Studio Recommendations

[ray5]

It is another light source, the corner windows give you a wrap around light source too! It isn't difficult to kill the ambient in a studio setting, unless the sun was directly in the windows the ambient is easily controlled, no studios are dark, they all have ambient and modelling lights.

I'd get tissue paper to cover them to diffuse the window light, and something heavier to cut it down.

Having the windows gives you options, for all our talk it is very difficult, indeed impossible in a small space, to truthfully replicate sunlight, the falloff properties of sunlight are unique (there isn't any).

Having natural ambient light in a studio makes it, in my experience, a 'nicer' place to be.

I understand, Thanks.

 

[ray5]

Thanks for your detailed suggestions, very useful. I have so far done mostly available light portraits, some with a speedlite fill flash. For obvious reasons I am apprehensive about going with strobes but whatever I have read, the results are amazing. I have attached a rough draw of the space I will have above. The advantage having a window is that I can cover them when I want, how effective that is going to be I don't know. With taking up space without windows I control everything.
The left corner where the windows are is east and the wall with the door is mostly south facing, to give you an idea of lighting during the day. Thx again.
Ray

My small studio office is about 14ft by 14ft. So its a small space, but I have very large windows 2 of them are 4ft by 4ft, the other is 3ft by 4ft.. But even with speedlites I can easily get an exposure completely without any outside or other ambient light playing part in my photos. Yet still keep my speedlite settings on about 1/8th power or lower. Actually they are on about 1/16th most of the time. Even during the daytime with my office lights on, a camera setting of ISO200, 1/200th shutter and aperture of f/6.3 eliminates any outside light. And yea I like to keep the window curtains open as well. If you want to shoot consistently and at anytime you want, day or night. Don't let your environment control you. Take control of your light yourself. Soon as you go strobes, you dont go back.. LOL

If you are anyone else is worried about getting soft smooth light, just simply get a larger softbox. I have a 60" fotodiox octobox that I can pop two speedlites in and create light so smooth you would think who ever you photo'd was sitting under a shade tree in the late afternoon.. Smooth light is all about the the size to distance ratio of your lighting modifier.

Thanks again!

 

[ray5]

Having the windows gives you options, for all our talk it is very difficult, indeed impossible in a small space, to truthfully replicate sunlight, the falloff properties of sunlight are unique (there isn't any).

Real windows and proper curtains could also be nice "props" in some kind of portraiture and even still-life. They could be replicated - and often are - but they require a more complex, expensive setup and larger light sources. If needed (and possible), real windows can also be lit from outside using lamps or reflecting panels, it the Sun position is not quite good.

Curtains as props? Good thought, didn't think of that one. Thx