Backgrounds/Studio backgrounds?

this is totally OT and I apologize but I am in LOVE with the bunny wig on your site!
SO FLUFFY
I'm going to save for one I think ^o^ it's just too cute

*ahem*
I will stop derailing now....

I know someone had a tutorial for making a mini studio but I couldn't locate it. I think it was Jujube?

(ok there I said something on topic) ops:

 

He could be using photographic paper that photographers use in studio but I'm not sure if that's what it is. Savage Widetone Seamless Background Paper 2-12 B&H Photo Video

 

You could probably build one for yourself with a good sturdy cardboard box (cut out 1 panel) and some fabric.

 

I'm really curious to know what kind of lamps those are. Do you think they are some kind of photographic equipment or just a couple of hi intensity thingies? I'm thinking ahead to winter as very soon now in Michigan my photographic studio (my picnic table) will be unavailable for many months to come....sigh. My best pictures and light are there.

 

You can use basic clamp lamps. That's what I've used before with 100watt bulbs. You don't have to get an expensive setup to produce decent pictures.

 

Hm, I haven't seen that YJ one before, interesting.

I've been looking at the EZ Cube on ebay.

I bought some clamp lamps at Home Depot for $6, but was still trying to work out the backdrop.

 

I have the EZ Cube and have been using it for more than a year. It's great and very compact to use!

 

Minor whining on my part in a gallery thread I was tipped to come in here for advice. I am currently using a pale green flannel sheet as the backdrop for my photography. Space is limited to set up a nice area for proper photography. Besides my camera isn't the best so I can't do anything too fancy. (I know, excuses, cry a river) But I woudl like something a little better than pale green sheets. So suggestions for none-large-space-consuming backgrounding would be appreciated.


Sample with the green sheet.

 

1.00$ fabric bins are your best friend. It doesn't always have to be a plain colour. Just about every fabric store and wal-mart has a discount bin or scraps bin. For very cheap, you can get just enough fabric for a backdrop. And since it's so cheap, and such a small amount, you can get a lot of different colours and styles ^_^

 

Owning fabric is not the problem, I have boxes and boxes of fabrics. But it actually needs quite a bit to hang up all the way behind him and then down past the feet. I'd just be afraid that printed fabrics would overpower Tighe in the images.

 

Printed fabrics would be too distracting, especially if it's a bigger print. If you can find cheaper fabrics with this type of print, it might help:

http://www.muslin-backgrounds.com/catalog_c139573.html

Not distracting and gives you some color. Otherwise, you could try your hand at doing a similar effect with tie-dye only not in bright colors.

 

I use 3 things of posterboard for a background, and you can make them so they'll fold up and you can slide them behind your bed or something

And you can always drape fabric over it to create more interest.

Good luck!

~Dottie

 

You can try creating your own backgrounds. Just buy some inexpensive muslin from Joann's (1.99 or less per yard), then dye it a bit.

If you move him forward a bit, then use a wider aperture for a shallow DOF, the background blurs a bit so you won't see any imperfections in the backdrop.

 

I'm assuming this is more of a photoshoot than a photostory? 'Cause if it's a story, scenery in the background is nice, as opposed to just your sheet. If it's a shoot, I get the sheet background.

Anyway, if you have some spare change (okay, more like $100+) I remember seeing a lightbox on eBay, and you could set your doll in it (or whatever you're taking pictures of), so that there would be no "scenery" at all, just white floatyness, if that's what you're looking for.

(P.S. I like his shirt! It ought to be obvious he's not Harry Potter, his eyes aren't green! Or, they don't look green on my computer, anyway.)

 

I usually use a black chenille blanket for my backdrops. I've also used pillow shams, accent pillows, and even a satin robe. If space is limited, try using things that you've already got. I've even considered using towels, bathmats and the shower curtain.

 

if you would like to make it look like a couch or lounge-area you could always leave up the fabric in the background (different colors and prints are good) then put pillows under another fabric to make it look like a pre-designed lounge room. also, this coodinates the colors to whatever you want without having to worry about mismatched pillows and such ^^;

 

These are all great suggestions! One technical tip that is worth mentioning is the distance from the subject to the background. You really want to have your doll a few feet in front of any background you are using and play with lighting. A dark-haired doll wearing black clothes in front of a black background is going to need another light to be placed between him and the background or somewhat on the background itself. Bringing the doll forward will help reduce or eliminate shadows cast on the backdrop. Also, using a tripod and a manual setting for a larger aperture will help blur and minimalize the background.

