White cotton sheet background?

Mardybum

Mardybum

Suspended / Banned
Messages
2,179
Name
Rich Robson
Edit My Images
No
Hi,

I've been asked to take a few shots of our friends 18month old girl in a Christmas pudding outfit sat on a sledge, nothing too major, she just wants to do some personalised Xmas cards for close family and friends, so by no means is this a professional affair.

We have quite a big fireplace at home and was wondering if by draping a pure white cotton sheet over it and onto the floor it would create a sufficient backdrop ??.

Also, any tips on camera settings ? The room has medium light (I don't have any studio lights or anything associated).

Thanks for any help offered.
 
I guess you're trying to get a blank background for the cards, but without proper lights you'll just get a grey crinkled bed sheet! Would it not be better to dress the fireplace and make it look festive?
 
Plus one on the dressing up fire place. If you sit the little one away a bit the DOF will blur the fire place so they will stand out and any distracting decorations will be softened and therefore a nice hint of them for the viewer. If you put some nice fairy lights up the Bokeh effect will look proper festive! Try a candid shot of the little one too rather than a posed one. I defo agree without the right lighting a bed sheet will look like a bed sheet!
 
Forget the white sheet - without at least two flashes (one for the sheet and one for the model it will look.... well not good.

As stated above, get the fireplace made up. Set the model as far as you can get them away from it but allowing you to shoot. A fast lens like 50 1.8) would be great and a highish ISO wiill be required. You should be able to shoot that and get the fireplace out of focus in the background and as said out of focus fairy lights look cool.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the replies,

Dressing the fireplace is a great idea, why didn't I think of that 😏. I'll try and get some fairy lights set up aswell, that would look really good hopefully.

By high iso, do you mean a high iso number like 1600 ?

Also, I have a canon 50mm f1.4 (borrowed), would this be the best lens to use or kit lens 18-55mm ?
 
I'd go with 50mm and try with 1.4 aperture you'll great a great DOF with it and if you haven't got the space little one won't have to be too far away from the fire place. You'll defo have to post the results! You've given me the incentive to do the same with my two little ones!
 
f1.4 has very narrow depth of field but you should be able to get something reasonable.

With the 50mm you need about 1/60th second to handhold a shot (maybe 1/80th is safer) so ISO should be set to allow that in the light that you have. Start at f1.4 but also try f2 (its sharper there)

HTH
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top