background color?

[phaither]

how do you choose what color to use for your backdrop?
this shot was taken with white seamless paper, but it looks gray. obviously a lighting issue and does nothing for the subject.


this shot was taken in front of a black blanket. i like it much better, but some of the hair gets lost.


any suggestions regarding colors to help "pop" the subjects? how do you choose? what works for you?
thanks in advance...
faith

[zona5101]

Gray can be a nice neutral background...the trouble with the first is the girls are a bit under exposed. On your second image, it would be good to have a hair or rim light so you don't loose the hair and to give you some separation from the background. As far as color for backgrounds its up to you. You don't (usually) want the background to shout "notice me!" because it is the background after all. Sometime you can pick a color from the persons outfit and gel your light to match or complement...or you could gel it to a nice warm tone...You could paint your own backdrops...I mean look through the wide assortment of papers, muslins & canvases you can buy - making them pop is more a function of how you light them than the background.

[phaither]

thanks bruce
i will check the lighting section to find out more about rim lights. in a previous post, someone suggested a blue/green background instead of the black. that is why i'm asking about color.
f

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by phaither

thanks bruce
i will check the lighting section to find out more about rim lights. in a previous post, someone suggested a blue/green background instead of the black. that is why i'm asking about color.
f

you can make any background any color you want..you can make a black background yellow if you want by placing color gels in front of your background light. Gels are very inexpensive and pretty easy to use with strobes/speedlights.

[phaither]

Originally Posted by zona5101

you can make any background any color you want..you can make a black background yellow if you want by placing color gels in front of your background light. Gels are very inexpensive and pretty easy to use with strobes/speedlights.

ah, but you assume i have a background light. perhaps this is the problem. what do you suggest (other than moving this thread to the lighting forum...) ?

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by phaither

ah, but you assume i have a background light. perhaps this is the problem. what do you suggest (other than moving this thread to the lighting forum...) ?

a background light would be a requirement to...light the background.
otherwise your white background will always be somewhere from light gray to black...but never white. As I mentioned before, nothing wrong with a gray background - it is the lighting of the subject that is most important. (and you can always post process and replace the gray with white if you wanted)

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by phaither

ah, but you assume i have a background light. perhaps this is the problem. what do you suggest (other than moving this thread to the lighting forum...) ?

what did you use for a light?

[PhotographicBackdrop]

Hi Faith,

There are many different kinds of backdrops e.g. Dyed, painted, computer printed, on paper, muslin, vinyl, and canvas. To determine what backdrop is best for you, ask yourself a few questions first: What kind of portraits will you be taking? If you photograph children more often you may want to lean towards dyed backdrops because they are washable. If you plan to do more formal portraits, such as business headshots or bridals, you may want to look into hand painted muslin/canvas backdrops for a richer look. Will you be traveling? Perhaps a Collapsible Backdrop or Muslin that rolls up easy for storage may be more convenient for you. Now, choosing the color of your photography backdrop is really up to you and the type of "style" you have.

Here are some suggestions:
- Black is a basic backdrop that every studio should have.
- White Backdrops are great for high key portraits and works great with color gels.
- Gray is a neutral color and works great with many color gels.
- Deep Earth/Brown is good to have for formal portraits (business/schools)
- Blue/Green/Sage/Pink - great for kids and baby shoots.
- Colorful Backdrops will most likely come as Seamless Paper. These are great for product photography, fun portraits, etc...

Lighting is key when using Photography Backdrops - it will make or break your photos finished look. Here are some short articles on how to use Rim Lights. These will give you a better idea of the type of lighting that you may need to consider.
- The Rim Light
- Make Your Subject Stand Out With a Rim Lighting Effect
- The Rim Light Challenge - Over 30 images using natural "Rim" lights

We look forward to seeing your work again in these forums.
Take care.

[BigFuzzy]

When talking about "popping" a subject from the background, it has less to do with the color and more to do with the lighting. A 2nd light either as a side light, or background light, or rim light will all help separate your subjects from the background, even the black one.

[phaither]

Originally Posted by autofocus

what did you use for a light?

used recessed lighting in my living room ceiling and the on camera flash. i did not have a background light. suggestions are welcomed...