Infinity Cove Studios London

Sometimes known as an infinity curve or an infinity wall, an infinity cove is used as a plain, single-coloured backdrop for a photo shoot or film project. Its defining feature is a lack of angles - the curved wall blends the floor and wall seamlessly so that you don’t see a line. And because there are no corners, shadows don’t gather in the background.

The end result is a finished image where the subject appears to float as if it had been placed on plain white paper or a blank canvas. This sense that the background simply continues on forever in all directions is what gives it the name “infinity cove”.

Ideas for how to use a cove studio in London

For photographers, the features of an infinity cove make it perfect for shooting products. It will allow you to clearly define your subject by removing the appearance of any background. If you are a portrait photographer though, you can use the same method to create the appearance of a bright, ethereal space around the subject. 

If you do a lot of post-production work to create special effects for your film and photography, shooting on an infinity cove will allow you to mask objects easily and therefore reduce the amount of editing time needed during the post-production process. 

If you are a videographer, you can also find green screen infinity coves in London with green backgrounds which can be used to add special effects, or as a budget-friendly way to shoot “on location” allowing you to add the background in post-production. 

What to look for in a cove studio

The main thing you need to consider when choosing a studio is the size of your subjects. As a general rule, you want to employ an infinity cove a couple of metres larger than the largest subject you’ll be shooting. Essentially, you want the freedom to shoot various angles without getting the edges in shot, or else you’ll ruin the infinity illusion.

Keep size in mind when browsing studios so you only pay what you need to, for example, if you’re hired for a product photoshoot for small children’s toys then you won’t need to hire a cove studio that is large enough to accommodate cars. A lot of listings on Tutti include dimensions so you can discover their size on the space listing page

The benefits of shooting in a cove studio

While many photographers and videographers get along fine shooting with white backdrops, shooting with an infinity cove will allow you to scale up and zoom out. You can easily shoot a subject from head-to-toe without any cropping needed to avoid undesirable background objects. The distinct perspective looks highly professional and adds dimension to your work. 

How to get the most out of your cove studio shoot

It’s important to treat an infinity cove as a stage. Like a stage, it must be properly outfitted, which in photographic terms means setting up enough background lighting to create the desired effect. We would suggest a two or three-light setup is ideal for an infinity cove - for more lighting information read our lighting guide. It’s also a good idea to use a light metre to detect the amount of light hitting the subject, to ensure the cove isn’t producing an effect that’s excessively bright.