- 18th
- June
- 2010
Choosing Photographic backdrops for portraits
For most beginners with little equipment, investing money in background material wouldn’t seem to be a priority which I completely comprehend. The truth is that not rushing out to add background material to your first studio kit shouldn’t prevent you from producing quality images. You have many alternatives to utilize from solid colored walls, fabric and patterned wall-paper when shooting indoors. Once you get to the point of investing in backdrops you will have
a variety of colors and textures to choose from but the main thing to keep in mind is the desired use. I know some portrait photographers who swear by muslin (fabric) backdrops for portability. I had never owned one till a few weeks ago which I purchased to also be used as black out material for now. In studio, I have the option of using a cyclorama/cyc wall (usually white) which is seamless and swoops down to the floor instead of at a right angle like a wall. It gives the illusion of infinite space. Here’s a video I found on Youtube of someone building their own cyc wall-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW1RuUIyyME
Paper backdrops are great as well but have a shorter life span due to wear and tear. They come in a few sizes so that those who only need shorter lengths for single person portraits can benefit from their low cost as well. Each backdrop will absorb or reflect light differently depending on color and there are multiple ways to experiment with them but one should never overlook the free option to use the existing surroundings as your portrait backdrop.The portrait below displays this. The image was taken in front of a gate at a park.
You can choose to utilize only the color of your surroundings as to not distract from the main subject by using a wider aperture on the lens (lower depth of field) or the opposite by including background items and shapes into the environmental portrait to add character. A perfect example would be a portrait of a chef in a kitchen where there may be a counter of prepared foods or a shelf of utensils in the background that you also wanted to have featured in the image. I have seen some images where this is attempted and they end up just looking cluttered when not done correctly. Experimenting with depth of field is key for fine tuning the various looks you may be aiming for in a portrait.
Before spending money on background material, be sure to take into consideration the size of the space it will be used in and whether or not you will need to move it from one location to another. Below is an image I created using two V flats as my backdrop which were parted slightly so that light from the strobe I placed behind them would shine through for a slight vertical gradient effect. My first paper backdrop was a neutral grey one because I knew that with enough light, I could make it appear white and with enough distance between it and my light source, I could make it appear black. It was the most versatile considering my budget at that time.
Take time to experiment with different materials and surroundings even if you do already have store bought backdrop material. You may stumble upon something more interesting in the existing environment.
K.P.
