Shooting on Brightly Colored Backdrops
Just because backdrop companies sell all kinds of flooring options in bright colors, it doesn’t mean a baby will look good crawling on it.
Unnatural colors will bounce back onto the baby—and the resulting color cast will be especially obvious if the child has a light complexion or is wearing light-colored clothing. The same thing happens when you use lush green grass, colorful walls, or vibrant backgrounds. Paint a studio shooting area with white paint to avoid unwanted color casts on your subjects.
Where fur is concerned, however, don’t worry! Bright colors are great for pets—and the background you use doesn’t have to be very wide.
It would be risky to photograph a fair-skinned baby crawling on this green floor, not because of splinters, but because the green vinyl will make him look a little sick around the gills.
The woman’s bright turquoise blouse reflects a green cast on her neck.
Resources for Backdrops and Floor Drops
B&H Photo—bhphotovideo.com
Backdrop Outlet—backdropoutlet.com
Denny Manufacturing Co., Inc.—dennymfg.com
Etsy—etsy.com
Lemon Drop Backdrops—lemondropshop.com
Savage—savageuniversal.com
Check out Savage’s splendiferous array of seamless background paper. Included are two chroma-key colors (Tech Green and Studio Blue), used for easy background swapping.
Bright backgrounds work great for pets! (Although this one seems to be asking, “Do you think this scarf makes me look fat?”)