Background solutions

The23rdman

The23rdman

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Dean
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Hi peeps,

I'm being as indecisive as ever over a background solution for family and children shoots in houses. Is a proper baground and vinyl going to take up too much room?

What's the best way of doing this?
 
Why not look into a wide and thin vinyl background?

Take both with you to a clients house and if the wide one is going to be too wide bring the narrow one in?
 
ki_user said:
Bit confused on what you need to do, normally 3 choices, vinyl, paper or cloth. But the amount of time you've been on here I guess you know that.
Click to expand...

I mean do I go for a background with stands and crossbar or lastolite hilite or some kind of collapsable solution with train? Which is going to be the most adaptable?
 
J4MIE_P said:
Why not look into a wide and thin vinyl background?

Take both with you to a clients house and if the wide one is going to be too wide bring the narrow one in?
Click to expand...

That's certainly an option. What sizes are most useful?
 
I dont know never used any :lol:
I'm guessing you could go for the 6m x 3m as that's the popular larger size (unless shooting large groups) and maybe a 1.5mx3m? (or 2mx3m) Depends really.

Hope that helps :)
 
I've ordered a white cloth background from elemental. It's 3m wide so will have to crease at the sides. I'm hoping that PP will be easy to sort out. I'll let you know how it works in my 12 foot square dining room when I get it set up. To be honest I think some form of PP is going to be required for shooting in the confines of peoples homes.

I did think of using a hi-lite but then I would be stuck with white BG and nothing else. At least with stands I can use white, black or grey and change with gels on the flash.

My view is that when I can take good shots around my own home then I can do it in a clients.

Hope that helps a bit (although I'm not sure it will :lol: )

Andy
 
Hi Dean,

I use a white/black reversible pop-up background with train (both white train and black train). It's 7' x 7' with a train that comes forward about 8'. Folded its about 3' diameter and I can carry it into a house (or village hall or unit or whatever), open it up and voila I have a background. I use a large background clamp with a hole drilled through with a wingnut fixed inside which sits on top of a fully extended Konig Lightstand to hold the background up. It can lean against a wall, but not confident it will stay.

I'll be honest enough to say it is a bit flimsy and what I really need to do is get another lightstand so that I have two supports to solve this and sometimes it is a buggar to collapse it but it does the job.

It's hard to make it stand up so that you have no creases, but possibly with a bit of clear pvc on the floor and that second support it would work.

If you aim to only do black/white work, dont mind a bit of PP to get rid of creases and happy with the size, it is deffo worth it.

Just for consideration, in the long run and looking at my ideal setup I want to have a proper background support system, with selection of background such as black, yellow, blue, brown, white whatever, but until I have spare funds to invest in a proper non-chinese-cheapy-system I'll make do with what I have.

Hope helpful.
 
daddy day care said:
I've ordered a white cloth background from elemental. It's 3m wide so will have to crease at the sides. I'm hoping that PP will be easy to sort out. I'll let you know how it works in my 12 foot square dining room when I get it set up. To be honest I think some form of PP is going to be required for shooting in the confines of peoples homes.

I did think of using a hi-lite but then I would be stuck with white BG and nothing else. At least with stands I can use white, black or grey and change with gels on the flash.

My view is that when I can take good shots around my own home then I can do it in a clients.

Hope that helps a bit (although I'm not sure it will :lol: )

Andy
Click to expand...

Thanks, Andy, I'll await your results, mate.

Marcus Geezer said:
Hi Dean,

I use a white/black reversible pop-up background with train (both white train and black train). It's 7' x 7' with a train that comes forward about 8'. Folded its about 3' diameter and I can carry it into a house (or village hall or unit or whatever), open it up and voila I have a background. I use a large background clamp with a hole drilled through with a wingnut fixed inside which sits on top of a fully extended Konig Lightstand to hold the background up. It can lean against a wall, but not confident it will stay.

I'll be honest enough to say it is a bit flimsy and what I really need to do is get another lightstand so that I have two supports to solve this and sometimes it is a buggar to collapse it but it does the job.

It's hard to make it stand up so that you have no creases, but possibly with a bit of clear pvc on the floor and that second support it would work.

If you aim to only do black/white work, dont mind a bit of PP to get rid of creases and happy with the size, it is deffo worth it.

Just for consideration, in the long run and looking at my ideal setup I want to have a proper background support system, with selection of background such as black, yellow, blue, brown, white whatever, but until I have spare funds to invest in a proper non-chinese-cheapy-system I'll make do with what I have.

Hope helpful.
Click to expand...

Very helpful, Marcus, and pretty much confirms me thoughts. I'm going to try this solution first as I'll always have it as a backup if space is really tight then progress onto the big old background dooda.

I too like the idea of having black, white and grey and if I went for the larger solution I'd be limited to one colour vinyl for now.
 
J4MIE_P said:
I dont know never used any :lol:
I'm guessing you could go for the 6m x 3m as that's the popular larger size (unless shooting large groups) and maybe a 1.5mx3m? (or 2mx3m) Depends really.

