In which I modify certain domestic arrangements while expanding hitherto limited horizons

You think that title was long? Wait until you read this post.

You may need to lay in snacks but that's never a bad thing. Pillow and blankie optional.

At any rate you may place the blame squarely on the lovely shoulders of Miz Donna over at Cottage Days for this one, because it is she who suggested it.

Namely, she said why didn't I tell everybody about my new home studio.

And I don't need much goading to talk about anything, much less photography.

But when a photographer who has forgotten more about photography than I or my Chihuahua, Javier, put together, will ever know, comments on the results of my studio work and enjoins me to reveal information, I deliver.

So here you go: A brief explanation of how it came about, and what's in it, and how it's all going.

You may recall that I blogged two years ago about having three separate offices in my house.

There was the original office in the sunroom at the back, overlooking the pool, which I shared with TG and where my actual desk was situated on which lived my treasured iMac.

Then, since Erica had gone to live in Georgia, and Andrew was long gone as well, I made two separate bedrooms upstairs into backup offices.

Which space I occupied for writing purposes depended on time of day, climatic conditions, and my mood. Both had windows looking out into our massive White Oak, and I loved the whole aerie-in-the-branches ambience.

But alas, Erica is back.

Wait; that didn't sound right. I'm thrilled she's back but alas, her return resulted in my forfeiting not one but both of my upstairs offices.

Because not only did she reclaim her old room to live in, but she filled much of Andrew's old room with stuff she doesn't have room for in her old room.

Which is now her room again.

Some of her overflow belongings are in our attic too.

Me? I have exhibited the patience of Job throughout. You can ask anyone.

Well. Anyone except Erica. Maybe don't ask TG either.

At any rate that meant I've been displaced to sitting in my easy chair with a lap desk and my MacBook Pro, which is fine, but more lazy than office-y, I think you will agree.

And yes there is the occasional time I would blog from Chick-fil-A, but one cannot do that every day.

The sunroom office is no good for summer because whereas in previous years a special unit cooled it, this year (maybe for the past two years), said unit has become uncooperative.

As in, it no longer works. And no, we have not fixed it. Generally our it's-broken to let's-fix-it track record is two to five years, depending of course on what's out of commission.

The refrigerator, for example, would be fixed immediately were it to break down. Our front-cave ice-maker however, on board said appliance, has not worked in years.

I doubt it ever will again. Priorities, mate. A ninety-nine-cent ice tray works one hundred percent of the time.

But do you know how hot it gets here? Even in off years like this one, when our summer temperatures were remarkably moderate, it can easily reach one hundred degrees in the aptly-named sunroom.

Before noon.

So several months back I moved my iMac into a niche in the TV room, a homey space that is kept at an ideal temperature. And the computer enjoyed that spot well enough.

But it was far from a permanent situation.

Now, if you know anything about me at all, you know that I am always looking to change things.

Which is sort of funny because deep down, I don't really like change. Unless it's necessary.

Which it usually is. And in this case, it definitely was.

Having gotten very serious about photography about a year ago, as in, desiring to hold myself out as a portrait photographer who prefers to shoot outdoors in natural light, I became frustrated during our hot, humid months.

To quote South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Chaz Sutton, said humidity has even gotten up to "over one hundred percent."

That's okay, Chaz. Keep on sacking quarterbacks and you can assign the humidity whatever number you want.

So you might say that a few months ago, a light went on in me brain.

Where it is generally somewhat pleasantly dim.

And the light revealed what I had probably known all along in the recesses of my cluttered subconscious:

It was high time to turn our seldom-used-except-at-Christmastime front room into a studio/office combination. Home of Jennifer Weber Photography.

And so I did.

This room is long in length and adequate in width. Its only two drawbacks as a studio are that it's somewhat small for the purpose (but big enough, if you are careful not to trip over anything), and there are large windows letting in lots of natural light.

(Technically a studio should be very roomy and the subject lit only by artificial studio lighting.)

At one end of this room stood the eight-foot glass-topped collage table I've told you about before.

Over it hung a formal brass chandelier.

Now the table is gone (it's in the kitchen) and the chandelier is gone (in a heap, in the garage).

In place of the table is my new Kaezi backdrop setup which came with muslins in black and white plus two powerful umbrella lights.

The better to take your picture with, my dears.

And if you come over here, I will.

In the chandelier's place is a trendy black ceiling fan sans light kit. Thank you again, TG. xoxo

And to my camera gear (which already included two Nikons, three exceptional pieces of Nikkor glass, a Dynex DX-TRP60 tripod, a Rokinon monopod, a hefty Nikon camera bag, and a Black Rapid strap), I added several things which I consider essential.

None were expensive, although they can be. I chose the less expensive, but no less effective, versions:

A Rocketfish Nikon-compatible wireless remote shutter control; a Neewer TT560 Speedlite flash; a Neewer collapsible multi-disc reflector; a small Fotodiox softbox for the flash; and a roll of Savage seamless super white background paper.

Because sometimes you just want smooth and seamless.

The delightful result?

