Small Studio Lighting

I will soon have one room to use for portrait studio space: approx. 10x12. I have 2 strobes with accessories. I would really appreciate any advice on whether good portraiture is possible with strobes in small quarters, and if so, what the general rule(s) of thumb are.Thanks!!

[Tom_Meyer]

ceiling Height is as important as W and L. Unless you like distorted figures, you will probably find that head and shoulders is what you can do in this room.

Redwing/Calumet and Plume make very shallow softboxes which will help with your confined space.

I would paint the ceiling white, and the walls a dark grey Then you will control fill light and a wall can double as a backdrop for head shots, as a grid spot can make it interesting in a variety of ways. Any spill light that bounces off the ceiling will serve as a soft fill that will work fine in traditional type portraits. Cord management will be a constant issue. Use a slave of some type to eliminate the sync cord that always wants to pull your camera off the tripod.

Do you have a window? That would make for a different set of solutions and paint schemes... t

Hey, Tom- Thanks so much for the info, and yes, I do have windows (southern exp) along one wall. The ceiling is the normal height you'd find in a house (9-10') I certainly can play with the available light, but during those dark, rainy Portland days I'll need help-

[Charles_Matter]

This is all dead-on advice.
Funny to see this post. I just moved out of a large studio (45'w x 65' long..14' ceilings) into a 12'w x 14' long (I can get the camera back much further thru a door into the next room). Ceilings are 11'(the bare minimum). I also have my computers, scanners, and a small work counter neatly tucked in a front corner..as well as equipment storage..:-)
I've worked in a lot of different spaces over the years. It's always a challenge to work out shooting and lighting solutions that push the envelope; and it always leads to good, fresh work..once you get over the shock.
Nice thing about small spaces is that you can get away with lower power lights, too. I've worked my Battery powered Quantum Q-Pac's and Metz 60 into the scheme, too. There are a surprising number of modifiers, especially soft boxes for these, too. A Vivitar 285 on a small boom makes a great hair light. I gell these with a 1/8th Sun to bring the overall colorbalance closer to my Broncolors. Then I do a custom WB with my D1x..and include a digital calibration card set in a few extra frames to clickbalance and set levels with later..if needed.
I prefer white walls, too. But..I've worked in all black studios, too. Other than being oppressive (especially in a small room)..it works great.