Design For a Compact Photo Studio

It must contain a reception and display area, a dressing room, an office, and of course, a camera room.

The camera room must be able to accommodate large families, various groups and the typical wedding party with bride and groom. These demands require a background wall of at least sixteen feet wide for a group portrait without wall shadows. The background wall can be covered with floor to ceiling drapes of a solid color in a muted shade. Colors that have worked well in the past are gray/green, light gray, blue/gray and wine red. The drapes should extend six feet along the left and right walls for extremely large groups. A curved bracket will eliminate the corner. If a rear exit exists in the back wall, a false wall can be built with a door to the extreme side for rear access. Props can be stored on shelves along the wall and hung from the ceiling. Walls should be painted in a bone white for use as a reflective surface with bounce lighting. Ideally, pulleys can be installed on the ceiling for raising and lowering muslin type backgrounds. Several muslins can be stored in bags for easy access.

The reception and display area can utilize low couches and a cocktail table for showing albums. Only sixteen by twenty and larger portraits should be displayed on the walls. Smaller sizes for selling purposes can be displayed on the desks.

The dressing room should incorporate a lighted mirror and dressing table with bench, hooks and hangers for clothing and a small lavatory. The office can double as a room for computer work, ordering supplies and customer calling.