Backdrop help

mikelane84 · August 6, 2010

I've been taking semi-pro photos for a while now which run the gamut between family portraits, landscapes, still life, boudoir, and military life. I have never shot a large event aside from weddings of friends (I don't know how you professional wedding photographers put up with all of that). While my more intimate shots have netted a list of potential clients after I redeploy from Afghanistan (I'm also in the Army), I have been approached about shooting my battalion's redeployment ball, formal, of course. Their lighthearted stab was that they didn't want to pay for the photographer's hotel room in Prague. My only excuse coming from my nervousness was that I don't have a backdrop large or appropriate enough. I was told to tell them what I needed, and they would buy it for me to keep.

So, I now have the opportunity to not only get publicity in a very narrow market (we're based in Germany), but to get free swag to boot. I have nine days to give my answer, and need some relatively rapid input from the people with the far more deserved title of "professional."

I am shooting with a Nikon D90 and an assortment of lenses. I think I would stick with a standard lens for this - the macro's depth of field would be too narrow. I don't have dedicated monolights (one of the given "excuses" that was batted aside), but have a SB900 and 600 that I believe would serve as a primary and fill. I have umbrellas and a diffuser/reflector that could be used if needed. Pricing is another issue. I think I'll pirate the basic pricing scheme from whatever competitor that would have been used and throw it into my SmugMug Pro.

I have a stand for backdrops, but only have a narrow black, narrow white, and large cloudy sky looking one. For a formal ball with dresses of every color and green, white, and blue dress uniforms, what color and construction backdrop would be appropriate? Color gradient? Solid? Muslin? Canvass? Vinyl? Do I need a fake bush or something? I am truely at a loss, and place this into my fellow dgrinners' capable hands.

ziggy53 · August 6, 2010

If you've been doing portraits and boudoir photography you should already have the skills and experience needed to know what you need for lenses and lighting. Part of any recommendation would have to include knowledge of the shooting space (size and color of walls, etc.) and the expectations of your hosts/sponsors. The following is a best guess.

For a formal ball a full-length shot is almost a "must", but I would also offer a second shot of head and torso. That's going to require using a standard zoom lens like the Nikkor 17-55mm, f2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX.

For a contract event you really need a backup camera, so get busy begging and borrowing or renting something appropriate now.

Your 2 flashes may work but I don't know if you can trust the optical wireless system for an untested venue. I would want to have at least 2 flashes capable of manual operation and working from a radio slave system.

If the subjects are to be couples and if you have the space available, you need a pretty wide backdrop to allow proper distance for shadow placement and full background coverage. You really should have 1-2 flashes just to illuminate the background. If you only have your 2 external flashes then plan on using some spill light illumination of the background, which requires some feathering of the key and fill lights. If that doesn't work, use a very dark background and some sort of rim lighting for the subjects, in addition to the key and fill lights.

Props can be anything appropriate, and for formal events can include a full set with a trellis to frame the subjects. You may have to recruit some help if you want to go that far.

Also make sure that you can control any ambient light, which can mean setting up scrim panels to block lighting inappropriate for your needs (assuming you are working from a corner of the ball room itself.)

Whether you simply document the event or whether you create a fantasy in your photographs is a very personal decision, but from the budget and time constraints it sounds like you will be limited.

If you are at all concerned about your abilities get out there now and start practicing. Don't assume that you are prepared, prove it to yourself in tests.

Good luck and try to have some fun. This is supposed to be "your" ball too.

Thanks for your service to our country.

Art Scott · August 6, 2010

Ziggy covered it all pretty well..........As to background and props........what is the THEME for the ball.....
I have seen Military photos consisting of formal couple shots with huge flags......and other themed ones from Luau's to Cinderella themes to other stuff....

Let your imagination work for you and have fun.

