Studio Wall Colors

Stolarczyk · Apr 5, 2013

I'm in the process of converting one of my extra bedrooms, into a makeshift studio. I know that the ceilings aren't high enough, but sometimes you just make due with what you have. The floor space is around 217 square feet, and the ceilings are 8'. I have already done a little reading on wall color for studios, but I would like some direct input. Some have suggested having light, or white color walls in order to use them as a bounce source. I'm not really crazy about that idea because for one, I don't really like white walls, and I want to be able to control the light, not have it bouncing all over the place and having to set up flags all the time. The other suggestion I saw, was to then have black walls so you don't have light being reflected. The room I'm working with is larger than the average size bedroom, but it would still end up looking like a cave if I painted the walls black.

So that brings me to the options that I'm trying to consider. I want the studio to be practical, but I want it to also be very pleasant to be in for both myself and clients. So the first option I'm considering is going with a medium gray tone, that is a little on the warmer side, and then doing a little bit darker shade on the accent wall by my computer space. I have seen the warm medium gray tone used with success in other studios, so I thought it was a pretty solid option. However my other option is to warm up the studio a little more and give it more of the feel of a coffee house. The floors in the work space are hardwood, and a very dark brown color, almost black. One question I do have, is will a brown wall color negatively affect my images. Everything reflects to a certain extent, and I don't want to always be giving my pictures and odd color cast. On the other hand brown is a pretty neutral color, that if anything would probably help most skin tones, so I wasn't sure if it would be fine.

I will also mention that I need to repaint the ceiling as well, because it is a rose color, and that's just not going to happen.

Input would be fantastic, I look forward to hearing from you.

-Josh

Buckster · Apr 5, 2013

I'd still go with a neutral white, so that they can be used to bounce light and become big source diffusers when that would be helpful. The rest of the time, it shouldn't be a problem controlling light spill from your modifiers, especially if you're using anything other than shoot-through umbrellas. If you need ambiance for clients and don't think the white gets you there, you could always hang drapes or backdrops that can be opened, closed, moved, etc.

Big Mike · Apr 5, 2013

I would certainly avoid strong colors, as that will very likely show up in your photos. If you think that you'll be shooting dark field or low key type shots, then you'll make it easier on yourself with darker wall. Middle grey is pretty dark for household wall paint, so that might be my choice.

If you will also be doing your photo editing in there, that is another reason to avoid strong colors, especially on a wall that will be in your field of view when facing your monitor. Colors 'behind your monitor' will affect how you brain is interpreting the colors on the screen.

As for the coffee house feel, do that with lighting, not paint.

Another option, would be to put in a curtain system. You mount some curtain track and hang a few curtains/backdrops. This allows you to pull out the backdrop you want to use, but it can also be used to cover walls when you want to limit bounced light etc.

chris · Apr 5, 2013

Use matt black to avoid having stray light bouncing around the room. Backdrops, reflectors and lights can then be used to produce exactly the effect you want.

Stolarczyk · Apr 5, 2013

chris said:
Use matt black to avoid having stray light bouncing around the room. Backdrops, reflectors and lights can then be used to produce exactly the effect you want.

Problem again being the room isn't that large, and I think it would look like a cave if it was black.

Big Mike said:
I would certainly avoid strong colors, as that will very likely show up in your photos. If you think that you'll be shooting dark field or low key type shots, then you'll make it easier on yourself with darker wall. Middle grey is pretty dark for household wall paint, so that might be my choice.

If you will also be doing your photo editing in there, that is another reason to avoid strong colors, especially on a wall that will be in your field of view when facing your monitor. Colors 'behind your monitor' will affect how you brain is interpreting the colors on the screen.

As for the coffee house feel, do that with lighting, not paint.

Another option, would be to put in a curtain system. You mount some curtain track and hang a few curtains/backdrops. This allows you to pull out the backdrop you want to use, but it can also be used to cover walls when you want to limit bounced light etc.

I think I am leaning toward the medium gray tone, and I may consider doing some kind of a curtain system in some areas as well. The other thing that I didn't mention before is that whoever did the seam taping job on the drywall, didn't know what he was doing. Unfortunately there's several spots where you can pretty easily see the seams, and I was trying to figure out ways to hide that without having to redo drywall

. Curtains may be the ticket.