Converting the garage into a studio...Question about paint color for walls

The Mack

I'm converting the garage into a studio to use for all my photography stuff (editing, storing gear & shooting models)

I want to paint the wall, to replace the "dirty" white color and make it look a little better. Is there a certain color that would be better for use with lighting?

Light colors or dark colors better?

I'd really like to use a dark red or a burnt orange if it's possible.



Thanks!

Art Scott

If i had the money here is what I would do.......can't remember the brand of commercial carper but brands change in different areas any whoooo....but I had found a nice relatively smoooooth commercial carpet 12' wide in solid jet black and the shop owners were curious as too my wanting to cover a wall and floor with it in one continuous piece.......so after closing I took 2 lights and some gels and experimented with what I could do with it.....I will say that I think if I could stretch canvas and get it perfectly flat on the wall and floor it might be better as canvas would not have hardly any texture to it ,,,,but the carpet work really well...........
if you are going to paint it and since it is a garage.......I would use a really good grade of exterior paint or a floor / wall stain in jet black..... seal the small gap between wall and floor with some sort of filler .....not a 1/4 round or anything but a concrete in tube type so it could almost be totally seamless and that could be #1 background smoooth and flowing from top to bottom......also depending on my ceiling height I would get a rail system to hang any other background on so they could be pulled around to get into place to be used or a roller system that holds up to 3 or 4 backgrounds.....these should be 1 white [if you want to promote hi-key] or just some really exotic scenic painted backgrounds......with the black as a main b/g and some colored gels for the back lights (need 2 back lights to work properly) you can have all the exotic colors your heart could desire.....

The Mack

So you're saying paint the wall black. Hmmm.

Art Scott

The Mack wrote:

So you're saying paint the wall black. Hmmm.

yep.....and cover the windows to keep out extraneous light from being where you do not want nor need it.

The Mack

What about just one wall? and like a dark red on the others? I dunno, just ALL black seems I dunno. weird. lol

Should the cieling be painted too?

Art Scott

The Mack wrote:

What about just one wall? and like a dark red on the others? I dunno, just ALL black seems I dunno. weird. lol

Should the cieling be painted too?

Usually everyting is black....this is for control.....but sure if you want to paint other walls other colors go for it.......I was givng you the easy road and probably the cheapest road also......gels are around $5.00/ sheet and a sheet wil make at least 2 if not more pieces for your lights and black absorbs the color which will POP out in the photos taken..........

As for the paint I use.....I find surplus paint at remodeling places that also sell freight damaged cabinets and such......my last purchases were govt surplus latex for $5/gal....it made a great black backdrop.

The Mack

I see what you're saying. I guess I really need to figure out if I want to go full blown on the studio shots or not.

Art Scott

with just the black painted background and 3 lights (2 back and 1 main) you can do an almost endless amount of good portrait work......if you need to do groups of 3 or more then a 2nd front light would be needed......with what I described it onoly takes a couple of seconds to change the gels....mixing or matching them.....I try to keep them stacked on the floor next to my light stands......I also write on them (with white grease pen) exactly the color they are and also the numbers which I dentify them for re-purchasing if they should get damaged and the writing never shows up in the pics...it becomes invisble to the light passing thru.