Do you often feel limited in your portrait photography by the space available to you? This is most likely the case when you want to shoot full length portraits but your studio is too tight for it. However, there are some workarounds that will allow you to get a portrait that looks good and evenly lit. Don’t let the space be a major constraint to your practice!

In the Adorama video above, Gavin Hoey shares some easy tips for shooting full length portraits in small spaces. The studio he used in the video is just 15 feet across, with only around 12 feet of usable space. Still, he wanted to include some space above and below his model. He also needed to evenly illuminate her from the eyes to the feet.

As you’ve probably figured out, he used a wide angle lens for the shoot. This is mainly to get more of the scene and utilize the deep depth of field. However, he noted that the main consideration when you’re shooting close to your subject with a wide angle lens is the height at which you shoot. This is to account for the distortion. The perfect height for a full length portrait, as he noted with his test shot, is at waist-level.

As for the light source, he only needed a single, big light source placed on the other side of the room. Aside from creating the flattering diffused light, the flash also allowed him to freeze the movement of his subject for some beautiful dynamic shots.

And, finally, Hoey also shared some quick Photoshop tricks to clean up the shots and even extend the wall.

Want more tips and tricks for stunning full length portraits? You can always browse and ask around in our group discussions if you’re already part of the Photofocus Community!