 Breanna D. Manley |
which is better? Large material or a backdrop? I am new to photography and was wanting to practice in my home this winter. I am debating on buying a large solid color of material for a backdrop, or just going out and buying a nice paper backdrop??
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Cat Thisius |
Breanna- I am also new to photography and money is tight. I've made a homemade backdrop frame using PVC pipe and bed sheets in solid colors. It has worked out very well for me so far. I have taken quite a few "studio" portraits of children using these and they have turned out wonderful. I am going to start looking for seasonal shower curtains to use for Christmas and winter backdrops.
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Michelle Ochoa |
I have heard of many people using bed sheets. But they don't seem very long if you need a floor cover. I bought some white material at Walmart - not muslin but a little thicker - 92" wide for $3 a yard. If you know how to sew, put a casing on it and hang it like a curtain, use two panels for bigger parties. Or if you don't sew, use some Fray Check on the edges, and clip it to the PVC or whatever you're using. It looks professional enough to take out on location if needed, or if you have clients beyond the friends and family! I also bought a 6 x 9 from Steve Kaeser on ebay for $49. A little more than a bedsheet, but with a little more depth and style than solid colors. YOu can also buy painter's muslin for about $25 or $30 from home depot, use it plain or paint it yourself.
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Breanna D. Manley |
Thank you Cat & Michelle for responding to my question. I looked in both of your galleries and I liked both of them. Now with Michelle do you have any special lighting? Your family that you photograghed where very well done. Keep up the good work. Thank you to both of you your answers helped!!
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Michelle Ochoa |
Thank you for looking at my gallery! And for your comments! I'm just starting out with indoor work - I mostly do more candid party pictures, and outdoor shots. I'm working with some studio lighting, and I'm lame for not knowing what it is. It's my boss's, and I borrowed it, but I found out I was using it incorrectly anyway. It's a two light system, and I was using both lights next to me, as a main and fill light. I found out I should use the one behind the backdrop, and then the other as the fill light. I did that this weekend, and it worked better! I had to do a lot of color correcting on those pictures of the families. The background is supposed to be white, and I was getting everything from a red tint to a green tint. So I'm still working on it! Many people like to use natural light, but I was afraid it wouldn't illuminate the dark skin as much (my past candids of these kids seemed a little dark). Thanks again!
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John Finnerty |
Hi Michelle O, I just had a look at your gallery and I see some nice work.
couple of suggestions I have found useful when photographing people with darker skin tones. 1. 2. Try using a different coloured backdrop.
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Michelle Ochoa |
Thanks John for the info. I will try and see if my camera has that feature. As for the backdrop, I had to shoot 13 different families in one day, some wearing formal attire, some casual. I needed something versitile, since I wouldn't have a lot of time to change backdrops. Black is obviously not a good choice, and when another photographer used an amber or brown, it was very boring (not enough contrast I guess). I didn't want to use a color and clash, so white was the best option. Maybe grey would have been better.
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