Having a dedicated studio space is a luxury most portrait photographers don’t have but how much room do you actually need? For example, is it possible to take studio-quality portraits in a random corridor no wider than a doorway?
That’s the challenge portrait photographer Gavin Hoey sets himself when he swaps his small home studio for the adjoining tiny corridor. At just 43 inches wide (or 1.1 meters) there’s no room for a normal studio background so Gavin improvises and creates three very different looks from high key to dramatically dark and finally a hyper-colorful graphic look.
The lack of space also means Gavin can’t fit a softbox in the small space, so he creates super soft light by making good use of the white walls. He also embraces hard light for some moody images and uses an optical projector to create a circle of light. Gavin’s choice of light switches between the power of a single Flashpoint XPLOR 300 flash and the convenience of a Nanlite LED for an amazingly colorful finale.
Timestamps and Chapters
0:00 Intro
1:28 One flash high key portrait set-up
2:38 High-key photo session
3:28 One flash of dramatic hard lighting
4:47 Dark and dramatic photo session
5:17 White walls into black walls with a projector
6:21 Colorful spotlight effect with a projector
7:27 Colourful LED spotlight photo session
8:12 Conclusions and Subscribe
SUBSCRIBE AND BE PART OF THE ADORAMA FAMILY:
➥
__________________________________
Be the first to shop our great deals and sales by signing up for emails from Adorama!
__________________________________
✘ PRODUCTS USED:
OM SYSTEM OM-1
Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro
Lexar Professional 1667x 64GB SDXC UHS-II/U3 Memory Card
Flashpoint XPLOR 300 Pro
Flashpoint R2 Pro Transmitter
Flashpoint 10’ C-Stand and Grip Arm
Glow S2 Round Flash S-type Bowens Mount Bracket
NanLite Forza 60C RGBLAC LED
NanLite Forza 60 Projector with 19 Degree Lens
Tether Tools Pro 16′ USB 2.0 Active Extension Cable
Manfrotto Magnetic Background Support Kit
Glow 7″ Reflector
#portraitphotography #highkey #adorama
__________________________________
❐ LET’S GET SOCIAL ❏
➥ Facebook
➥ Instagram
➥ Twitter
➥ Twitch
➥ Adorama Music
❐ MORE ADORAMA ❏
➥ Shop
➥ Blog
➥ Live Events
➥ Create No Matter What
➥ Podcast
__________________________________
Follow Gavin on
Model: Katie Willy
__________________________________
THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!
Comments
45 responses to “Can a corridor be a studio? | Take and Make Great Photography with Gavin Hoey”
Like always Gavin with awesome ideas. Now I don’t have to worry about getting into a bigger studio. Keep them coming Gavin.
As usual an excellent Video. One question: although you have a small home studio do you ever shoot with two models or would this be too cramped, would it make an interesting project?
Some great ideas in a very small area. I try to watch Gavin classes since I used to do some studio work and he is a great teacher. Thanks.
good 9mins and simple approach, some funky images Well done and thanks Gavin.
Hi which Tab you use for Tethering in this video?
Hi Gavin. Fantastic for those of us with limited space available. A video on photographing family members in a domestic context with limited speedlight equipment would be really helpful for us parents and amateurs who want to get nice photos of our kids etc
Great video! Love that Katie – THAT'S a model👍
Great video! Do you have a link for the popup backgrounds?
Gavin, I see you are tethered to what I see as an iPad or is it something else? Could you explain your setup? I really enjoy how you explain in the easiest verbal fashion how to shoot portraits. Thank you in advance.
Great again. Great idea for my small home studio too
What would be the difference if you used the 36 degree lens on the projector? Is it a wider spread?
Going extremes a coffin will also do as a studio.
Great video
Hey there great video. What software do you have on your iPad for teather shooting?
Hey Gavin, not sure if you’ve made a video in this but I have 2 strobe lights in an average basement room. Wondering what a good set up would be to take high key photos of people including full body. 1 light on the background 1 on subject? Or 2 lights in front of the subject? It’s not a lot of space from the subject to the white paper. 2-3 feet background to subject. Camera 5-8 feet from subject. Thanks! Great video very inspiring and problem solving! More high key videos!
Gavin, you are da man! You always have entertaining and very informative videos.
we love Gavin..thank u for the most useful videos
In your gear list you missed the link to those pop-up muslin-type backdrops you brought out for the fourth segment. I'm looking for exactly those! Is there a convenient Adorama link for those?
What is holding the tablet to the stand?
Very amazing photography super
I am making my hallways 4.5ft wide. Would that be the magic number to have photoshoots in my hallway and fit softboxes?
Hi
Great video you do such great photos ❤❤❤
Could you give the name and model of the spot light
I LOVE your videos man.
Awesome video as always! I have two questions:
What is the monitor used on the light stand?
Is your camera tethered only into the monitor or a laptop as well?
PS: that light-stand you're using has an awesome 'extension' boom that's not indicated in the description. Please add? 🙂
Awesome demonstration of a small space. Pretty surprised how 'white' that back wall came out. Not sure my AD300 could muster this at 1/4 power facing backwards.
Literally how I do most of my "studio" shoots 😆
You are the best!
From a small to a super small studio.
Always a nice day, when my favorite photograph, uploads a new super informative video.
No more excuse for not shooting indoor. Thanks Gavin !
Loved the results. Live Katie's poses.
Wow, you never cease to amaze me Gavin! Is there no challenge you cannot overcome? 😀👍
Great Video! Thanks Gavin and Katie
Amazing as Always
Great!
My first studio was my living room with 8' ceilings and I thought that was small. But, I made it work. I could even do full length shots and had background lights, hair lights, etc.
You're the most creative Photographer I know. I'll never aggain complain about the tinyness of my small home studio. Thank you Gavin – Manfrd from Hamburg
Thank you so mutch, You are a great photographer and teacher. Kate you are a great model.
Sin duda alguna Gavin resuelve de manera genial, las situaciones por pequeño que sea el espacio. Felicitaciones y saludos desde México City.
Always Great Mr. Gavin👍!! Tks🙏
Another great and enjoyable one Gavin.
Hi Gavin, great video again. I just spotted that even your "picture control system" has shrunk quite a bit 🙂 I saw this solution a few times but couldn`t find out what exactly it is. Just a special holder for a Tablet? And what software are you using that shows you the shot on the whole screen? Thanks a million, Peter
Oh wow Gavin Hoey that was a great video! The first light set up seems great for e-commerce photos. Thank you for all you share here in the ADORAMA channel. Happy Christmas to you Sir!