Backdrop advice for FAll Indoor shoot...please

[Rosy]

Hello there
I've been asked to do family fall pictures at a DayCare. My first option is outdoors - but since it's an all day shoot, i'm scared of the mid-day sun and also the unpredictable weather forecast

IF i were to shoot indoor - what backdrop do you recommend. A fall themed one or a solid color one (like the one below from b&h)

Won Background Muslin Modern Background - Deep MM10911010 B&H
I am not doing individual portraits - they will be group sittings
Wanna avoid cheap/cheesy outcome -

I will be setting up props: hay/scarecrow/pumpkins, etc...


one last thing - would you risk and do outdoor - what would you do to avoid mid-day sun
appts - between 8am and 10am then from 3pm to 6pm

 

[Destin]

If you're doing indoor... do you have studio lighting? If you don't outdoor may be the only real option.

 

[kundalini]

Hello there
I've been asked to do family fall pictures at a DayCare. My first option is outdoors - but since it's an all day shoot, i'm scared of the mid-day sun and also the unpredictable weather forecast

IF i were to shoot indoor - what backdrop do you recommend. A fall themed one or a solid color one (like the one below from b&h)

Won Background Muslin Modern Background - Deep MM10911010 B&H
I am not doing individual portraits - they will be group sittings
Wanna avoid cheap/cheesy outcome -

I will be setting up props: hay/scarecrow/pumpkins, etc...


one last thing - would you risk and do outdoor - what would you do to avoid mid-day sun
appts - between 8am and 10am then from 3pm to 6pm

Hi Rosy, I'm from Raleigh too.

Westcott and Lastolite make nice collapsible backgrounds, but probably more expensive than a single muslin background. Lastolite particularly have a nice fall colors background that I like. But depending the size of your group shots, they may not be the best choice this time around. Each (and others) make large scrims that are used overhead to cut mid-day harsh lighting.

As we're coming into autumn and the days are getting shorter, the times you've chosen shouldn't be too hard to manage. Scheduling an outdoor shoot is practical with the props you have in mind, but you should also have a contingency plan because the weather may not play in your favor.

 

[KmH]

Outdoors you put a diffuser(s) between the Sun and your subjects to create your own open shade, if you don't have open shade readily available, and then you use strobed light to make the exposures.

A nice outdoor diffused light technique is to gel the strobed lights with a full CTO gel, and set the camera white balance to Tungsten.

 

[katerolla]

out door is the way to go, find a nice background in the shade where you can work all day use a on camera flash and try to bounce it of a ceiling or something near by, if there is no bounce available like under a tree than use a defuser.

with the muslin backdrops i found that there is too much pp after the shoot so if you realy have to get one get the paper rolls much less if any pp required

 

[Rosy]

Yes - I have lighting

 

[MissCream]

A day care shoot with just group poses all day????? Sounds like hell.

 

[Rosy]

thank you sooo much - do you have images that show this effect

 

[Rosy]

hell - would be correct, thanks for the support

 

[Rosy]

Can you give me your opinion on a solid colored muslin or a themed one?

PLEASE - I need a contingency plan...

 

[MissCream]

Can you give me your opinion on a solid colored muslin or a themed one?

PLEASE - I need a contingency plan...

I would just use a white muslin and grab some fall themed props from the dollar store or something. Do you have a background stand?

 

[Rosy]

KmH - you wrote...then you use strobed light to make the exposures.

can you break this down for me...i apologize. Lighting is not my strength.

I have an SB-900 speedlight - I have a portabe stand with a diffuse/shoot thru umbrella. Can i use this - if so, where in relation to the subject should i position it

 

[MissCream]

One SB-900 speed light is not going to cut it for inside group pictures, it's just not enough.

 

[Rosy]

Yes i have a stand

white? what about this one?

Won Background Muslin Modern Background - Deep MM10911010 B&H


so you think the themed ones are overkill (i think so - just need more of an expert advice)

tahnks you for responding so quickly

 

[MissCream]

Yes i have a stand

white? what about this one?

Won Background Muslin Modern Background - Deep MM10911010 B&H


so you think the themed ones are overkill (i think so - just need more of an expert advice)

tahnks you for responding so quickly

That one's not bad but your one speedlight wont be enough to properly light it, have you been in the daycare yet to check out the lighting? I wouldn't spend that much on a themed one though because the chances of you using it again isn't great.