come in.  Don't worry about the ceiling color.  You might consider a light stand for your main so  you can get the octa right up against the ceiling.


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## smoke665 (Sep 6, 2019)

One bay of my garage pulls double duty, just my preference but I prefer not having any odd colors, or reflective surfaces when the studio lights are set up. The walls and ceiling are medium gray.

Quick comment on the two examples you posted, when I click on these the hands in both appear humongous in comparison to the rest of the body. Did you do something post on these or is my computer playing mind games with me again????


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## Nwcid (Sep 7, 2019)

mrca said:


> Use a color checker passport for each light set up. Looks like you are shooting tethered.   Adjust the first image in Lightroom then apply the changes as images come in.  Don't worry about the ceiling color.  You might consider a light stand for your main so  you can get the octa right up against the ceiling.



I do have a passport, but I have not had the opportunity to really learn how to use it yet. 

I do have several light stands/booms.  For the location of what I was shooting that day the light is actually quite far from the subject.  I would have liked to have it lower, but I did not have that option at the time, I do now.


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## Nwcid (Sep 7, 2019)

smoke665 said:


> One bay of my garage pulls double duty, just my preference but I prefer not having any odd colors, or reflective surfaces when the studio lights are set up. The walls and ceiling are medium gray.



Makes sense overall.  I don't think I am going to make it a high priority since so far I have not used bounce light in this space. 



> Quick comment on the two examples you posted, when I click on these the hands in both appear humongous in comparison to the rest of the body. Did you do something post on these or is my computer playing mind games with me again????



I had not looked at the images on here other then briefly when I posted them.  When I view the in LR they look right, however when I view them on here you are correct about aspect.  I am assuming it has something to do with the compression I used to fit this site.


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## smoke665 (Sep 7, 2019)

Nwcid said:


> had not looked at the images on here other then briefly when I posted them. When I view the in LR they look right, however when I view them on here you are correct about aspect. I am assuming it has something to do with the compression I used to fit this site.



At least I know my eyesight isn't failing me. LOL Strange though as I havent seen this happen before. Looking at them again the distortion doesn't seem to be equal across the image.


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## Designer (Sep 7, 2019)

Nwcid said:


> So far in this space all of my lighting has been direct, or at least not bounced off of any native surface in the shop.


That's why I would not be concerned about the ceiling.  If your lights typically illuminate the entire space, then maybe the color of the ceiling would come into play (plus the walls and anything else in there), but if you keep your lights under control, you can ignore the ceiling color.

If someday you want to bounce off the ceiling, then maybe white medium gloss.


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## AlanKlein (Sep 7, 2019)

Can't help you with the ceiling.  But I have to compliment you on how neat the place looks.


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## ac12 (Sep 7, 2019)

To me, studio work is about being able to control the light.

I would go with DARK grey for the ceiling.
I would install curtains on the sides to eliminate light bounce from stuff on the sides of the garage.
I would also use a DARK grey floor color, if you can.  Again to reduce light reflection from the floor.
Then ALL your lighting is from your lights, and no issues with unwanted reflection from the ceiling, floor or walls.

NICE setup


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## smoke665 (Sep 7, 2019)

ac12 said:


> To me, studio work is about being able to control the light.



This ^^^^^^^^^


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## ac12 (Sep 7, 2019)

ac12 said:


> To me, studio work is about being able to control the light.
> 
> I would go with DARK grey for the ceiling.
> I would install curtains on the sides to eliminate light bounce from stuff on the sides of the garage.
> ...



Examples:

If you are shooting a model dressed in WHITE.  Your worst case situation.
Will the red light reflecting off your red tool cabinets tint the dress red?
Maybe not so much, but eliminating that red reflection would be one less source of light contamination.

As the lighting gets more "dramatic," light reflected from the environment of the studio diminishes the effect.
Maybe instead of 6:1, it goes down to 4:1, and you can't get the shadow side BLACK.​
The portrait studios that I can remember from my teen-age days (a LONG time ago) ALL had DARK studios.
I "think" the ceiling, walls and floor were BLACK.
Though because of the dim light, I can't remember if they were actually black or simply "looked" black.
Caution:  Remembering details of stuff from over 40 years ago is unreliable.

