my new backdrops :)

just wanted to share a few pictures i took this weekend with some new backdrops i bought. the blue i got off ebay & love it! it's a muslin that they said is machine washable...but we'll see. quick question...how do i get the fold lines out? as soon as i got it i crinkled it all up, but i can still see the fold lines from when it was shipped.

i bought the backdrop to use for an upcoming specialty show, for the win shot background, but i just love it for portraits!!

this is my 10 1/2 month old female bully pup...she was nice enough to be a model for me





i need to work on keeping things straight when i take photos...i always seem to find a way to make the table crooked! lol it drives me crazy!

and this pinkish background i'm really happy with! this is some kind of spandex material i got at walmart for $1/yard! there's been no post processing to the background...it's great and very washable!



comments/critique of the shots welcome

thanks,

liz

Liz,
like the blue; hate the pink . The nice thing about backgrounds is that you can find them in some pretty neat places like the discount bin at JoAnn's & Walmart. That's where I got my black background.

For my first one, my partner and I actually hung a muslin sheet outside and attacked it with 5 spray cans of paint to come up with our "artist's backdrop". It worked fine for over 3 years.

Jim

Hey Liz,

Thanks for posting these. These are very good. I actually do not mind the pink. It makes your bull dog look 'soft,' LOL. Having said that, I prefer the blue background as well.

From a technical perspective, you did a great job doing these. That second shot in particular is just real adorable.

James

Liz - I love the blue (but I am very partial to blue) and like the pink. It would be great for a bitch. I really like #1 & #3, but am not too fond of the pink cast on the white chest and chin of #3. I think perhaps I would like #2 better if it wasn't shot straight on -- perhaps 3/4 would look great. That being said, I know how hard it is to get the "money" shot of our own dogs. I live alone, and trying to get one of my kids to pose ears up, eyes bright, tongue in, etc., while I'm trying to set lights, focus the camera, snap the shot, etc. etc. can be a daunting undertaking. Great captures on all three.

I really want to get into honing my "studio" shots. Perhaps I'll be taking a little ride to Joann's this weekend to hunt for backdrops.

thanks for the comments! i kinda like the pink, i know it's not for an everyday type of portrait, but i think the material gives a pretty cool effect. plus, pink is her color! lol

it's hard to get shots of my own dogs, esp. since i'm so picky! i did take some other angles of her & some 3/4 shots but wasn't really happy with how they came out.

thanks again!

liz

I personally like the pink better. I think it is a nice contrast to the butch look of a bulldog. Gives your bitches a soft side

I am not a big fan of the blue with the color of your dogs. I would go with a mottled deep brown and burn the edges. Brindles look really nice on brown.

thanks! i have a couple more backdrops coming from ebay...one that looked blue/pinkish (i dont know why i got that one, i went a little ebay crazy! lol) & one that is more grey...at least, i hope those are the colors. this one above was a dark teal on ebay, but it's very light blue. we'll see!! i'd like a brown one, but haven't found one yet.

thanks for the comments!!

liz

I got a blue muslin BG that looks like yours from Owens Originals. I looks fine, but whatever die they used on it smells horrible. It reminds me of the weather proof gear the army issued to me in the 90's. Smells just like vomit.

I've washed it many times and it has faded a little. The smell is better, but still there.

I found washing & drying was the only way to get rid of the creases short of ironing the whole thing and then wading it up randomly again.

I've seen a few "make-your-own" tutorials, and if it weren't for the sewing or hem tape, I'd probably give it a go. Might anyway.

I think Haley, our Doberman mix, would look good on the pink. It would match her collar.

nice job both the pink and the blue look okay to me. the shots look well done, only I think both need a little saturation and contrast, but they are well exposed . . .