u/tgi-randy

Hello! I’m trying to build a modular photography studio in my garage, primarily to be used for my wife’s cosplay. She works really hard on her costumes and I’d like to create a place for her to showcase her work! I’m totally new to photography, lighting, etc. My goal is to create high-quality cinematic cosplay portraits and full-body photos, as shown in the attached images.

The garage will be multi-use (gym/storage/etc.), so I’m shooting for a setup that can realistically be assembled/torn down in under an hour.

CURRENT SPACE:
-Standard 2-car garage
-Approx 9’4” ceiling height; I do have overhead storage extending 4 feet from the back wall, and an ceiling-mounted garage opener that drops 2’ in the center
-I have about 13 feet usable shooting distance from where I can mount the backdrop to the camera
-Garage windows will have removable blackout covers for light control

PLANNED EQUIPMENT:
-iPhone 17 pro 🙈 
-8x13 Westcott X-drop system with fabric backdrops
-2x amaran Halo 200x / 200x S style continuous COB lights
-2x 48” octagon softboxes with grids
-2x Nanlite PavoTube II 30C
-Apple TV tether setup to TV monitor for live review

MY MAIN QUESTIONS:

1. ⁠Do you think this garage size/layout is realistically capable of producing the attached types of images?

2. ⁠Is the iPhone sufficient for this type of portrait/full-body work, or am I going to hit limitations quickly? Can I get by with an iPhone, or would I get much better results with a full body camera + lens?

3. ⁠Do you think continuous lighting is enough for these goals, or would I regret not going with strobes/flash?

4. ⁠Are there any major limitations/problems with my proposed setup that I may not be considering?

5. ⁠If you were building this type of modular garage studio, what would you do differently?

Thanks!!

Hello! I’m trying to build a modular photography studio in my garage, primarily to be used for my wife’s cosplay. She works really hard on her costumes and I’d like to create a place for her to showcase her work! I’m totally new to photography, lighting, etc. My goal is to create high-quality cinematic cosplay portraits and full-body photos, as shown in the attached images.

The garage will be multi-use (gym/storage/etc.), so I’m shooting for a setup that can realistically be assembled/torn down in under an hour.

CURRENT SPACE:
-Standard 2-car garage
-Approx 9’4” ceiling height; I do have overhead storage extending 4 feet from the back wall, and an ceiling-mounted garage opener that drops 2’ in the center
-I have about 13 feet usable shooting distance from where I can mount the backdrop to the camera
-Garage windows will have removable blackout covers for light control

PLANNED EQUIPMENT:
-iPhone 17 pro 🙈
-8x13 Westcott X-drop system with fabric backdrops
-2x amaran Halo 200x / 200x S style continuous COB lights
-2x 48” octagon softboxes with grids
-2x Nanlite PavoTube II 30C
-Apple TV tether setup to TV monitor for live review

MY MAIN QUESTIONS:

1. ⁠Do you think this garage size/layout is realistically capable of producing the attached types of images?

2. ⁠Is the iPhone sufficient for this type of portrait/full-body work, or am I going to hit limitations quickly? Can I get by with an iPhone, or would I get much better results with a full body camera + lens?

3. ⁠Do you think continuous lighting is enough for these goals, or would I regret not going with strobes/flash?

4. ⁠Are there any major limitations/problems with my proposed setup that I may not be considering?

5. ⁠If you were building this type of modular garage studio, what would you do differently?

Thank you!!

https://imgur.com/a/mfo2DcD

Hello! I’m trying to build a modular photography studio in my garage, primarily to be used for my wife’s cosplay. She works really hard on her costumes and I’d like to create a place for her to showcase her work! I’m totally new to photography, lighting, etc. My goal is to create high-quality cinematic cosplay portraits and full-body photos.

The garage will be multi-use (gym/storage/etc.), so I’m shooting for a setup that can realistically be assembled/torn down in under an hour.

CURRENT SPACE:
-Standard 2-car garage
-Approx 9’4” ceiling height; I do have overhead storage extending 4 feet from the back wall, and an ceiling-mounted garage opener that drops 2’ in the center
-I have about 13 feet usable shooting distance from where I can mount the backdrop to the camera
-Garage windows will have removable blackout covers for light control

PLANNED EQUIPMENT:
-iPhone 🙈 
-8x13 Westcott X-drop system with fabric backdrops
-2x amaran Halo 200x / 200x S style continuous COB lights
-2x 48” octagon softboxes with grids
-2x Nanlite PavoTube II 30C
-Apple TV tether setup to TV monitor for live review

MY MAIN QUESTIONS:

1. Do you think this garage size/layout is realistically capable of producing the types of images I’m looking for?

2. Is 13–14 feet enough distance for full-body shots using an iPhone without severe distortion?

3. Is the iPhone sufficient for this type of portrait/full-body work, or am I going to hit limitations quickly? Will I be happy with pictures from an iPhone, or do you think I’ll be happier with results from a full body camera + lens?

4. Do you think continuous lighting is enough for these goals, or would I regret not going with strobes/flash?

5. Are there any major limitations/problems with my proposed setup that I may not be considering?

6. If you were building this type of modular garage studio, what would YOU do differently?

I’m trying to build something that balances cinematic quality, repeatability, and relatively fast setup. I’d genuinely appreciate honest feedback from people with real studio/portrait experience. Thanks!

Hello! I’m trying to build a modular photography studio in my garage, primarily to be used for my wife’s cosplay. She works really hard on her costumes and I’d like to create a place for her to showcase her work! I’m totally new to photography, lighting, etc. My goal is to create high-quality cinematic cosplay portraits and full-body photos, as shown in the attached images.

The garage will be multi-use (gym/storage/etc.), so I’m shooting for a setup that can realistically be assembled/torn down in under an hour.

CURRENT SPACE:
-Standard 2-car garage
-Approx 9’4” ceiling height; I do have overhead storage extending 4 feet from the back wall, and an ceiling-mounted garage opener that drops 2’ in the center
-I have about 13 feet usable shooting distance from where I can mount the backdrop to the camera
-Garage windows will have removable blackout covers for light control

PLANNED EQUIPMENT:
**-iPhone 17 pro 🙈 **
-8x13 Westcott X-drop system with fabric backdrops
-2x amaran Halo 200x / 200x S style continuous COB lights
-2x 48” octagon softboxes with grids
-2x Nanlite PavoTube II 30C
-Apple TV tether setup to TV monitor for live review

MY MAIN QUESTIONS:

1. Do you think this garage size/layout is realistically capable of producing the attached types of images?

2. Is 13–14 feet enough distance for full-body shots using an iPhone without severe distortion?

3. Is the iPhone sufficient for this type of portrait/full-body work, or am I going to hit limitations quickly? Can I get by with an iPhone, or would I get much better results with a full body camera + lens?

4. Do you think continuous lighting is enough for these goals, or would I regret not going with strobes/flash?

5. Are there any major limitations/problems with my proposed setup that I may not be considering?

6. If you were building this type of modular garage studio, what would you do differently?