Background/Backdrop? Should i blue/green screen or buy 5 different cloth backdrops?

I am thinking of offering headshot services and just curious what the best background to use is? is it easer to green/blue screen it and then drop in any background you want? or just buy black/white/grey/ thn some tie dye looking backdrops? It would seem to me being able to drop in any backdrop is the way to go.. but you gotta be careful with color bleed of the screen.. I dont know much about this technique if anyone could shed some light on the best solutions Also potability is key as i would like to be able to drive to their business or location and do shoots as a studio isn't quite an option yet.

Are most headshots done inside? or can they just simply be done outside with a nice reflector popping the sunlight back into thei face or a strobe or two outside...( or do some people just love the look of a tye dye background cheesin it up I was thinking of targeting headshots for lawyers, real estate people, actors, dancers, pretty much anyone who would need a head shot.

Thanks

I have to tell you what i did!!!
I went to Kohls and bought 2 large fleece blankets; one white, one black.(19.99 each) then I happened to see huge curtain panels on sale, a maroon one, and a gold one. (7.99 and 4.99-respoectively). Anyway. If you go to my thread, https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=291696 you can see how the drops look. yes, I did do some dodging and burning to blend, but for 20 bucks-it was a good start for me. I was able to get a blue tint in one of them, so you can manipulate coloring a bit too. And I am NOT good at Phothsop; as you can tell!!!!!!!!!
I say, get something inexpensive, play around with different colors, then if you decide what you want, go for broke at that point!!!!
I haven't figured out the portability part yet. I am planning on hanging my drops up in a spare bedroom.........

best of luck to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A simple gray background can be blown out for high-key, underexposed to render it black and lit with gels for different colors. Its the swiss army knife of backgrounds. I don't like chromakeying in new backgrounds, they always seem to look fake to me.

You will need a light just for the gels, get some honeycomb grids for it too - grids will make a hot spot of color behind your headshot subject. I like 20 and 30%. If you want a mottled background look into the Botero 5x7 collapsible #38 background. It looks awful by itself, but I'm really happy with how it photographs.

definetly get a gray one. i love my paper background set ups, i like it a lot more than the muslin i used to use. i wouldnt do chroma screen as its pretty time consuming.

awad wrote in post #2904923
definetly get a gray one. i love my paper background set ups, i like it a lot more than the muslin i used to use. i wouldnt do chroma screen as its pretty time consuming.

hmm ok where should i get the grey background from? and how big? what brand? etc

Here is my gear list

2 AB800's
1 ABR800
1 43" reflector disc with gold, silver, white, black, translucent

2 43" silver umbrellas
1 octabox softbox for the ABR800 ringflash

2 light stands

What else would i need to make my travel portrait kit.

I know i need another stand for the abr800 but should i get a boom stand to i can use a hair light?

also i would need a stand to hold the grey background.

Impact makes a light stand, 12' wide. $99 at B&H (part number IMBGSS12). Don't forget a set of Pony clamps, large size.

I recently purchased a 'Thunder Gray' muslin from Amvona, its thin, but unless you have a strong light source coming from behind the background its not a problem. It has taken light from gels perfectly. Unless you have a lot of room to put some space between your model and the background, invest in a steamer to steam out the wrinkles.

Oh yeah, and when you get the backround, hang it up and steam out the patterned folded wrinkles. Then cram it into a stuff sack or a plastic grocery store bag. You want uneven creases.

I used paper once, and I've got to say its very nice to work with, but I'd hate to have to transport a paper tube (if I had a van or truck that'd be another story though!).

Lastly, I recently found what I think would be the prefect travel kit... I set up a hair light behind my subject shining down, the Botero background has a hand-loop on one end. I looped that around the turnscrew of the strobe and it looks great. One more light on the subject - feathered more in front of her and assistant holds a reflector. It's turning out to be a very nice look and not much equipment to lug around or set up.

Buy the backdrops. the chromas look fake, even with the incredible photoshop capabilities these days.

You could get small ones and they souldnt be hard to transport or setup.

For corporate headshots and things like that you could easily use 6x7 or maybe smaller.