Backdrop for Award Ceremony group shots?

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dancook

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The client has asked for a white roll backdrop for groups of female students and teachers in dresses.

The groups can get pretty big, 20+ people

Now I'm reluctant to want to use a white background because I'm just not fond of the look, but that means I'll need some alternative ideas and hopefully examples and some way of achieving it !

Maybe I'd just prefer black instead of white, we'll want to cover the floor up.

Any thoughts? maybe a dark blood red would be nice...

I also have only two pixapro strobes (godox) maybe I'll need a couple more for the background and rim?
 
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why not just go outside say in a park? let nature provide a backdrop as big as you want
 
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realspeed said:
why not just go outside say in a park?
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The award ceremony is at a school, in a hall, at night - and not near a park.

it'll probably be set up in the far end of the same hall they have setup for the awards, dining tables at the one end.
 
mock up a red carpet situation? cheap carpet and a backdrop with the school emblem repeated all over? a few more lights would be good yes.
 
If it's a school hall, is there not a curtain for the stage at all, or at least at the back of the stage?
 
TimHughes said:
mock up a red carpet situation? cheap carpet and a backdrop with the school emblem repeated all over? a few more lights would be good yes.
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Something like this?

They have some blue boards with the school logo on, but staff has all changed and knowledge has been lost.

could look like this..

but probably cheaper :D
 
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White background lit with coloured gels? Although that would need more strobes than you have
 
dancook said:

Something like this?

They have some blue boards with the school logo on, but staff has all changed and knowledge has been lost.

could look like this..

but probably cheaper :D
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right this is what I was imagining. for the backdrop search "logo backdrop banner" for local printing options and pricing - include in the budget and the school can keep it for future events?
 
TimHughes said:
right this is what I was imagining. for the backdrop search "logo backdrop banner" for local printing options and pricing - include in the budget and the school can keep it for future events?
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Cheers, I asked them to see if they've got the boards they had before because they could accommodate a very wide area.
 
dancook said:
Cheers, I asked them to see if they've got the boards they had before because they could accommodate a very wide area.
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if you have a backdrop frame you could use that to mount the flashes overhead, the more the better to get that evenly lit red carpet look.
 
TimHughes said:
if you have a backdrop frame you could use that to mount the flashes overhead, the more the better to get that evenly lit red carpet look.
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you mean to have a row of flashes along the front using a backdrop stand?

i was planning to have a strobe left and right and point them to the opposite side of where a large group would be.

there will be a stream of 1-2 people, small groups and large groups
 
Backdrops sound like a great idea at award ceremonies and they can work, but tbh I've often found, that the general room background just looks better - especially if they lit the tables.

Here's one on a printed vinyl backdrop in 2017
1680626415328.png

But by 2019 I was just ignoring the backdrops and using the room as a background

1680626682984.png

Handheld at 1 second. The background is out of focus anyway, so the small amount of motion blur from this hand-held shot makes no difference tbh - it just bleeds in a bit. The subjects are frozen in place by the flash. If the client wants white, you may have to go with it (and light it separately, or put the subjects right up against it, light them and the backdrop with the same lights and make it white in post). If the backdrop faces into the room as mine did, you can just reverse the set (turn all the lights around) and shoot into the room to get an alternative look (and you can dial the room up and down on the shutter - empty space at an event at night will be black at say 1/160th, if it's properly exposed at 1 second like mine - its ~7 stops less at 1/160th ). I'd probably do it at 1/10th and Iso 1000 now tbh

One Safari-II with a medium softbox and a Speedlight for the edge light (could have done with another softbox for that tbh - it's a bit brassy)
 

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I agree the room makes for a great background for certain shots like this, I've had similar shots at events.

But if shoot a head to toe 20+ group shot, I'm not sure I'm confident of the same kind of result - but I suppose it could work.

it's a leap of faith :D
 
I have a Lastolite Panoramic background which is 4m wide and it can accommodate 20 folk, perhaps you could hire one locally?
 
dancook said:
you mean to have a row of flashes along the front using a backdrop stand?

i was planning to have a strobe left and right and point them to the opposite side of where a large group would be.

there will be a stream of 1-2 people, small groups and large groups
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Yes, this will give more even lighting than one on either side.
 
