I made a backdrop- is it too busy?

[JustJazzie]

Im supposed to shoot some easter pictures for a friend tomorrow, its a baby girl. I spent quite some time making this background for it. Now I am a little worried- is it too busy? Too many colors?

Im crossing my fingers that it will be large enough to get some good separation.... I ran out of flowers, and they didn't stretch as far as I had hoped.

 

[JacaRanda]

With that model, I say it's not too busy. There will be times were it's appropriate me thinks.

 

[tirediron]

With sufficient separation and a shallow DoF I think it will work nicely; I think the colours are very appropriate, but if they're too much in focus, it might be a tad distracting.

 

[JustJazzie]

With sufficient separation and a shallow DoF I think it will work nicely; I think the colours are very appropriate, but if they're too much in focus, it might be a tad distracting.

Yes. Its DEFINITELY distracting without enough separation. Do you think the first example has "enough" or enough that I could *gasp* save it in post?

 

[Designer]

Yes, maybe too many colors that don't harmonize. Ordinarily you would make the edges somewhat darker, and progressively fading to a lighter patch in the middle. Something like a big vignetting. Also, pick one color family and skip colors that don't belong.

 

[tirediron]

With sufficient separation and a shallow DoF I think it will work nicely; I think the colours are very appropriate, but if they're too much in focus, it might be a tad distracting.

Yes. Its DEFINITELY distracting without enough separation. Do you think the first example has "enough" or enough that I could *gasp* save it in post?

The first one is a bit much IMO, but the L.H. side of the second isn't too bad.

 

[ronlane]

I'm background picking challenged, so I'll refer that to John. However, my observation is that your model is a little "stiff", she needs to loosen up a little. lol.

 

[JustJazzie]

Thanks for the feedback @tirediron and @Designer! Will have to decide if I'm gonna scrap it or just use it an do better next time.

 

[mmaria]

Too busy for me, you could tweak colors in post but still...too busy

 

[JustJazzie]

Thanks @mmaria !

 

[Derrel]

It is very distracting when seen as in-focus and as small as it is in the first shot. The key is degree of magnification of the background, and the degree of defocus...obviously, if the lens used is a shorter focal length, the background is rendered with many more,small, relatively in-focus circles that make up the background. As focal length goes up, the angle of acceptance of the lens narrows, and as a result, the width and height of the background behind the subject is reduced, and literally FEWER of the colored circles make up the background area, and in normal situations, they are larger, and more defocused than if a shorter lens had been used. Ideally, a background is well matched to the kind of use it's put to...

 

[JustJazzie]

Thanks @Derrel Derrel! I will stick to using it fora tight headshot, I think. Maybe after that I'll spray paint it a new color.

 

[pixmedic]

Nooooooooooooo
Don't scrap it!
With enough separation and background blur this will look fabulous.

 

[Vtec44]

I like the backdrop. Personally, I'd go for even shallower DOF but I'm a shallow (DOF) person

 

[JustJazzie]

Okay! I'm glad to know not everyone hates it!

Nooooooooooooo
Don't scrap it!
With enough separation and background blur this will look fabulous.

thanks Pix! I suppose the mom will have the final say. I'm hoping she at least likes it a little. It was quite a few hours of work!

I like the backdrop. Personally, I'd go for even shallower DOF but I'm a shallow (DOF) person

I'm gonna do what I can for DOF. It really could stand to be bigger, so I'm definitely going to have to find a balance! I'm really wishing I had an 85 f1.8 right now. ;-)