Making a photo backdrop

[scorpio616 1797]

Been wanting a photo backdrop kinda like the one Clever Crow uses. Lucked out and found a nice piece of black cloth backed vinyl at a thrift shop which should hold up to the paints I'll be applying. Not sure which colours I'll use exactly, but overall i'm thinking darkish nebula with a lighter middle zone to draw camera focus.

 

 

[scorpio616 1797]

Testing how black the material is vs one of my darker blacks.

[scorpio616 1797]

progress

[Kharsin 4549]

Hangar 18 Northern Sky! I know they make more, but I never really use the other ones...

[scorpio616 1797]

Done enough

 

[Glitterwolf 207922]

Looks good.

 

I admit, i downloaded some nice pics from the internet, some just colours some landscapes.

I want  to give this a try too.

 

My self made lightbox was destroyed during moving.

Soon I'll make a new one.

I just use a cardboard box, put alufoil on the sides ( the matt side). Point my daylight lamp towards it.

 

Should be better then what iḿ doing now, ( taking pics on the garden table during daylight...)

 

So any topics like this got my interest.

Edited April 17, 2015 by Xherman1964

[TGP 76337]

Why not just use a plain color?

[scorpio616 1797]

Why not just use a plain color?

I wanted a photo backdrop kinda like the one Clever Crow uses.

[Bathory 13908]

Good idea!

 

I was thinking of checking the craft store this weekend for backdrops. With the amount of scrapbooking paper they carry that there should be something muted and pretty for a backdrop.

That or I do have fabric. It's all sewing fabric, I wonder if I have anything backdrop like... Hrm.

[Doug Sundseth 56789]

 

Why not just use a plain color?

I wanted a photo backdrop kinda like the one Clever Crow uses.

 

 

I'm pretty sure* he's using a Hangar 18 backdrop. Depending on size, they run $15 or $25.

 

Your backdrop has a pronounced blue cast and is quite dark. You'll want to watch your white balance (which will drift toward orange) and your exposure (dark backdrops tend to make cameras think there's not much light, so they overexpose; fixable with exposure compensation or manual exposure).

 

* He and the Hangar 18 folks are all members of the same painting group (CMPA**), and it looks exactly like one of theirs.

 

** Meets on the 3rd Saturday of the month (starting next month) at Total Escape Games in Broomfield, CO. Come on by if you're in the area. 

[FireElemental 1328]

It's pretty. Did you use a sponge to apply it?

[scorpio616 1797]

It's pretty. Did you use a sponge to apply it?

Yeah, cheap pink cleaning sponge, the kind that gets firm when dry. 

 

 

 

Your backdrop has a pronounced blue cast and is quite dark. You'll want to watch your white balance (which will drift toward orange) and your exposure (dark backdrops tend to make cameras think there's not much light, so they overexpose; fixable with exposure compensation or manual exposure).

 

 

Yeah, went with stronger and closer to primary colours than I intended. This was originally going to be the base coat with more grey tinted blues, tans and milky reddish purples on top evening out colour balances, but once I got to this point, the "quit while you're ahead" feeling hit me. Thanks for the tips, I may try for more even colours on the next one.

 

Good idea!

 

I was thinking of checking the craft store this weekend for backdrops. With the amount of scrapbooking paper they carry that there should be something muted and pretty for a backdrop.

That or I do have fabric. It's all sewing fabric, I wonder if I have anything backdrop like... Hrm.

I'd assume anything would work, just some material might need to affixed to a frame to prevent warping while drying.

 

Looks good.

 

I admit, i downloaded some nice pics from the internet, some just colours some landscapes.

I want  to give this a try too.

 

My self made lightbox was destroyed during moving.

Soon I'll make a new one.

I just use a cardboard box, put alufoil on the sides ( the matt side). Point my daylight lamp towards it.

 

Should be better then what iḿ doing now, ( taking pics on the garden table during daylight...)

 

So any topics like this got my interest.

Thanks. One reason I wanted to make the backdrop rather than print or even buy one was so it would be my own work. 

 

Oh yeah, daylight photography is the best. 

[Glitterwolf 207922]

So I've made my lightbox, just a box with alufoil and pointing the daylight lamp at it.

 

I Use printouts as backdrops I think it give a mini more character this way.

 

Here are some examples which I posted in show off.

 

 

 

Which are IMHO way better than this: