Photographing children can be extremely interesting, but it can also be quite difficult. You need to master professional photography skills and make good preparation. In addition, the shooting background is also important. Backdrops are a wonderful tool for improving children photography. As Tracy Sweeney wrote in Children Photography Blog, “They add visual interest to your photos. They help you tell a story. And they keep older babies and children entertained during the photo shoot.”
When choosing a kid photo backdrop, a professional photographer needs to contextualize the decision. Here are some factors that to be considered to sure you'll have the right backdrop for every shoot.
Material
When it comes to shooting for kids, the choice for backdrop material is critical. It's best to use backdrops with soft and durable material. Vinyl, canvas and muslin backdrops are the commonly used. But vinyl backdrop is reflective, canvas backdrop is a little expensive. Therefore, most people use muslin for a studio children photo backdrop. It's a lighter material that doesn't crease as easily, durable and cost-effective. I have talked about backdrop material in my blog What is Best Material for Photography Backdrops, you can find the pros and cons of each material in that article.
Color
To color backdrops, companies typically use either paint or dye. Muslin is an excellent choice if you want to use a simple tie-dye backdrop. I've bought a backdrop from Dbackdrop whose backdrops are made from muslin and tie-dye. I previously gave a detailed explanation on the backdrop color in my blog Choose the Right Backdrop Color for Portrait Photography. Solid color and abstract textured backdrops are popular among portrait photography, as well as suitable for kids photography. Simple color but awesome shooting effect.
Type
After considering the above factors, the next step is to consider the backdrop type. As for portrait photography, solid color backdrops or abstract textured backdrops are highly popular choices. But for children photography, a theme backdrop will be better. Choose some cute backdrops, such as Unicorn & Mermaid Backdrop, Cartoon & Fairytale Backdrop, Floral Backdrop, etc. If you want to capture the beautiful blurry backgrounds, a Bokeh Backdrop will be helpful. Lovely backdrops can not only help to take better photos, but also attract kids’ attention and sooth their emotions, making them happy to take photos.
Size
Backdrops are sized by width and length. Standard widths are usually between 5-7ft, and standard heights are between 6-10ft. A 5ft wide by 3ft long backdrop is a perfect choice if you are shooting newborns or little kid. But a 5ft wide and 6-7ft long backdrop is typically ideal for any average sized individual portrait. You'll need a wider backdrop to accommodate more people in a photo. Longer backdrops are more suitable for full-body shots. For more details about backdrop size, please check Size Chart.
As a photographer, to capture the kid’s picture is an amazing experience. Children photography is a great way to record their growth and also a recall to their parents. The photos you take of your children will last for years, and you’ll always remember them fondly.
Check out my Blogs for more ideas about backdrop and photography.
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Tracy Sweeneyan International Award winning newborn, child, family photographer and educator, owner of Elan Studio. She loves capturing simple, candid moments, the indelible beauty of new beginnings and life. Tracy’s work has been featured in Times Square, on the Hallmark Channel, people.com, today.com (Today Show) and in Click Magazine, Rangefinder Magazine, Professional Photographer, Digital SLR Photography Magazine, Digital Photographer Magazine, etc. |