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Archive 2022 · The use of canvas, textured backgrounds

  
 
leethecam
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · The use of canvas, textured backgrounds


With my 16+ yrs experience as a pro and a headshot specialist, you'd think I'd have used hand-painted canvas backdrops by now - but no, I've always used paper and added a texture in post.

Whilst this method is fast and flexible, I've often wanted to do it more in camera. And a change of approach may men I can shoot with just one light sometimes which would be faster on location.

So I have a couple or three of questions - not to learn how to do it, but more of a straw poll because I find other peoples' approaches interesting. (And I understand that a lot is "it depends on what you want to achieve" - hence this just being a straw poll for fun).

I', not so much thinking of the older style, mottled backdrops. More the Vanity Fair type textures we see Annie L. shoot with. And I'm thinking of single portraits or headshot type images.

1) What sort of distance would you typically have the subject from the background?
2) F-stop choice on full frame, (ie what results in an optimum texture / focus balance).
3) What is your favourite colour? (I usually use charcoal grey and light it, but a close background means I can't).
4) What do you love about hand-painted backgrounds and what do you hate?
5) If my background is closer, I don't need the width. I typically shoot headshots in landscape so 5ft enough?
6) Those Lastolite textured popups with a fake vignette look gimmicky - am I wrong?

Pretty much all of those questions can have a "it depends" answer. But most photographers have a go-to approach as their favourite starting point even if we like to think of ourselves as creatives. (I know I do).

So interested in hearing what people tend to do with respect to distance, f-stop and colour as their go-to solution. Feel free to be specific.



Sep 17, 2022 at 03:48 AM
story_teller
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · The use of canvas, textured backgrounds


I've been using the collapsible backdrops for a few years and had the usual white, black and grey. Recently found Kate backdrops -
https://www.katebackdrop.com/collections/collapsible-backdrops?filter.p.product_type=Collapsible+Backdrops&page=1&sort_by=manual

So far the two that I bought (lighter blue and tobacco) are doing well. Women seem to prefer the blue and men like the tobacco more. I generally have the subject about 1-1/2 - 2 meters in front of the backdrop. Shooting a 1/2 or 3/4 length shot at around 50mm at f5.6 still provides some nice texture in the backdrop (non-lit). I try to get the longest side of the backdrop around 213cm (7-ft). The majority of the time, the collapsible backdrops are big enough, but I recently photographed a 6'8" (203cm) basketball player and had to play some games to extend the backdrop in post production.

I gave up the studio a while back and now provide mobile services, so fast and lightweight are important to me. With fast-setup softboxes and collapsible backdrops I can usually set up a 2 - 3 clam shell lighting system in around 15-minutes and be ready to shoot. Tear down is even faster. Everything except the backdrop, fits in one Pelican case and one lightstand case. Since you don't want to use a background light, I'd stick with the lighter tones to keep good subject separation.

Hope that helps.



Sep 17, 2022 at 08:55 AM
leethecam
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · The use of canvas, textured backgrounds


Thanks for that. I have a studio when I can bring all the bells and whistles out, and there are some better paying location headshot shoots that are worth the max effort. But with clients wanting to spend less and less, I need a faster, easier system - hence my thoughts to producing good work with less lighting. So a backdrop that can accept the fall-off light is useful.

I'll have another look at the Lastolite bkds then. In simple tests, I found I would add a custom vignette in Capture One when tethering to add interest. The lastolite bkds help me with that.

You info about distances etc was useful. I'm going to a big photography show tomorrow so will be having a look. Maybe if I can make a test phone picture look respectable with a backdrop, it may do well in a proper shoot with lighting and my Canon.



Sep 17, 2022 at 09:06 AM
Peter Figen
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · The use of canvas, textured backgrounds


You can always paint your own or hire someone to paint exactly what you want. That way you'll get exactly what you want and in the size you want and more importantly, it'll be unique to you.

I'm still using drops we painted back in the mid to late 80's and even one that I shot Bonnie Raitt on that still has her signature where she signed it with a note to David Lindley.

I've got a couple that are 9' x 27' that I keep rolled up on a 10' long 1.5" diameter metal pole - the kind you'd get at a home improvement store in the fencing department that are used for chain link fencing and those are wonderful because you can clamp one side into a Super Clamp on top of a C-Stand or Hi-Roller when you're hanging it. The other side you just slide a C-arm into.

I've also more recently hired an artist friend to paint over a smaller canvas that is kept rolled on a three inch cardboard tube and then I've got one that an old gf painted 35 years ago where I bought three pieces of muslin that were 9' x 18' and had some commercial sewing company in the garment district of L.A. sew into one giant piece that is 18' x 27' and is big enough for full bands and other groups but it a bit unwieldy and I keep folded and is only used with Hi-Rollers and plenty of sandbags.

Back in the film days I used to get the background lights a lot to create whatever mood I wanted but today I just mask off the subject and treat the background in Ps to my liking. In reality I don't use these that often very often these days, but they are always there when I need them.



Sep 17, 2022 at 02:51 PM
leethecam
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · The use of canvas, textured backgrounds


Thanks for that.

I tried out a few at the trade show today, but didn't warm to any of them. I think I'll stick with my paper and added texture in post.



Sep 18, 2022 at 04:53 PM
kenbennett
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · The use of canvas, textured backgrounds


I have some big painted gray backdrops that I use in the studio. A few years ago I got one from Lastolite that matched the studio backdrop but was on a folding metal hoop, so I could easily set it up on location. Now, of course, when I want another one, I can't find it.

I did get one of the Kate backdrops mentioned above, and may end up with more. The collapsible feature is great for simple headshots on location.



Sep 22, 2022 at 07:31 AM
jlafferty
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · The use of canvas, textured backgrounds


I'd endeavor making one by hand, heavy weight canvas on a wooden dowel, maybe 5-7ft wide, max 13ft long... and do some smaller practice runs on the same material, maybe 2x2ft panels to see what kind of paint & distressing takes best, before doing the final. There's probably a lot of info on YT about the proper painting techniques/effects. Haven't done it yet but it has been kicking around my brain ever since I saw the Penn exhibit and got to see his canvas backdrop up close. Gorgeous. And unlike anything you can do in post.


Sep 25, 2022 at 10:39 AM





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