Hope that helps :)
Click to expand...

A bit, thanks, mate. :D
 
I used paper bg's for a while but space was always a problem, keeping people a decent distance from the bg lights being the main problem. So I use a 5'x7' hilite with train and its often still a squeeze. You've got to allow for the fact that modern houses don't have big rooms but people do put big furniture in them. being honest I've got fed up turning shoots into furniture removal exercises and I am leaving the bg in the car more and more. A number of recent clients have said they prefer the more 'natural' results!
 
paul_g said:
I used paper bg's for a while but space was always a problem, keeping people a decent distance from the bg lights being the main problem. So I use a 5'x7' hilite with train and its often still a squeeze. You've got to allow for the fact that modern houses don't have big rooms but people do put big furniture in them. being honest I've got fed up turning shoots into furniture removal exercises and I am leaving the bg in the car more and more. A number of recent clients have said they prefer the more 'natural' results!
Click to expand...

This is something I'd always prefer to do, tbh. I try to suggest shooting in the park, but sometimes it's just,well, so bloody English weather!

Do you not find the house clutter makes it tough to shoot this way?
 
Dean, if your going to be using it in peoples houses space will be of the essence, if your using a normal background in say a room that measures 35x15 you will be fine with a background and lights to put in front and light it, however what if your in a room that only measures 18x12 ? that's were the Hilite will come into it's own, stood up against the wall with the lights in the side, it gives you that extra few feet you really need in that sized space without having the light spill onto the subject, ok i'm not saying it's the perfect solution but it certainly makes a difference, however their is the cost to weigh up, just something to consider though ;)
 
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Its quicker to shift a few kids toys than a three piece suite!
I used to try family shots in their houses but there was hardly ever room for that to work unless you pile them on top of each other, so if its a family studio shoot rather than just the kids its off to my local church hall. Loads of room, big white bg and lot of light. Or if I can persuade them, the local park.
 
How does it work with using church halls? It's not something I've ever considered.
 
I just book my local church hall for a couple of hours, it costs peanuts. Its a huge room so I've got plenty of room to put up a 2.7m background, keep the subjects well away from the bg and use a big octabox as my key light which spreads enough light to cover toddlers who won't stay still.
 
paul_g said:
I just book my local church hall for a couple of hours, it costs peanuts. Its a huge room so I've got plenty of room to put up a 2.7m background, keep the subjects well away from the bg and use a big octabox as my key light which spreads enough light to cover toddlers who won't stay still.
Click to expand...

That's certainly a solution until our studio is finished, thanks.
 
Is there really much of a market in home portraits?

In my spare time I used to pimp myself out to an insurance company specialising in injuries. Basically turned up at a client's house and photographed their injuries. Even when only armed with on camera flash and a small popup reflector (used as a backdrop) quite often I found it difficult to find space! I can't imagine having to drag lighting stands, backdrops, heads etc into a house.

Village hall hire must be the answer until your studio is up and running.
 
FlyTVR said:
Is there really much of a market in home portraits?

In my spare time I used to pimp myself out to an insurance company specialising in injuries. Basically turned up at a client's house and photographed their injuries. Even when only armed with on camera flash and a small popup reflector (used as a backdrop) quite often I found it difficult to find space! I can't imagine having to drag lighting stands, backdrops, heads etc into a house.

Village hall hire must be the answer until your studio is up and running.
Click to expand...

I'm concentrating on family and babies now and there's defo a market. People like the convenience of being at home.
 
It's whole families I'll need it for as well. I'm edging towards black velvet for babies.
 
The23rdman said:
It's whole families I'll need it for as well.
Click to expand...

You'll often struggle for space ;)

actually thats not quite right.

If you go the Venture route and pile 'em on top of each other and chop limbs off you'll be fine. attempting any of the established poses for family groups creating triangles etc you'll struggle
 
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paul_g said:
You'll often struggle for space ;)

actually thats not quite right.

If you go the Venture route and pile 'em on top of each other and chop limbs off you'll be fine. attempting any of the established poses for family groups creating triangles etc you'll struggle
Click to expand...

Yep, I know this. As long as people know and they're not willing to come to the studio it's cool. I'll always try and get them in the park or something anyway if possible.
 
Dean, Did you manage to get any backdrops?

I'm hoping at getting something, so would be good to know what you ended up with.

Thanks
 
Ive tried cloth and a collapsable lastolite background (not hilite), theyre both brutal compaired to the PVC background I used in my public hall shoot.

To be honest im seriously considering packing the home shoots in, they are just too much hassle and im rarely happy with the result.

The only advantage they have is that the kids are much more comfortable in their own home. They settle far quicker.
 
Hi,

I never used Hilite on location.

For children, babies and couples I use printed vinyls from http://www.babyphotoprops.co.uk and they are nice and easy.

With larger groups it's normally a 3m wide or 2 x 3m wide cloth background.
The largest family shoot was 11 people... Reaaaally hard work!
 
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