You've studied all the various camera settings and by now you've learned all about the difference between shutter speed and f-stop. Thanks to your studies of lighting patterns, the difference between butterfly and split lighting is an obvious no brainer... Now, it's time to consider the backdrop.
In my experience, having over 6000 professional sessions under my belt, MOST people prefer to have a natural setting rather than a formal backdrop.
For example...
If you're shooting Indoors - possibilities may include posing your subjects on the floor around the fireplace, (always have a fire burning or it appears as nothing but a black hole in the final print), or they could be posed on and around their furniture in the living room, etc.
Outside portraits could be in their back yard, at the beach, a local park, etc. Anyplace that has meaning for THEM!
Mostly people just want a beautiful portrait that singles them out as individuals - rather than just another group posed in front of the same old pull down screen that everyone else uses.
Whenever possible, ALWAYS try for a location that has meaning for THEM...
However, if you must use a formal backdrop, here are a few suggestions...
First - buy a commercially available background stand to hold your backdrops. They don't cost much and for ease of use, stability, transportability etc. it's better than making your own.
For this discussion, I'm assuming you DO NOT own a professional portrait studio and are doing your sessions in your home (or your customer's home).
There are several types of backdrop materials:
Paper- Large rolls of paper come in most any color you can imagine. They can be purchased at many local camera stores and are relatively inexpensive.
Pros - They are readily available - are fairly inexpensive - come in most any color you can imagine. They can be used in a "sweep" so the model(s) can sit or stand on the paper and have it seamlessly sweep up behind them. Paper rolls come in two basic widths (around 4 feet and around 9 feet as I recall, I don't often use them).
Cons - The smaller size isn't wide enough for much more than a head shot while the wider size is very heavy - difficult to transport - and most homes don't have enough "empty" space to sweep it without moving around the furniture. (People really don't like you redecorating for them!) The paper gets dirty, gets creased, tears and has to be constantly replaced. If there are animals in the session, the papery feel and crinkly sounds freak them out.
Painted Canvas - These can provide some truly stunning portraits. Many backdrop suppliers create them and they can be ordered over the internet if you don't happen to be near a supplier.
Pros - Depending on the creator, they can be stunningly beautiful. There are thousands of colors and patterns available and if you have something unique in mind, you can have one created just for you, to match your exact specifications. They are very durable and will last years. They come in many sizes and can be used in a seamless sweep.
Cons - They are EXPENSIVE!EXPENSIVE!EXPENSIVE! Again, like paper, the wider ones are heavy, difficult work with and to transport. Like paper, size vs. living room furniture is a challenge.
Seamless paper and canvas backgrounds tend to be the province of professional studios - where they can be mounted on the walls and just pulled down when needed.
They are really difficult to work with in the field.
I recommend that you go to the fabric store and get strips of material. As wide as is available and about 12 feet long. Getting some sort of material that either doesn't easily wrinkle, or where wrinkles won't matter is best.
Pros - Choose the type and colors you like, you can get any color, style and texture that suits your fancy. It can be hung bunched up (like theater curtains) behind the subject, or stretched flat if only one piece is needed. One piece can also be used as a seamless sweep.
You can use one piece or thirty - no matter how wide your backdrop needs are, you can easily accommodate them.
It's easy to store and transport (just fold up the strips and put them in a box in the back seat of your car!) Material is very inexpensive compared to a painted canvas (which can run into the thousands of dollars) It's reusable so it works out to be cheaper than paper in the long run.
Use another piece of two for the flooring and since it's flexible, it can be flowed around furniture. Animals have no problem walking on it. (It's washable too!).
Cons - If you want several strips (and you do!), you may have difficulty finding enough of the same material. If you live near the garment district in a large city, they may have it. Otherwise you may have to have your local fabric store special order it for you.
These are the major backdrop considerations and you should have no trouble finding the perfect backdrops for YOUR creative vision!
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