Colored walls in a photo studio?

[JustJazzie]

We finally have the boys in their permeant quarters, which means my zen den is also settling into its ultimate resting place.

The room doubles as a yoga/meditation space, and photo studio. I've decided to permanently work around my background stand in hopes that it inspires me to shoot more often, and I should be able to keep my lights on their stands in the closet for easy access.

Currently, the walls are white, and the ceiling has wood planking (wouldn't want to change that!) I would LOVE to do like a smokey eggplant color. (okay, thats a lie, what I would really love to do is cover the walls with glitter, but DH said no way. So this is the next best thing.)

I am wondering how much of a nightmare it will be to paint the walls this color, assuming I am not trying to bounce light and always plan to pull out my strobes and modifiers. Would using a matte paint instead of glossy help at all?

The room is about 12.5x15 feet, if that is relevant in any aspect.

Thank you for your thoughts,
Jazzie

 

[fmw]

Having any color other white or gray in a photo studio will create a lot of work fixing color casts.

 

[KmH]

Yep.
My at home, extra room studio walls are painted a flat (no sheen) gray and the ceiling is a flat white.

 

[JustJazzie]

Could I do an accent wall BEHIND the backdrop? Or will that still cause issues?

 

[snowbear]

I wouldn't think that would be much of an issue, as long as the backdrop covers it and is thick enough to block it out.

 

[fmw]

The concern is colored reflections. As long as you don't have colored reflections, there will be no problem. Reflections can come from any direction. I recommend white or gray.

 

[TCampbell]

If you install curtain rods around the permitter of the room, you can hang black curtains to hide the walls.

Ultimately you want to control reflections of light (even if the walls are color neutral). If you want colored walls, then you can hide them when you're working... and slide the curtains aside (or take them down) when not working.

 

[benhasajeep]

If you install curtain rods around the permitter of the room, you can hang black curtains to hide the walls.

Ultimately you want to control reflections of light (even if the walls are color neutral). If you want colored walls, then you can hide them when you're working... and slide the curtains aside (or take them down) when not working.

That was my thinking. You can even just have some type of hangers around the room, so that you can hang wall coverings when you want to use the room for photography. That way if the room is used more for other uses than photography. You can actually remove the fabric and store out of sight.

 

[ac12]

To follow up on Tim.
YOU want to control the light.
Light reflected off the walls, ceiling and floor could mess up YOUR lighting.

One interesting trick/idea is to paint the back wall white, or use a FLAT white curtain/drape.
If you aim a flash into this wall/curtain, you have a HUGE soft light source.

 

[Designer]

I would LOVE to do like a smokey eggplant color.

Before my plans changed, that is almost exactly what I was going to do. Flat dark purple all around with accent pieces in a contrasting color. Yep, I was going to do that.

I don't think you need to worry about the wall color bleeding over into your photos. I think that would only happen if you tried bouncing a lot of light off the purple walls/ceiling.

I say go for it, and show us the results.

 

[Pmcn500]

When i was back in Scotland, I was a member of the Glenrothes Camera Club, and when we refurb'd the club studio.... we painted them 18% flat grey. It was ideal as depending on your lighting, you could make the walls appear darker or lighter depending on your subject.

 

[JoeW]

First, go with white walls. I know, I know....BORING. But you'll thank all of us offering that advice once you start shooting in the space. My son had one of my walls painted green (to use as a green screen for some video work). I had a black backdrop in front of it...and still got a greenish tint to skin and white clothing.

Second, don't cover the walls with colored paint. Cover them with your art work. That's how you escape the "boring." And it's an incentive for you to start cranking out some work (and then printing/framing it) quickly...so that you get rid of those boring, empty walls.

 

[Derrel]

I painted my old garage walls and ceiling a nice, lightish gray color. Worked out very well...a lot less accidental bounce than white, yet EASY to "lift" to white by applying light to the gray, or to drive down to black by keeping light OFF of the walls...I personally would prefer gray instead of white in a studio setting. Gray is also neutral, and does not cause accidental color-tinging from light that reflects off of it.

 

[JustJazzie]

Thanks for all of your thoughts!

I think I will go ahead and leave them white for now, and do as Joe suggested and cover them with some art! I've got many frames that could use a good paint job and print inside. Maybe the purple will go someplace else.