"Studio" photography on the cheap

<p>Not a question, but more of a technique I've learned. Most of us are not made of money, and in the current economy, more of us have to be frugal with our dollars. Whether you're out of work, have family obligations, you're a poor college student, or just can't justify that new set of studio lights to the wife, most of us can't afford studios where we can control and lighting and backgrounds. While shooting flowers around my house, I'd often become frustrated with the background. Even though a large aperture will blur the background, there's not enough blur to make vinyl house siding look good in flower shots. Solution: I went to the fabric store a bought a length of the darkest fabric I could find (black moleskin). By draping this behind my subject, I can get a nice black background to make my subject stand out. Then, in Photoshop, I open up "Levels" and either with the eyedropper tool, or just sliding the left arrow over, I can make the background 100% black. Not as good as a studio, but I find it works pretty well. Here's one of the setups I used recently.</p><div></div>

<p>An here is the result of that setup.</p><div></div>

<p>For flowers, a Fomecore card with one side blue would work. And no need to futz in photo shop levels... For people shots, ah a nuther story, you may want to save up and spend a few hundred bucks and get a decent backdrop stand and a background in a bag. You can still use window light, always the best kind and fomecore as reflector fill, with on camera flash if you insist... This outfit below has some good values when you get the shekels to buy some heavy metal stands.<br>

Stuff that will not fall on the subject ( Hint: My first rule of studio shooting, do<em> not</em> maim the model) Good luck with frugal home studio and we all need such tips Me, am a lifelong 'poor student,' just to set the record clear...<br>

http://www.photekusa.com/</p>

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<p>Nice picture of the flowers. I did just the same thing about 5 yrs ago. While in a fabric store with my wife (a quilter) I bought a large piece of black non reflective fabric and use it from time to time for shots such as this.</p>

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<p>Two stands and a backdrop bar: could be a e-bay find, or check the prices at Adorama or B+H Photo Video. Probably less than 100 bucks.</p>

<p>The 3M folks also have strong glue, but not permanent, hooks that if used in groups, can hold a cloth backdrop against your wall.</p>

<p>One large cloth backdrop cloth: maybe $80 if you can locate a used one. Getting one in a mottled color (grey-white) or a mixture may be easier to use over time. Try to find a size bigger than you think you will need -- a large one can be folded smaller: a small one cannot be enlarged in the event you need more size.</p>

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<p>I do agree, background boards do give better results. The nice thing about the black fabric is its portability. It can be stuffed in a camera bag and then draped over whatever is available for a quick background.</p>

<p>John, We can argue technique all day but no one can dispute your results. Exquisite ! Reminders of simple techniques such as this one have an orienting or focusing effect on we who are always looking for complicated ways to do things (and, as a result, often forgo such simple but somewhat exotic results). Thanks for the ( Gibbs - NCIS) tap on the head. You have my attention. Best, LM.</p>

I've been carrying around the same piece of black matte fabric for years now. I roll it up like a tube to avoid creases and I use clothes pegs to pin it to 2 pieces of wood dowel to keep it taunt when using it as a backdrop. Works well for greenhouse orchids and other potted plants where the background is often messy or unattractive. Another cheap tool for flower " studio" work are those small white foam flats that grocery stores put meat on. They make great reflectors to bounce light up into blossoms. I also carry one of those small shaving mirrors for precise spot lighting.<div></div>

Out in the field with wild orchids I much prefer to work with the backgrounds provided by nature as they give a better sense of place and more of a feeling of depth to the image.<div></div>

accidental double post.

Opaque plastic such as 6 mil vapour barrier used in construction or sheer fabric also make for good and very inexpensive shade cloth to soften overly bright sunlight if you are not blessed with a bright overcast sky. I used 2 layers of plastic overhead with this emerging dragonfly nymph last week as the sun was too harsh and applying full shade would have meant having to open the lens more than I wanted for the dof I had in mind. The plastic shade was fashioned with some twigs and clothes pegs. The sun still turned out too strong but better than it would have been without the plastic.<div></div>

<p>I have this ancient 6' -0 roll of black velveteen something I bought from Edmund Scientific, when it was still Edmund Optical so long long ago. I clip it on a stand then roll it up in a cardboard tube.<br>

True, not portable, won fit in my Camry trunk maybe in the back seat, but rolls out flat and not smooshed. Depends on what you want. One shot I did with a crease, a measly tiny side light crease, got a friendly commento that it was a nice shot of the dog and I just needed to get rid of the very small crease...I did via cloning. Sure, what works for you works for you, not demeaning that thogtht , just offering more of the endless alternatives. Hey, flowers shot on a dark night outdoors also yield a black background. Well almost. PS the corners and you can be there...ciao for now..</p><div></div>

<p>I guess the studio is in the eye of the beholder. I am not sure I would call a black cloth a studio. Of course one can say that about cost too. I spent $130 for a black 16'X8' collapsable background. I lay you odds your tripod costs more. ;)</p>