 

I just bought one of those science project type posterboard things that fold up on the sides...it works really well for Narae. I've also been using tissue paper in a variety of colors to mix things up a bit because I'm really broke right now. XD

 

I just got one of those science project background things too and I love it. I'm hoping to get some fabric to drape over it, and I want to back and get a black one later on. Office Depot had them in white, blue and black.

 

I love using real velvet as a background. It doesn't attract lint (fake velvet/velveteen attracts lint like crazy) and it doesn't reflect light when you're taking a picture. A single yard of fabric is a good amount to use for any MSD/42cm-tall doll or smaller. Maybe a yard and a half for an SD/60cm doll. It's not the cheapest option, but if you wait for it to go on sale, the price is not too bad, and you'll get a lot of use out of it.

I always take a high-backed dining room chair and drape my velvet over it, then sit the doll in the chair for my pictures. It's really great for closeups, especially.

 

I second what Snow Song uses as I use real velvet too when I choose to shoot with fabric as my background. I purchased my velvet on sale from Hancock's,...got 2 yards to be sure I'd have enough for my larger BJDs.

 

I use my comforter and pillows and things for background on occasions, but then again, Zaydin isn't that big ^^; Lots of times I just take him outside and prop him against a wall or a fence or something.

 

Hmmm...right now I use a "project board" that has 2 pieces that fold out (like the ones that kids use for reports and setting up displays at science fairs and such)...I got it at Hobby Lobby for around $3....it has great versatility. You can drape it, tape decorative paper to it, paint it, use tacs or straight pins to hang up light-weight pics, put a dowel rod across the two sides and hang stuff down in the center, move it where ever you want, and store it away easily :-) ....Oh, and you could cover the two fold-outs with foil to act as reflectors... :-)


...You can get the decorative paper in most scrapbook sections of stores :-)

 

I would have never thought to use scrapbook paper for backgrounds!

I don't even do scrapbooking but that is one of my favorite sections of the craft store. *L* It's so fun!

 

okay i have a couple questions - boy this is a great thread!
1) we don't have hobby lobby, where can I get one of those fold-out thingies? I kind of rigged one up but it falls down all the time, is annoying the HELL out of me.
2) what COLOR background do you experts suggest? pale peach? butter pale yellow? dark purple??

because I am making myself COMPLETELY insane trying to get the right white balance on my pictures. i can't do it. two pics taken 20 seconds apart with the same settings are coming out with different casts - either yellowish or too blue. AND the other annoying thing is that my camera monitor doesn't look like the pic but i guess that's something i have to live with.

but i'm hoping that a background COLOR change might help. i'm currently using a leftover drape, it's white-on-white kind of stripe.

AND OH - one SUGGESTION -- if you want more fun backgrounds, go to your local wallpaper store and ask them nicely if they have any old sample books they are going to throw out. if they say no, ask them if they might take your name and give you a call when they have some ready to chuck. they make for some fun backgrounds and they are FREE!

 

I bought 2 pieces of green poster board from the store and posed my dolls on them and took the pictures -then went into Photoshop and removed the green and just set in a different background.

I would suggest neon green, maybe. But it's such a bright color, it's really to catch and take out of the original photo.

 

Thanks -- I am not very photoshop friendly, lol, about all i can do is crop... that's interesting though...

Lehigh valley PA? that's where my dad's ENTIRE side of the family is from. yay!

 

*LOL* Photoshop takes a little bit to get a hang of, but it's not that bad. All you really have to do is use the "magic wand" tool. If you have your tool menu opened on the left, you'll see its icon to the top right of the list. Just click that and there should be a little box where you'll see a number.

The number there has something to do with the tolerance (I forget the term). Basically, the larger the number, the less picky the tool. So if you click a certain area you want to select with the magic wand and get a dot, you have to make the number bigger. If you select and area and the selection goes into a piece you didn't want selected, you want to enter a lower number.

Just take out the green background and then select all the blank space in the background (hold the ctrl key if you're selecting multiple pieces). Go to "select" (or something -it's one of the things up with File, Edit, and all them) and find "invert selection" and do that. Now you have what you need, hold ctrl and hit the "c" key. Then open whatever picture you want to use as background and hold ctrl and hit "v."

