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Dino f

Dino f

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Dean Feltimo
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So the build begins.
The space for the studio has now been (almost) cleared and the concrete base will be put down next week.
The building is on order and will take about 3 weeks to arrive, so plenty of time to get sorted (weather permitting)
Im a bit restricted by the amount of land i have spare so the studio will be 12ft wide x 18ft long and the height around 8ft. Not massive, but about right for what i need.
On the far end will be an infinity curve, rear and floor painted white and extending approx 10ft from rear wall. Then wooden flooring continuing to the "shooting" wall.
There will also be a black background on a roll above it to pull down when needed.
Because i want complete control of reflected light, the side walls and ceiling will be painted black up to the end of the white floor.
White walls the other end and windows with blackout blinds to keep that end brighter if im just showing images to people etc.
Ive attached a rough diagram of the layout.
Would appreicate any advice from anyone who has done similar.

studio-plan.jpg


Cheers
Dean.
 
I can't help wondering what the floor standing lights are for...
 
Hi Garry.
The rear lights would mainly be for lighting the background for white b/g shots, or, using as effect lights with a black or grey background. The front 2 lights, well tbh, i dont need 2, i just have 2. I expect to be using 1 the majority of the time with either a beauty dish or softbox. I'll probable be using it mainly on a boom stand. Ill use reflectors whenever possible, as using another light just complicates things. I like simplicity ;0)
Dean
 
I think you'll be surprised how small your studio gets once it's kitted out and you've moved the gear in. I also have a separate studio at the end of the garden which coincidentally is 18'x12' - though mine also doubles (trebles?) as a home cinema and music room and has a wash room as well. As you are going to the trouble of building an infinity curve, I'd continue this into one corner and a few foot along one side wall - this would then allow you to shoot diagonally as well so as to maximise the distances between camera>subject>background. Wall booms are great and with a 12' width you can potentially cover all the width of the room - don't have them too close to the corner. As for stands. get them with wheels it makes positioning the lights so much easier not to mention safer. There is a very successful US photographer that uses a very small studio and his number one tip is get 'grids' for all your modifiers to ensure you have the best light control you can get (softboxes, beauty-dishes..).

Paul
 
My studio is even smaller, one bit of advice from me would be to buy collapsable soft boxes! That way you can collapse them down to save space when not in use, building normal ones or trying to find a place for them when not being used is a pain.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I'm hoping to keep the place clutter free, but in sure it'll fill up quickly. Will defo look at foldable gridded softboxes.
 
Well, the studio got delivered today. I feel a bit resposible for the demise of half a forest :naughty:
Just got to finish the last bit of concreting then i can start to put it together. Will post some pics soon.
Dean:)
 
Ok, so got rained off yesterday, but had a good bash at the build today.

Wooden base goes dow on top of concrete base.
studio1-1.jpg


Walls start to go up.
studio2-1.jpg


Front side fitted.
studio3-1.jpg


Roof on and started to felt.
studio4-1.jpg


After the roof is finished, the whole studio will be plasterboarded out and the infinity curve fitted. Then the electrics, alarm, smoke detector etc.
Dean:)
 
Hey Carl,
Wasnt sure anyone was watching this thread.:LOL:
Its not far from being finished, ive finished the plaster boarding, and now working on the infinity curve.
Once thats done, its just a case of fill, paint then electrics.
I'll post up some more pictures as it progresses.
Cheers for lookin in.
Dean:)
 
Dino f said:
Hey Carl,
Wasnt sure anyone was watching this thread.:LOL:
Its not far from being finished, ive finished the plaster boarding, and now working on the infinity curve.
Once thats done, its just a case of fill, paint then electrics.
I'll post up some more pictures as it progresses.
Cheers for lookin in.
Dean:)
Click to expand...

We're watching :LOL:
 
Hi Guys,
Been a little slow the last couple of weeks due to work commitments.

curvey.jpg


Here is the start of the infinity curve on the rear wall.
The plasterboarding is pretty much finished.
As soon as the curve is done its time to fill and sand everything.
Just bought a Lencarta Elite pro 300 head to use as my main light. Also 2 wall booms, a beauty dish and a 100x80cm softbox.
Will keep post updated as and when things happen.

Thanks for looking

Dean:)
 
My wife - bless her - just suggested doing a similar thing with an unused bit at the front of the house where the previous owners used to park their car and caravan and after looking at this thread it seems a damn fine idea as yours is looking great.

I hope you don't mind me asking a couple of questions.

