Background suggestions for formals

I got my second gig coming up on St Pats Day! Paid to boot! But my question it what color of background should I use on the formals? I will currently own a black muslin from another shoot, but will that one be appropriate? My sister was recently married and she absoulutly hated the background her photog brought, it was a burnt umber and brown w/ yellow in it. I talked with the bride today, and were meeting a week b4 the wedding, but I am sure an all purpose colored b/g would be best, rather than playing to the occasion/holiday (green!lol)

Any and all help would be appreciated, thanks in advance

Why not use what's at the venue? they probably paid enough for it. Find a column, some stairs, a window... why bother with setting up a backdrop?

i'd have to agree with monter.

I also agree with monter. Unless they are all going to your studio for the formals or something. There's always something nice to take pictures infront of. Are you planning on bringing studio lights and everything too? Wow.

I agree, find a nice spot at the venue. I take an umbrella or two, and use a nice spot. These buildings are made for this

chloeosmom wrote in post #2661728
I got my second gig coming up on St Pats Day! Paid to boot! But my question it what color of background should I use on the formals? I will currently own a black muslin from another shoot, but will that one be appropriate? My sister was recently married and she absoulutly hated the background her photog brought, it was a burnt umber and brown w/ yellow in it. I talked with the bride today, and were meeting a week b4 the wedding, but I am sure an all purpose colored b/g would be best, rather than playing to the occasion/holiday (green!lol)

Any and all help would be appreciated, thanks in advance

Backgrounds can be handy if the church is too plain, I would not recommend black however. Grey muslin or canvass seems to be the universal standard, but one thing to consider is it is difficult to shoot a large group with a background. If you have the time set up for formals bringing studio strobes and soft boxes and umbrellas you can add a studio look to usual church formals.
Joe

i havnt been to the venue yet, and yes I do have an umbrella and strobes. I was thinking more for head shots of B&G seperate and together as well as some using the venue. My sisters wedding photog had some and I really liked how your not 'distracted' by anything else peeking in behind them in the pics. and right now I am a portrait photog in a national studio so its what Im good at. the largest group on it may be the bridal party, and the family shots, but the rest would be venue. I was thinking grey as well, but Denny Manufactureing had a awesome canvas called Goya, however i want muslin for ease of transportation and $$, the canvas is almost $400 after shipping!! Again grey, was gonna try to dye my own, I have a random peice of muslin from another project I was gonna try it on. Anyway, back to the search!

I was looking through some mail I had stacked on my desk, and found a catalog for some really nice backgrounds, some are high end hand painted really spectacular, others might suit your needs too.
http://www.handpainted​backgrounds.com/

Make sure to ask the church if it is OK to set up a background. I had a church once say that it was not allowed.

Keep the lighting simple, a soft box on one side close to the camera, and umbrella on the other side makes it easy to shoot groups, and portraits, with the same set up.

If you have older people in the group shots make sure to help them up the alter stairs. Muslin can be easy to catch a heel on and fall.

Best of luck!
Joe

oldshooter wrote in post #2662171
Backgrounds can be handy if the church is too plain

Aren't backgrounds designed to be ... plain?

mizuno wrote in post #2668038
Aren't backgrounds designed to be ... plain?

After 20 years I see churches with orange shag carpeting that would have looked great in a 1960's van.

Backgrounds can be any thing these days. Check these out! http://www.virtualback​grounds.net/

Joe

oldshooter wrote in post #2668086
After 20 years I see churches with orange shag carpeting that would have looked great in a 1960's van.

Backgrounds can be any thing these days. Check these out! http://www.virtualback​grounds.net/

Joe

Well that's an entirely different kettle of fish. We're talking about physical backgrounds you're considering taking with you to a church, aren't we?

No those background are the state of the art Projected backgrounds...amazing how real they look!

Never found a need for using backgrounds for anything other than straight 'record shots'.

My personal style is to capture the events of the day. If all I can come up with is using a background, I may as well save everyone the bother of having me there on the day. I can just invite them round here at my convenience and shoot them in front of the background (might as well do it after the honeymoon, when they're nice and tanned).

If the church interior isn't suitable for formals, shoot them somewhere that is, If the backgrounds are distracting for head and shoulders shots, that's why I have fast lenses.

It's my job to find the images that tell the story, of course some photographers consider it their job to 'create' the images of the day. It's a different outlook I suppose.

To the OP I suggest you look at the thread here to see how many great WPs actually resort to just unfurling a background.

oldshooter wrote in post #2668124
No those background are the state of the art Projected backgrounds...amazing how real they look!

Really? I didn't think they looked real at all, hence why I assumed they were photoshop add ons.

Phil V wrote in post #2668461
Never found a need for using backgrounds for anything other than straight 'record shots'.

My personal style is to capture the events of the day. If all I can come up with is using a background, I may as well save everyone the bother of having me there on the day. I can just invite them round here at my convenience and shoot them in front of the background (might as well do it after the honeymoon, when they're nice and tanned).

If the church interior isn't suitable for formals, shoot them somewhere that is, If the backgrounds are distracting for head and shoulders shots, that's why I have fast lenses.

It's my job to find the images that tell the story, of course some photographers consider it their job to 'create' the images of the day. It's a different outlook I suppose.

To the OP I suggest you look at the thread here to see how many great WPs actually resort to just unfurling a background.

The person that started this post was a 'Studio Portrait Photographer' and wanted information about background colors to use for an upcoming wedding. I suggested grey and then provided some other possible backgrounds, and even background projection systems.

Frankly, I don't lug a background myself, to most weddings, unless they specifically ask me to, and I try to make the most of the settings and locations. But on the other hand some times the only place (you have the room to shoot formals) is 'not good', so a background system with studio lighting, and that can affect the number of prints sold.

As far as people that have done portraits using backgrounds, I would like to provide my own list of photographers. Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Joseph Karsh, maybe that is enough to make my point. A photograph is judged on it's aesthetic value, for what it conveys to the viewer. Whether the photograph was set up, and the subjects directed into giving a personal glimpse into their feelings, or if it came naturally from a photojournalistic candid, they both serve the same need.

In Susan Sontag's book "On Photography" she discusses Wedding Photography in particular, and I would suggest you take the time to read it. She was Anne Liebovitz's long time companion and friend. And coincidentally when Anne's sister was married Joe Bussnick was thrilled to be asked to shoot the wedding. One of the Worlds Greatest Portrait Photographers hired a wedding photojournalist to shoot the wedding! Go figure!!

Joe