XD;;

Ooh. Are you anywhere near the Lehigh Valley? XD It's not too bad a place, but it certainly isn't great, either.

 

Sher ~ I understand the frustration with trying to achieve the perfect white balance - what camera are you using? What lighting? And what white balance setting?

Also, what exactly are you wanting to achieve - your photos are pretty gorgeous already! - a stark white background? A neutral background colour?

With some more detailed answers we might be able to offer some helpful tips for balancing in-camera!

 

Wal-mart carries them near school time....or a teacher's supply store or office store :-)

 

I have a canon A95, 5 mp... as far as the setting goes, i have to change it on the fly b/c the light differs depending what time of day it is, and if it's cloudy out, etc. Usually it seems to look best on one of the "fluorescent" settings that are avail to me. I'm using GE blue light bulbs, and I don't have professional lighting at all, like one of those neat umbrellas or anything like that... I try to stay as low-tech as possible...

What is annoying me is that often they are too yellow or too blue. It seems that the camera tries to adjust the colors for me and doesn't choose the right one or something - so some shots end up too yellow, some end up okay. I am wondering if I choose a background with some sort of color, versus my white drapes - that the camera will do a better job of reading the doll and the colors of her clothing.

So... maybe if I chose a pale apricot or something...??

PS thanks Judy!! i need to look for one of those foldy thingies.

 

The fluorescent setting tends to turn stuff blue on my A75 as well. I tend to leave it on auto white balance, but put a diffuser over my flash so they're not washed out. I'm using "reveal" bulbs too. Also, I keep the macro setting turned on, so it focuses on them and not what's behind them, even for full length shots.

I finally took a picture of my setup, I'll upload it tonight.

 

You could also get a fold up light tent. It has changeable backgrounds. i got a blue, white and black one with mine. but i want to make some other ones sometime. it collapses (even though it always takes me like 30 minutes to get it to fold up the way it was) and you can store it easily
i got mine off of ebay for like $15.00, i thought i had a picture of it on photobucket but it must be on my computer at home (im at work right now) ill have to put it up when i get home



I usually have a light in the back too but it burnt out and i didn't have any replacement bulbs but i wanted to take pictures anyways.
and here is the result of using the tent.

 

Here's my set up:
Two clamp lights w/ reveal bulbs, and two pieces of thin mdf, hinged for easy setup/put away behind a bookcase etc.
(I've since added a third clamp light, thanks to the tips in the last Dolliceaux article by Marcy.)

Painted white with basic acrylic craft paint, and easily allows for hanging fabric to change out the white background. (Or edited in photoshop.) Two strips of trim wood, stained and sealed, and glued to the bottom edge to give the look of scale baseboards.

 

sher >> I'm not sure if you've tried this before, but PowerShot A95 allows you to use custom white balance. To do this, select the "Custom" option in the white balance menu and a white rectangle should appear. Point your camera at a white piece of paper placed right in front of your subject and press SET to get your custom white balance. It generally works quite well for most types of lighting

 

The problem with that is reflective light, that is light reflecting off your green background will reflect green. There will still be green reflective light on the doll if you aren't extremely careful with lighting. It's very minimal and probably not so noticeable to someone who isn't looking for it . . . . (Well, I guess that also depends on the lighting, with the proper lighting you could make it *very* noticeable . . . .)

 

Haven't seen a post like this yet. I just wanted to know where everyone liked to take pictures of their dolls.

I don't have a particular place but I do like to take picture of them outdoors near rocks or brick(yeah I weird )

 

I love takin picture outside.. next time I go to sea side i'm gonna take them to picture them in the sand...

I also love grass, concrete, sheets...

M

 

i know of someone who asked a similar question
...
you could you poster board and curve it up
that's just what i've heard...

though i do like that light tent that MysteryAya has....
must invest.....

 

Made my own Light-tent, sort of: I took a chair, turned it upside down and put it on top of another chair. Then I taped two bamboo sticks from flower pots to two legs of the chair to make it a bit higher in the back. Then I draped a white bed sheet on that chair to make a little tent that I could place the doll inside. That way I could shine the lamps I used through the fabric and get a much softer light.
The result: (The fabric is horribly wrinkled, but I wanted to photoshop the background out anyway)

Light from the side (Don't mind the strange eyes, was an experiment in eyemaking)