Well. Although taking pictures outdoors in natural light will always be my favorite thing to do with a camera, I can now take more (and different kinds of) portraits indoors.

In a climate-controlled environment. When no natural light is available.

And when it's one hundred degrees outside and the humidity is over one hundred percent, I think you'll agree that the added option is going to come in handy.

By the way, Erica loathes that picture of herself. She says it's scary. Something about her teeth.

I find the photo compelling. Perhaps that's down to her being my kid and me being my own biggest fan.

And I know she's not a vampire. Only a vamp.

Be that as it may, just a few more details about my setup and I will bore you no more.

(If you've gotten this far, you deserve an ice cream cone. If you bear with me to the end, by all means add extra sprinkles.)

Erica, who is as skilful with a paintbrush as any surgeon is with a scalpel, painted the far wall of my new studio black.

Why did I need a black wall when I already had a black muslin backdrop, you may ask.

Because although the wall was painted dark red, it had a white chair rail. And the white chair rail was sometimes visible through the muslin.

Also now, to partly compensate for the large light-letting-in windows during daytime shoots, I am able to turn the backdrop outfitted with the black muslin to partially block the light, and I still have the black wall to shoot against.

Recently I draped a string of lights over the backdrop, seated the subject near the wall, and shot into the triangle that formed.

When you have a gorgeous subject, you can get away with just about anything. Besides, I have always wanted a black wall. Black is my favorite color.

(I highly recommend painting stuff black. It turns even ordinary things into dramatic and interesting things.)

To summarize: Black wall; backdrop with choice of black or white muslins; black silver-lined umbrella light; white umbrella light; tripod; speedlite flash with detachable softbox; remote shutter control; seamless pure white paper background; reflector discs; two Nikons; a Nikkor mid-range zoom; two stellar examples of Nikkor prime glass.

We are all set.

Oh I almost forgot.

In addition to my own desk in what is now my only office, my studio features a few other places to take pictures.

Now, I know the less cluttered and busy the background, the better the portrait.

But sometimes you can put an interesting background to good use as well.

Such as items on a table behind a sofa, or books and objets d' art arranged pleasingly on well-stocked bookshelves, with points of light to mesmerizingly blur in the bokeh.

I also have an antique school desk and an antique armless rocker that serve well for interesting seating, in addition to "disappearing" black saddleback stools cadged from the kitchen.

Use your imagination! I'll bet you have even better stuff than me.

Our lovely young friend Miss R said during a recent shoot that when she had her senior pictures made last year, the photographer used a backdrop that was merely a likeness of bookshelves.

She concluded that real books on real shelves are better.

And I agree, and I think you will too.

Now I know you hate to see this post conclude, but all good things must come to an end.

However I am reasonably sure you are wondering what happened to the white dining set you've seen so many pictures of, that used to be in my kitchen, which can no longer be there because the seven-foot collage table is now in its place.

Well. As I said, my desk, which used to be in the sunroom office, is now in my new studio office.

And the white table and chairs are now in the sunroom where they will serve as extra seating for holiday meals and get-togethers, and a space where Erica and I can work on our Etsy shop endeavors.

When the temperature permits.

In autumn and spring, that room is very comfortable. During the winter, a small space heater is more than enough to knock off the chill.

Thanks for asking.

Oh and that seven-foot collage table? Whereas it was once collaged-out with pictures I'd printed on ordinary paper in colors that matched the tablecloth and the room, now the collage is composed of one hundred-fifty black-and-white four-by-six prints.

Under thick glass, of course, as before.

All but approximately ten of those pictures, I myself took. And not in a studio.

Oh but where will you put the Christmas tree now? Because hasn't it always gone in the front room, in that big window? I see that raised and waving hand.

Yes. It has. But now it won't. Just like many years ago with Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus, there isn't enough room.

I think I'll put it in the TV room where we spend a lot of time and where its twinkle can gladden our hearts even more often during the season.

A lit wreath on the door will do for front-of-house sparkle.

Now that the burning questions are answered, I bid you adieu.

For the nonce.

And if you are already snoring, sweet dreams. I tiptoe away.

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Happy Tuesday ~ Happy Week

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Comments

[Donna M.]

Bravo! And pass the sprinkles! You've got quite a setup and it should serve you well. And I understand your reasoning completely. Humidity and temperatures in the south are enough to wilt photographers AND their subjects during outdoor photo shoots.

I have never learned studio lighting setup, so you have speeded on past me in that chapter of knowledge! I'm glad to hear that you are bravely venturing forth and making your dreams come true!

[Mari]

That's a lot of change! I think I would be confused for a while!
You've done a good job with your studio and I can see that you're putting it to good use by the pictures you shared.
PS - I love the table with the black and white photo's!

[irene]

Well I sort of read between the lines and knew you had come up with a space for a studio, and I had assumed the Erica had come home with "things". I thought perhaps you had moved into your garage, but a front room is better, BRAVO! I have to agree with Erica, she does look like a vampire not just a vamp. Such an inspiration, I'm loving my front room too, maybe I'll move my studio too.

[Skunkfeathers]

You have the gift of painting images with a camera! And always have.