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DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks

Posted: Thu 04 Jun 2020, 13:50
by abennettphotography

Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks

Posted: Fri 05 Jun 2020, 18:45
by Iggy
Thanks Andy.
That is helpful.

I was wondering what cloth like material is suitable for a black backdrop for small still life arrangements?

Iggy

Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks

Posted: Sat 06 Jun 2020, 08:49
by Mike Farley
Iggy wrote:I was wondering what cloth like material is suitable for a black backdrop for small still life arrangements?

Black velvet.

https://www.creativeislandphoto.com/blog/black-velvet

Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks

Posted: Sat 06 Jun 2020, 17:13
by Iggy
Thanks Mike.
Peter Baumgarten does produce some wonderful images with the black velvet.
I was just wondering where to get the high quality black velvet required.
On some of the sites selling black velvet, photographers have kindly left a comment saying that it was not suitable for photography backdrops.
Some pointed out small particle reflection or too see through.

So what and where do I get the photographic grade black velvet?

Kind regards,
Iggy

Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks

Posted: Sat 06 Jun 2020, 19:01
by Mike Farley
Iggy wrote:So what and where do I get the photographic grade black velvet?

Google is your friend when it comes to answering that. All I can tell you is that I bought mine from a shop called MacCulloch and Wallis which sells fine fabrics and is located just off Oxford Street at 25 Dering Street W1. It was a few years ago now and seemed damned pricey at around £20 per metre as I recall, but seems to be doing the job.

Fern-3.jpg
Fern with black background
Fern-3.jpg (80.4 KiB) Viewed 3770 times

Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks

Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020, 10:07
by Iggy
Thanks Mike,
MacCulloch and Wallis are still listed but there a few outlets in Croydon that probably do black velvet.
Also many on google.

Thanks for sharing that lovely image.
Did you follow Peter Baumgarten's suggestions or do your own set-up?

Regards,
Iggy

Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks

Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020, 10:33
by Mike Farley
Iggy wrote:Thanks for sharing that lovely image.
Did you follow Peter Baumgarten's suggestions or do your own set-up?

Thanks for the comment. As I had never previously heard of Peter Baumgarten until I used Google to find an example of using a black backdrop, I can safely say that the shot is all my own work. 8-)