Where in Prague are you going to be?? Prague Castle, Ambassador hotel.......???
If the venue is one of the castles or Zameks...then I would just use one of the beautiful walls inside, or set up in an outside garden.......the hotel
might even have a garden that would work greatly for this.......you will be in Europe ......even the apt building I stayed in had a decent little garden area
That once had beautiful flower gardens in it (during soviet reign) but had since been replaced by little vegetable plots.......

Good Luck and Thanks for the job you do.........

mikelane84 · August 6, 2010

Thanks for the input so far. We are still in Afghanistan and will be back sometime in October through November. The ball is also going to be in November, so I won't really have a whole lot of time to practice lighting setups. So far I have managed to use ambient (not necessarily natural) light in my shoots to good effect. I can always take advantage of their offer to buy the extra equipment I need.

I hadn't thought about using stone walls or whatnot. I'm not sure where exactly it is going to be. It's still in the planning phase, of which I am now a part of. I have now been informed that it will be two days and nights in Prague, one night of which will be the ball. Childcare will be provided in the hotel we're all staying at, so I'm sure the ball will be in the building or close.

I figure after I agree to this and the plan is finalized I will be able to find out more about the venue. I find it unlikely (from experience at other balls) that it will be in the corner of the large room. There will probably be a small room or a part of a back entrance to the ballroom set aside for my part. Like I said, this is still in the planning phases.

Again, thank you for the help so far. And also, thanks for the thanks.

mikelane84 · August 7, 2010

They are shooting for the Corinthia Hotel. The specific room hasn't been decided yet. There will be about 680 people attending with about 250 couples. People's participation in the photos will be voluntary.

Art Scott · August 7, 2010

Mike, Here is the hotel managers email: armin.eberhard@corinthia.cz ......send email and ask questions on cool scenery to take photos
during your formal ball.......usually people in Prague are very nice and helpful ........and just in case you want to speak to him.....his phone number: (420) 261 191 133
and a link to the hotel website: http://www.corinthia.com/fact-sheet?l=1&c=6

you need to know how tall ceilings are...and so forth to get background up and all........and since this is close the Charles Bridge it should be in a pretty part of the city......
I do not remember the hotel but then I was traveling with 4 Czech ladies all cross country runners.....

Hope this Helps.............

mikelane84 · August 7, 2010

To keep it basic (given the limited time to come up with the initial purchasing funds), am I right in assuming that a couple of continuous light sources augmented by my speedlights would work in most indoor settings? If so, are there brands or configurations to avoid?

EDIT: Skimming over Adorama, I saw these. Bear in mind that I will use profits from this event to get better equipment, likely as soon as the next month. While I've had the desire for them, I've never had a real need for A/C light sources until now.

1 - http://www.adorama.com/PASTXTTSBK.html
2 - http://www.adorama.com/PASTDSK.html
3 - http://www.adorama.com/PASTXTSUK.html
4 - http://www.adorama.com/POCL500K.html
5 - http://www.adorama.com/SVK84.html

Art Scott · August 7, 2010

No continious light sources + speedlights...that very easily could be a post processing nightmare.........

Here is my suggestion: http://tinyurl.com/277hbwu .....Alien Bees by Palu Buff of Nashville are some really Fantastic Studio Flash units

This is not much more than your #1.....and it could easily be augmented with your speedlights............
but you would need either a flash meter or need to get to the venue several hours early and not in your formal
uniform......be real comfy to set it up.......get all settings for your shots write them down...go change drink some tea and relax
get to the event approx 1 hr early to re-check everything.....shoot like crazy and makes lots of money...................
You will also need voltage adapters........you will want 120 v so you can use them when you return home or
second way to go is the VAGABOND BATTERY also from Paul Buff........

mikelane84 · August 9, 2010

I've been looking at those, but never knew if they were right for my needs. I guess now is the time. Am I understanding it correctly that if I plug one into my speedlight or use a RF remote, it still fires the second light with a general light sensor? Won't flashes belonging to other people trigger my second unit?

Backdrop help

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