Need Help with BackDrop!

[shortpballer]

I posted some flyers around school to do some headshots for the aspiring actors or people in the theatre department. I got a call this morning. I am supposed to do them this weekend. And she hasn't decided whether or not she wants them done outside or inside. However if she decides on inside I need a professional looking backdrop. Can anyone give me a link or tell me how to make my own. Or show me somewhere I can get one for cheap. Something a little more in depth then get some pvc pipe and throw a sheet over it would be nice.

Thank you,
Eric

 

[thenikonguy]

seamless paper.. but your going to have to order it..because I dont think most places carry it as stock (at least around here) so, your screwed if shes coming this weekend.. you probably shouldnt have posted ads unless you had the stuff you needed...

if its just a head shot.. maybe get some black (or white) poster board... you can get it from the dollar store.. my first greenscreen was 9 sheets of poster board tapped together.. worked great for head shots..

 

[shortpballer]

If worst comes to worse we can do it outside. I've been reading about head shots and ALOT of them seem to be outside. I was assuming that I could just make one in the next day or so...

 

[kundalini]

Zack Arias - Atlanta based editorial music photographer » White Seamless Tutorial :: Part 1 :: Gear & Space

 

[CSR Studio]

If you have a nice painted wall in the house you can use that, put your subject in front with some distance between them and the wall and use an f-stop that will cause the wall to be out of focus. As long as the wall is a neutral color, it will look like a studio shot. Does that make sense?

 

[shortpballer]

If you have a nice painted wall in the house you can use that, put your subject in front with some distance between them and the wall and use an f-stop that will cause the wall to be out of focus. As long as the wall is a neutral color, it will look like a studio shot. Does that make sense?

I was going to do that. The wall in my family room is a neutral off-white and if I shoot at like f2.8 then it just looks blurred anyways. However If I could make a backdrop for a good price I would rather have that just for the versatility of being able to change colors and for the professionalism aspect.

 

[CSR Studio]

If you have a nice painted wall in the house you can use that, put your subject in front with some distance between them and the wall and use an f-stop that will cause the wall to be out of focus. As long as the wall is a neutral color, it will look like a studio shot. Does that make sense?

I was going to do that. The wall in my family room is a neutral off-white and if I shoot at like f2.8 then it just looks blurred anyways. However If I could make a backdrop for a good price I would rather have that just for the versatility of being able to change colors and for the professionalism aspect.

If you have any gels you can use them on the wall to change the color also. I have found as long as you act like that is the way it is supposed to be people think you are professional. It is all in how you carry yourself. Good luck!

 

[thenikonguy]

if your doing actor type had shots all you need is white or black.. i've never done head shots, but, of the head shots I've seen for bands and actors they are all either on a white or a black backdrop.. very simple to do.. no need for colors.. the purpose of a head shot is to go along with a resume, and thats usually about it.. so you don't need any colors.. if you have a white wall, your set.. but make sure your client does stand to close to the wall, because if they do, you'll get really bad shadows..

 

[shortpballer]

if your doing actor type had shots all you need is white or black.. i've never done head shots, but, of the head shots I've seen for bands and actors they are all either on a white or a black backdrop.. very simple to do.. no need for colors.. the purpose of a head shot is to go along with a resume, and thats usually about it.. so you don't need any colors.. if you have a white wall, your set.. but make sure your client does stand to close to the wall, because if they do, you'll get really bad shadows..

Yea I agree I'm going to have them stand a few feet away. Headshots apparently aren't as simple as people think though. They aren't just shots of the persons face stapled to a resume. They are supposed to show some sort of character or show who the person really is, not a rendition of what they want to look like or who they want to be. Do you guys have any suggestions for when I do the shoot?

Eric