Firstly and in many ways most importantly how much does it look like its going to cost?
Have you done all the work yourself or did you get someone in to do some of it such as the concrete base?
Did you need planning permission?

Thanks and keep up the good work.
 
Hi John,

JohnN said:
My wife - bless her - just suggested doing a similar thing with an unused bit at the front of the house where the previous owners used to park their car and caravan and after looking at this thread it seems a damn fine idea as yours is looking great.

I hope you don't mind me asking a couple of questions.

Firstly and in many ways most importantly how much does it look like its going to cost?
Including the building, all the materials new lights, wall booms (instead of stands) and various light modifiers, its gonna total about £3000

Have you done all the work yourself or did you get someone in to do some of it such as the concrete base?
All by myself, with help from the wife.

Did you need planning permission?
The size and height of the building is inside max size for PP, also its a wooden structure, so not counted as permanent.

Thanks and keep up the good work.
Click to expand...

Thanks for taking an interest.
Dean:)
 
Cheers Dean, not exactly cheep then :)

One issue I have though is mine would be on the front garden so would be at risk from vandals.

Looking damn good though and I look forward to seeing how it works out.
 
Last edited:
Another quick update.

studio7.jpg



Infinity curve almost finished, just laying down the curve flooring before fixing.
Then fill & paint.

Dean:)
 
Thats looking great
 
Looking good!

I've been pondering on doing similar. But as I'm only a tenant, and would need planning permission for anything with a foundation, I was thinking one of those larger wooden office/sheds. Anyone done anything like that? Have them come and build for you ideally.
 
I put a cabin in the rear garden after being refuse planning permission to modify the garage.

The local planning department told me that if the cabin is within 1m of a boundary then it's limited to 15sq m, if it's further than that away then it can be up to 50% of the garden. It can only be 2.4m high.

I went for a 5x3m fully insulated cabin, sitting on pads rather than a concrete base, with large double glazed doors and windows. About £8k built and installed, but usable all year around. The ceiling is a little low for a studio, but it's been used as such a few times, but it's mostly there as a teenage playroom (tv, Xbox, pc etc).
 
Yeah, mine would double as storage and probably end up as 'another' toy room in the end. But It would be nice to have a bit of private space to get along with my photography without the kids jumping all over me and swinging out of my light stands :D I'll have to look into what I would be allowed here.
 
Love the thread, thought about this many times but then I think outside my means !
Wondered about roof height, will you line it with black material or something to absorb stray light ?
 
testbloke said:
Love the thread, thought about this many times but then I think outside my means !
Wondered about roof height, will you line it with black material or something to absorb stray light ?
Click to expand...

I think i am going to paint the ceiling black at the curve end, and white at the shooting end. I was going to paint the wall black at the curve end too, but it looks a little uninviting, so may paint the sides white, to extend the curve area, and just use black material to use as a non reflective surface.
At the shooting end it has laminate flooring, in one corner its being wallpapered.
The ceiling is 6'6" at the eves and about 8' in the middle.

Dean:)
 
Things that people need to be aware of if thinking of this:

Under new regulations that came into effect on 1 October 2008 outbuildings are considered to be permitted development, not needing planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

1. No outbuilding forward of the principal elevation fronting a highway.
2. Outbuildings and garages to be single storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and maximum overall height of four metres with a dual pitched roof or three metres for any other roof.
3. Maximum height 2.5 metres within two metres of a boundary.
4. No verandas
5. No more than half the area of land around the "original house"* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
6. In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from house to be limited to 10 square metres.
7. On designated land buildings, enclosures, containers and pools at the side of properties will require planning permission.
8. Within the curtilage of listed buildings any outbuilding will require planning permission.

The term "original house" means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date). Although you may not have built an extension to the house, a previous owner may have done so.
Designated land includes national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites.


So without planning permission, within 2m of a boundary you are restricted to 2.5m high, which is just over 8 feet, which is tight for a studio especially if you want to do portraiture with a large softbox. You can be clever with picking the design of the cabin, say a flat roof raised at one end rather than pitched. With mine being double skinned and insulated on walls, floor and ceiling, I've ended up with about 7 foot at the highest, going to 6 1/2 foot at the lowest.

Within 1m of a boundary and you are limited to 15sqm. 15-30Sqm and you need to be over 1m from the boundary or made of non flammable material.

