Setting Up A Studio for Pianos

[nycphotography]

sorry for using short terms w/o explaining... here are some examples, for every product there are more mfrs and vendors than you can count.

Imagine two 4x10 sheets of this foamcore, taped together w/ white gaff (non reflective cloth) tape to make a hinge and then used as an 8x10 bounce card. one big light source.

bead board, foam board, gator board, Foamcor 4&#39 x 10&#39 Set Shop
Set Shop

light stands
Impact Air Cushioned Light Stand, Black - 10' (3m) LS-10AB B&H

monolight (studio flash w/ power supply built in. medium size, 320ws.)
Paul C. Buff - AlienBees B800

softbox (need adapter to fit the brand of monolight... called a speedring)
LARGE (30x60) softbox Paul C. Buff - Foldable Softboxes
strip box is a narrow format softbox Paul C. Buff - Foldable Stripbox

 

[anmut]

Thank you again for that stuff NYCPHOTOGRAPHY - that monolight looks great!

Need anyone's opinion on background. Right now the empty store has slat wall (white with slots for wall hanging equipment) that is pretty dang ugly. I'm looking into some of the Japanese screens however I'm not sure if that's creating too much of an Oriental feel to the photos. So I'm thinking of buying some wood paneling to mount to the walls - the 4x8 sheets. Thoughts on how that would look and what to go with, like a light pine look or would dark look better with a black mirror-like piano? Then again, if the print is too distinct on the paneling then it will show in the reflections. UGH.

 

[nycphotography]

I might suggest two 12' white sheetrock walls, and a 8' ceiling w/ incandescent lighting. This could be a "display area" used as part of the in store experience, which also doubles as a photo studio when needed. That would require around 144 sqft of flooring, a manageable budget.

With sheetrock walls, you can repaint them another color whenever you like, you can hang art or otherwise decorate them, and you can use colored gels on background lights to change them as needed. Leave enough room to decorate around whatever piano is currently in the display space with plants, furniture, etc.

When it's time to shoot, you can hang white rip stop around the outside (or stand up 4x8 foamcore) and bounce a flash from the inside to create a really big "product box". Interfit 24" Pop Up Photo Box INT315 B&H Photo Video

But whatever you do, don't ever shoot anything in front of product slat wall. ;-)

 

[Designer]

I like what nycphotography (above) has written. I will second the plain drywall, AT LEAST 12 feet on each side of the corner, or possibly longer if you can make it so. I would paint the wall(s) bright white, and using above suggestion, gel whichever color looks good with the product. For instance: gel toward yellow-gold for a brown piano, gel something wild like reddish for a black piano. (or whatever your boss thinks looks good)

If the highest you can make the ceiling is only 8 feet, you might not be able to do all the lighting that you want to do in the space that is available. Personally, I would vote for a higher ceiling, somewhere around 12 feet, if you can do it.

If you hang some large reflectors (see above for suggestions) leave a little space between the sheets for any "normal" lighting fixtures that you want to have up there. Turn those off when shooting pictures.

Additionally, you could have some of those large white panels on movable stands that could be moved out and positioned to reflect light onto the piano. Your flash(es) will reflect from wherever they are pointed.

 

[anmut]

I'm going to shoot some photos of the location I have to work with. It's a large, unoccupied retail space. Giant ceilings and lots of space. I'm almost wondering about shooting after dark (to keep the sunlight from coming in through the display windows) and not using a background at all... just trying to use all the black space behind the piano with some real soft lights near the piano and a long exposure time.

 

[anmut]

Hey all - I snapped some photos of the space I have to work with next door. It is empty and freezing. The electricity is shut off so there are not lights. Any thoughts on how to set up a studio in here is much appreciated. All these photos are free for anyone to download and mark up/upload.