Cheap and easy 1 time use backdrop, questions for small group photos

[SquarePeg]

For an upcoming event for my daughters school, one of our ideas is to have an area set aside to take photos of the kids. Our plan is to have some fun props and for the kids to stop by the "booth" and pose for silly group shots. I'm organizing a couple of members of what we like to refer to as our parent paparazzi to take a few shifts taking the photos. It's a pool party mid June at the local country club and will be outdoors starting about 3 hours before sunset. We're not charging for the photos, just going to post a link to the class website and the parents can download whatever they want.

Now for the questions...

any suggestions for a cheap and easy backdrop I can make? It doesn't have to last beyond the 1 use. Suggested material and color? This item is not budgeted as part of the party expenses so it needs to be cheap as I'll probably be donating it myself.

Suggestions for the group shots ie max number of 11 year olds to try to wrangle, best aperture and shutter speeds to use for group portraits? Props that you've found to be popular with the tween crowd? We'll have some beach stuff, some sports gear and maybe some glamorous "dress up" accessories.

Any good websites to research group poses?

These are not meant to be anything other than fun shots, I'm just doing my usual obsessive planning which I know can be insane, lol. I just want the pictures to be as good as possible and I don't usually do people pics.

TIA
Square

 

[Big Mike]

I don't think that absolutely need a particular backdrop. All you need is a clean looking background that looks good. Could be a clear space of wall, or maybe a small 'set' with some potted plants or something like that.

What are you thinking for lighting? At the very least, I'd suggest using an accessory (camera mounted) flash. If you have a good spot for bouncing it off the wall or ceiling, that would be ideal.
If I were to set something like this up, I'd use a couple studio lights and maybe a light on the background, maybe one as a hair/kicker light as well. Although, probably want to be careful with lights, electricity and pools.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I'd probably check out the place and see what you'll have to work with. I'd be thinking about which way the sun will be hitting. And if this goes into evening maybe the photos should be done earlier than later (although the picture taking might be better after they've had time to expend some energy first!). I'm thinking as far as camera settings it could be changeable as you start losing light, if you use existing light it will depend on the weather that day anyway (if it's sunny or overcast etc.). Maybe go early and do some test shots.

This is not directly related to your question but it occurred to me to wonder if anyone checked into obtaining permission or how to make the photos available - not so much to do a photo booth, the school may have a permission slip signed for students to attend the event and getting their pictures taken could be optional. I'm thinking you might need to check about posting the photos since this involves preteens in swimsuits. If it's on their class website it may be secure but if they can all access each other's photos you don't need a situation where someone uses poor judgement or does something as a joke and then having a student's swimsuit picture ending up someplace the parents wouldn't want it.

If it's a school event they may have guidelines on appropriate attire which could help, maybe they'll need guidelines on what to wear for the photos.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

i've scouted ahead and found walls, metal garage doors, a plethora of backdrops. use your gels and pocketwizards/lights for the colors you want for the backdrop

 

[SquarePeg]

Thanks for responding.

I've been to the location a few times and, if memory serves, there really isn't a wall or solid fence to use as a background. The clubhouse building, where they'll be entering the party, will be too high traffic for it to be useful, I think. The rest is fenced in with tennis courts, bball court or parking lot everywhere you turn so I thought a backdrop might be the way to go plus I want to define the area we'll be using so no one is wandering into the shot. I like the idea of a set made with plants etc. That is a good possibility. I'll definitely scout a week or two before to choose our spot but no use doing it now as the trees are all bare and the light is completely different now than it will be in June. If I were to get some type of curtain, what would be my best color choice? I've seen some ideas on the web where people used either plastic tablecloths or shower curtains. Do I want shiny or matte? If we did that and put a couple of plants in front of it...

We do have photo releases on our radar and will have one especially for this event. The school has their own but the party is more of a private event sponsored by the parents. We've debated printing photos at the site and giving the hard copy instead of posting the images but that doesn't seem practical.

We're all just enthusiasts, no pros involved so I don't think we'll have any studio lights, just whatever flash items we can put together between us. It should be pretty light out at the beginning and it's one of the longest days of the year.

 

[JoeW]

For an upcoming event for my daughters school, one of our ideas is to have an area set aside to take photos of the kids. Our plan is to have some fun props and for the kids to stop by the "booth" and pose for silly group shots. I'm organizing a couple of members of what we like to refer to as our parent paparazzi to take a few shifts taking the photos. It's a pool party mid June at the local country club and will be outdoors starting about 3 hours before sunset. We're not charging for the photos, just going to post a link to the class website and the parents can download whatever they want.

Now for the questions...

any suggestions for a cheap and easy backdrop I can make? It doesn't have to last beyond the 1 use. Suggested material and color? This item is not budgeted as part of the party expenses so it needs to be cheap as I'll probably be donating it myself.

Suggestions for the group shots ie max number of 11 year olds to try to wrangle, best aperture and shutter speeds to use for group portraits? Props that you've found to be popular with the tween crowd? We'll have some beach stuff, some sports gear and maybe some glamorous "dress up" accessories.

Any good websites to research group poses?

These are not meant to be anything other than fun shots, I'm just doing my usual obsessive planning which I know can be insane, lol. I just want the pictures to be as good as possible and I don't usually do people pics.

TIA
Square

Cheap, easy, and unique backdrop....

Go to Home Depot. By a cloth (not a plastic) drop cloth. A big one might run you $10-15 dollars. Get a box of markers (ideally water soluble so they won't bleed through the cloth and on to the floor or wall). Tape the crop cloth up to a wall with some run off to the floor. You can either decorate it yourself (dip hands in tempera paint and put them on the cloth). Or you can give markers to kids and tell them to put something personal (a drawing, their name, a stick figure, a message, a favorite quote) up on the cloth. But you need to oversee and set ground rules (nothing obscene or sexual, no long messages, no comments or alterations of anyone else's messages). Than have individuals or small groups pose. They'll do more than pose in front of your drop cloth, they'll interact with it (like point to their name or blow kisses at a boyfriend's name or put their arms around the stick figure someone drew or look shocked at one statement).