Christmas Backdrops & Chroma key?

[keith204]

I just got a call to do a shoot next week for a local day care - Christmas themed. I've been against painted ones mainly because I think they look cheesy often, but this time it may serve its purpose. So, I'm in the market for some Christmas backdrops to receive in less than a week. Any ideas places to get one without spending $199?

On the other hand, boy I'm spiffy with photoshop - does ANYONE have decent success with chroma-key and photoshopping in a background/texture?

 

[table1349]

Amvona
http://www.amvona.com/?page=shop/subcat&category_id=02bb3f30da9e548a6f6ef2e1f501fd49

They are decent enough from what I have heard from other people. I usually buy locally or get them hand painted. A good friend is a wonderful artist and she loves painting backgrounds for me.

As for Chroma Key one of the secrets I learned from a graphic artist friend of mine that does quite a bit of work in that area is the need for perfect lighting. If you lighting is dead on across the whole screen it makes post processing a whole lot easier. Of course they have an outragesly expensive Chroma Key set up in their studio.

 

[Big Mike]

For Christmas shoots, I've found that a simple white backdrop works well, especially if you add a few simple props like Christmas decorations. I've also experimented with just adding a few things in post, rather than replacing the whole background, you can easily put in a Christmas border or a few details/frills here and there.

 

[JerryPH]

Chromakey is very interesting in these kinds of scenarios if you are really comfortable with it. The thing is that the client doesn't see the background until after things are completed in PP.

I would think that variety is the spice of life, though. To have a chromakey background and a white background with a few props (dollar store santa hats, reindeer antlers, decorations) make all the difference.

Have fun with it!

Edit:

A few more ideas:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/352681-REG/Botero_COSC723__C723_5x7_Scenic_Background.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/352682-REG/Botero_COSC724__C724_5x7_Scenic_Background.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/352684-REG/Botero_COSC725__C725_5x7_Scenic_Background.html

Anyways, you get the idea. There are more related varieties at BHphoto for you to check out.

 

[keith204]

Mike, do you have examples of when you used props? Thanks for the links, Jerry. Boy I just hate the cost of things like this...especially with paintings on them - it seems like they won't have many uses. Good point about variety.

 

[JerryPH]

The local strobist group is having a shoot within 2-3 weeks in a full real "rent a photo studio" place for us... I'm going this coming weekend to the corner store with $20 and coming back with at least 20 Christmas props for my shoot on that day.

Muselins and related things are very expensive if you don't DIY, and I personally would not pop for a specific Christmas backdrop , but if you make money with it... why not?

Another thought... my niece is an incredible artist and if I purchased a king sized bed sheet for $25 that is all it would cost me and she would paint me any scene I wanted on it including some incredible Christmas scene... though her specialty is fantasy (Santa with fairy wings, anyone? lol). Maybe you could find someone willing to do something similar like that for you?

 

[kundalini]

You might want to check out JoAnn Fabrics for plain muslin.

 

[Big Mike]

Excuse the not-so-great lighting but here are a couple from a shoot I did.

 

[zen_and_ink]

I like that second shot BigMike. Boy it really looks as if they are checking out what's under the tree.