TimHughes said:
Yes, this will give more even lighting than one on either side.
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Well I have two strobes and two speedlights, and if buy anything new i think a couple more strobes will be most useful - but i haven't had cause for it in the last 5 years, but i've been thinking about working on studio lit portraiture
 
dancook said:
I agree the room makes for a great background for certain shots like this, I've had similar shots at events.

But if shoot a head to toe 20+ group shot, I'm not sure I'm confident of the same kind of result - but I suppose it could work.

it's a leap of faith :D
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Yes - large groups shots - you just can't do anything fancy tbh (well not without a lot of lights and a rehearsal :p )

For the "can you take a picture of the whole team?" scenario, I just resort to a flash, on-camera bounced off the ceiling* somewhere between me and them so the light comes down onto them from above (you need to block any direct light from the flash from reaching them with a black card or BFT**). Not too much - just enough to fill their faces in :) You lose some of the ambiance in the room , but hey - they're lit !

1680644645591.png

* subject to the availability of white ceilings
** Black Foamy Thing
 
dancook said:
The award ceremony is at a school, in a hall, at night - and not near a park.

it'll probably be set up in the far end of the same hall they have setup for the awards, dining tables at the one end.
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Sorry but you did not say that before
 
dancook said:
The client has asked for a white roll backdrop for groups of female students and teachers in dresses.

The groups can get pretty big, 20+ people

Now I'm reluctant to want to use a white background because I'm just not fond of the look, but that means I'll need some alternative ideas and hopefully examples and some way of achieving it !

Maybe I'd just prefer black instead of white, we'll want to cover the floor up.

Any thoughts? maybe a dark blood red would be nice...

I also have only two pixapro strobes (godox) maybe I'll need a couple more for the background and rim?
Click to expand...
A mate bought the vinal they use on lorries some years back, I seem to remember it wasnt too expensive and tough as old boots.
 
steve_lyt said:
Personally I don’t think a white background would look effective, I would use a part of the hall that’s decorated
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I had them show me images from the last time they used a white backdrop and it was not great.

They need to wait until after Easter now to get word if they would be happy for a red carpet looking using their blue boards with school logo.

I’ve considered the decorated section of the awards, just it might get in the way with everything else happening - I will discuss the possibilities with them
 
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the entrance goes straight into the tables in the half of the room setup for the awards presentations, plus it's not just "as you enter" types photos - students will want to meet up with their friends and last time there was a very long queue
 
One other thought - do they want photos of the students receiving the awards too? In my experience there is more emotion in the moment the award is received than in the posed group photos afterwards.
 
TimHughes said:
One other thought - do they want photos of the students receiving the awards too? In my experience there is more emotion in the moment the award is received than in the posed group photos afterwards.
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I’m doing all that too, the group photos are before the (drama) award ceremony.

The group photos are more making the most of being dressed up and taking photos with friends for the memories.
 
steve_lyt said:
Would it be possible to do the group photos after the awards are finished. , I don’t know the programme of events , but is there a break between the awards and dancing
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No, once awards are done everyone will go home.
 
Rather than deal with a backdrop, maybe there is a plain wall, preferably white that can be used as a backdrop. There won't be as much to set up, and you won't have anyone standing past the edges of the backdrop.

Charley
 
admirable said:
I have a Lastolite Panoramic background which is 4m wide and it can accommodate 20 folk, perhaps you could hire one locally?
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second this they are superb and can be hired from WEX as I understand
 
steve_lyt said:
I found this it maybe of interest to you
www.efavormart.com

Hollywood Red Carpet and Curtain Vinyl Photography Backdrop 8ftx8ft

Experience the glamour with our 8ftx8ft Hollywood Red Carpet Curtain, a vinyl photography backdrop perfect for creating stunning photos. ✓ Get yours now!
www.efavormart.com www.efavormart.com
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thanks, but I am very set on the red carpet and board with logo. Also At 2m it’s also not very wide.

Covering the floor is also a necessity which is one reason the wide lastolite background would not be an option.
 
dancook said:
The client has asked for a white roll backdrop for groups of female students and teachers in dresses.


Now I'm reluctant to want to use a white background because I'm just not fond of the look,
Click to expand...

Sorry bit confused.. Who are these pictures for.. You or the client ? :)
 
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