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Watch your Photography Background
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Watch your photography background! Realize that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to deciding what to include or exclude from the background.
On the one hand, you don't want an exquisitely carved and bejeweled ivory elephant taking the focus away from a once-in-a-lifetime family reunion photo.
On the other hand, if there are small splashes of color livening up an otherwise bland background, that could be acceptable. Bottom line, it's very subjective, and your decision is final.
The picture's background is just one of many factors on the road to great portraits. And truly outstanding portraits don't just happen by accident.They take planning. Even casual-looking group portraits are often planned using props, poses, background, and the personality of the subjects.
Since the photography background is just one of the building blocks for a great family portrait, you, the photographer, need to take control and leave nothing to chance.
Most of the time, the photographer determines where and how the subjects are arranged. If there is a perfect background, arrange a pose to use it. On the other hand, always steer clear of backgrounds which have Disaster written all over them.
If possible, stay away from:
- Glass windows
- Mirrors
- Brightly lit signage (Exit signs, for example)
- Very light colors... possibly
The problem with white or light-colored photography backgrounds is the challenge it brings up... in the form of shadows. The best advice for dealing with shadows is to avoid using a flash, if at all possible.
I know what you're thinking: "But it's too dark to not use a flash!" Maybe, maybe not. Here's some suggestions on how to avoid using a flash. Try the following things, in this order:
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Increase the ISO setting on your camera to 200. - Test the shot and if the shutter speed is faster than 1/30th of a second, take the picture.
- If the shutter speed is still too slow, increase the ISO to 400, as long as digital noise is acceptable.
- Test the shot at ISO 400 and if the shutter speed is faster than 1/30th of a second (ideally, 1/60th), take the photograph.
- If not, increase the ISO to 800. Note that at ISO 800 or higher, digital noise will only be "acceptable" if you're using a top-level digital SLR camera.
- If an increase in ISO is not sufficient, use a tripod or some other solid surface to place the camera on. Any exposure taking more than 1/60th of a second (such as 1/30th of a second) should only be attempted from a rock solid surface.
The longer the exposure required, the greater is the need to use a remote shutter release. Even depressing the shutter button while the camera is on a tripod can cause slight vibrations which may cause blurriness in the final photograph.
Therefore, if a remote shutter release is not available, use the self-timer feature of the camera to remove any vibration possibilities.
If you HAVE to use a flash...
If you absolutely have to use a flash, try the following tips to possibly save the day:
If your background is a lightly colored wall, and you can't work around it, try this geometry experiment.Set up the camera and subjects so that an imaginary line connecting the two will form a perfectly straight 90 degree angle to the wall.
If a shadow is generated, you want to at least minimize its impact in this manner.
Try taking the same posed shot using the same background from perpendicular to the subjects and from 5 or 10 degrees off perpendicular. Huge difference!
- The best photography background, with a flash, is no background at all. Arrange your subjects outside or on a balcony with their backs overlooking city lights, and you will have a perfect shadow-free portrait.
As Humphrey Bogart said in the movie "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," Photography background! We ain't got no stinkin' photography background.
Okay, I took some obvious creative liberties with that, but what the heck... it's my website. When you have your own website, you can take some liberties too.
Back to the topic... If you're not sure whether a particular photography background works or not, take several shots using different backgrounds.
And as far as taking several photos of the same pose, that is the golden rule of digital photography. It costs nothing to delete unwanted pictures from the camera's memory.
Speaking of treasures (nice tie in to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, isn't it), you may want to consider signing up for our free newsletter
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