From a practical PoV, black may not be practical in a multi use environment, which is why I suggest DARK grey for the ceiling and floor.  But the curtains should be black.


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## Nwcid (Sep 10, 2019)

AlanKlein said:


> Can't help you with the ceiling.  But I have to compliment you on how neat the place looks.



Thank you.  I am getting ready to remodel more, soon.  I will post pictures when I do.


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## Nwcid (Sep 10, 2019)

ac12 said:


> ac12 said:
> 
> 
> > To me, studio work is about being able to control the light.
> ...



Thank you.  I am working on remodeling even more.  The 2 red toolboxes on the right are going to be moved and replaced with the grey shelving as the tool box sticks out future then the other stuff on that wall.  I will be moving the toolbox on the left over to the right side and it will go right against the grey cabinet, where the shelving is now.  That will give me a reasonably flush wall.  One of the reason for planning that change was to be able to flag off that area if needed to prevent reflection problems. 

I was considering going a neutral or medium grey.  When I added the studio track light, I had to take off one of my regular lights and it is leaving a very dark spot in my shop.  I still need to come up with solution to that, but I have not spent much time on it yet.   

For the floor, I am typically shooting with the subject on roll out flooring or the same material as the backdrop.  The floor is a medium grey epoxy paint that is meant for shop floors. 

I appreciate all the input.


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## JBPhotog (Sep 10, 2019)

Ceiling colour depends on height, that is 16 to 20 feet it doesn't matter much. However, a 9.5 foot ceiling may indeed affect colour contamination. FWIW, I'd go with black and choose one that is neutral black with equal amounts of pigment.

As far as items in the studio that may reflect back into the subject, make yourself some V-flats and paint one side black. They can easily be placed around your subject to control spill.


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## Nwcid (Sep 16, 2019)

Here are the major changes for now.  At some point I will be either turning the bench on the left, or moving it to a different area.  

You can see my front back drop hanger which I can hang at least 20' wide, 3 slot seamless holder with a seamless grey on it and the rear back drop hanger which works good for 10' wide stuff and gets me about 2' more depth. 

I got the one grey shelf cleaned off.  The shelf and tool box are dedicated to photography stuff now.  I also built a rack to hold my stands which also holds several modifiers nicely.  Little did I know when I built my shop it would become a studio.


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## JBPhotog (Sep 16, 2019)

Excellent job with the ceiling paint, you managed to mimic the OSB pattern perfectly.


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## Nwcid (Sep 16, 2019)

JBPhotog said:


> Excellent job with the ceiling paint, you managed to mimic the OSB pattern perfectly.



That was defiantly the hardest part   Since I did not have paint readily available I will shoot with it for now and see how it goes.


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## Derrel (Jun 16, 2020)

^^^^^Reported


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## tirediron (Jun 16, 2020)

Nwcid said:


> I don't feel like I am getting any cast, or if I am, I do not see it.
> 
> So far in this space all of my lighting has been direct, or at least not bounced off of any native surface in the shop.
> 
> Here are 2 examples from one of my last shoots in there, on 2 different backgrounds.  Is there cast I am not seeing?


Nice space, and love the use of the overhead track system.  I think others have covered the main points; I'll add a posing tip:  ESPECIALLY in poses like the the lady in the black dress, fingers together, always!  Notice how large her hands appear because, with the fingers spread, they cover so much more area?


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## smoke665 (Jun 16, 2020)

tirediron said:


> Notice how large her hands appear because, with the fingers spread, they cover so much more area?



I had to go back and look again, because I remembered something about the portrait examples. The hands in the first shot are big, but the hands in the second (red dress) are huge, especially the one on her knee! At first I thought it might be perspective distortion from a wide angle lens, but the EXIF shows 50mm. I wouldn't think it would have caused that much distortion??????


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