Lots of good info here: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/outbuildings/
 
Byker28i said:
Things that people need to be aware of if thinking of this:

Under new regulations that came into effect on 1 October 2008 outbuildings are considered to be permitted development, not needing planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

1. No outbuilding forward of the principal elevation fronting a highway.
2. Outbuildings and garages to be single storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and maximum overall height of four metres with a dual pitched roof or three metres for any other roof.
3. Maximum height 2.5 metres within two metres of a boundary.
4. No verandas
5. No more than half the area of land around the "original house"* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
6. In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from house to be limited to 10 square metres.
7. On designated land buildings, enclosures, containers and pools at the side of properties will require planning permission.
8. Within the curtilage of listed buildings any outbuilding will require planning permission.

The term "original house" means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date). Although you may not have built an extension to the house, a previous owner may have done so.
Designated land includes national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites.


So without planning permission, within 2m of a boundary you are restricted to 2.5m high, which is just over 8 feet, which is tight for a studio especially if you want to do portraiture with a large softbox. You can be clever with picking the design of the cabin, say a flat roof raised at one end rather than pitched. With mine being double skinned and insulated on walls, floor and ceiling, I've ended up with about 7 foot at the highest, going to 6 1/2 foot at the lowest.

Within 1m of a boundary and you are limited to 15sqm. 15-30Sqm and you need to be over 1m from the boundary or made of non flammable material.

Lots of good info here: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/outbuildings/
Click to expand...

Any chance to show us some photos of yours both inside and out ?
 
Love following this thread! I so want to convert our oversized single garage. It's a slid brick building ans would need insulating and some form of heating. It has plumbing already though not sure how much use that would be? We never put our car in there and it's used for storage so would probably need a shed of sorts to put the bits in. Don't think it would cost that much to be honest as the basic structure is there. Convincing my other half may be more of a problem though;)
 
The one thing ive discovered since starting the project is size. Big is never enough.
I visited a few friends studios, that are smaller than mine, and thought they were great. I decided to go bigger, just in case.
At first, my studio seemed massive, but as the plasterboard and all went in, it seems to have closed it in a little, even though in reality, it is only 2".
if i could change anything (so far), i think i should have gone for 22' long instead of 18'.
Having said that, all of my shoots are usually at peoples homes with far less space, so i know it's gonna be fine.
Dean:)
 
Think I need to get the tape measure out! I can see the £ signs before my eyes. Thanks Dean.
 
JohnN said:
Did you need planning permission?
Click to expand...

From memory as I looked into planning and building regs when I had a prefab garage put up in my back garden. Mine fell under permitted development and didn't need building regs either due to its size and location.

You are talking about outside the front of the house - that won't count as permitted development as some part is in front of the house and you will always need planning, as you would for anything over 8' at its highest point at the back of your house, unless more than 2m from any boundary.

You need building regs for anything over 30 square metres internal area, or 15 square metres if built from a combustible material and within 1m of a boundary. A lot of people don't realise that big wooden sheds can need building regs if they are near a boundary (I certainly didn't and it influenced my choice of garage, I had been looking at wooden ones until then).

This was the situation two years ago when I looked into it, things may have changed. It can vary from council to council and if you live in a conservation area different rules apply. You should check with your local council and / or the planning portal website, but really, be very careful putting up anything that extends in front of the house.
 
Dino f said:
The one thing ive discovered since starting the project is size. Big is never enough.
I visited a few friends studios, that are smaller than mine, and thought they were great. I decided to go bigger, just in case.
At first, my studio seemed massive, but as the plasterboard and all went in, it seems to have closed it in a little, even though in reality, it is only 2".
if i could change anything (so far), i think i should have gone for 22' long instead of 18'.
Having said that, all of my shoots are usually at peoples homes with far less space, so i know it's gonna be fine.
Dean:)
Click to expand...

Sadly the best sized studio always seems to be 2 foot longer on each wall than you've currently got:LOL:
 
Hi, progress the last couple of weeks has been slow owing to B&Q letting me down on a delivery and me and the wife having a break in Cornwall.
There has been progress, all plasterboarding is complete. The windows have had sills fitted. Its all ready for fill, sand and paint. As soon as its painted, I'll post photos up of the lights going in.
Thanks to those that are keeping an eye on the progress.
Dean :0)
 
Oooh, it's good to hear it's still going ahead! I subscribed without posting just in case after there not being an update for a while that it had all come to a standstill :p
 
Ha ha. I haven't bothered posting pictures up as this is Talk Photography and not Talk Building. Lol. I'll put some up when it's being kitted out.
Lots of lessons learned. Quite a bit of money wasted ;-(
Can't wait to use it.
Dean.
 
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