Nice backdrops - update February 3rd

I keep looking at the backdrop, but I don’t there’s much you can do. There’s too many 90 degree angles for a two dimensional photo to be taken from that perspective.

Thanks for you comments. The graffiti wall inspired me to show a little spraying scene. I know that some people don't like these photo manipulations, but this time I couldn't resist.


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@Xavion2004: cool avatar pic!

Fun shots. I think by showing less of the left side, you are reducing the implausibility -- the right side could be a ramp. So it looked even better. It occurs to me that while having an image of a flat wall (or two or three at right angles) as backdrops might decrease the perceived depth of the scene, but would work perfectly with your figures, no need to worry about perspective or getting the shadows right, etc.

That smiling head on the last pic reminds me on Anya Taylor-Joy a bit somehow.

I like the idea of using that backdrop to create your own graffiti

@ElBundy
The new scene looks really nice. I like how you placed the dog in the pictures, giving the impression that it watches what the girl does with the spray paint. Very cool!

Where did you find the spray paint? Did you make the bottles yourself?

Nice job. And don't worry about the "photo manipulations" -- it all works, and I honestly don't think most actually do care, since it helps to tell "the story". And I agree with Ian, the way you cropped the photos helps to cancel out most of the oddity of the background to ground.

I had not seen the full backdrop before this „cut version“ and like this it worked nicely for me.

Those are pretty good, specially the action one with the added effects.

Randam Hajile wrote:@ElBundy

Where did you find the spray paint? Did you make the bottles yourself?

The two 'professional' spray bottles are hand grenades with printed adhesive stickers on them. The red one is a 'real' spray bottle, I don't know where it is from.
The two graffitis (the 'you know what' and the Bansky-like signature) are not added to the picture but subtracted from the picture with a retouch app. The pics are shown in the opposite order, so they look like added.

@ElBundy
Thanks for the explanation. Nice idea with the graffitis.

Yes, very clever to do it backwards like that. Your pics show some very subtle but creative usage of apps.

The next backdrop would be a nice one if you could avoid the shadows of the figures on it. I post-processed the photos, but still some shadows remain.


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That guy needs to watch his hand placement.

I wonder if you placed them further away from the background if you could eliminate some of the shadows…?

LOL. Yes, I'm painfully familiar with beach scenes shot against a printed backdrop, and having to avoid shadows and glare. It definitely helps to position the figures farther away from the vertical part of the backdrop and, if the image allows it and there are no contradictory shadows, to place the light source in such a way that the figures do not cast a shadow on the vertical part of the backdrop. And all that can be rather challenging, especially if you are trying to arrange your figures on the bottom part of the print out, which would rarely provide a very deep area for posing the figures. This worked rather well. But is he wearing a women's bathing suit bottom? LOL

Here a couple of mine, where I remembered to watch out for the shadow (but the foreground surface is actually different from the printed backdrop) --

Nice photos, ElBundy. Unfortunately, unwanted reflections and shadows cannot be completely avoided (this is also a big problem when taking pictures in front of a TV screen), but your photos look fine to me.

@GF
Your photos look like Paparazzi shots of Hollywood stars

Randam Hajile wrote:@GF Your photos look like Paparazzi shots of Hollywood stars

LOL, that never actually occurred to me, to be honest. But you're right. The first was from a sequence showing off beach furniture from Hobby Lobby in the Useful items thread, the second did imitate one of several publicity shots of Arnie with female models on the beach, in the M35 review thread (which is very photo heavy).

Ok, second attempt. I hope that the skin parts are covered enough. And yes: I think he is wearing a women's bathing suit bottom too.


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That one worked even better. Kinetic sand? It loves TBLeague TPE surface, but the feeling is not mutual. The poor eunuch! Unless you are specifically intending the "banana hammock" look (without the banana), I recommend the basic "underwear" that comes with TBLeague boxed sets and can be had for low prices parted out. They used to be all black, but now they have white too. Also useful for "storing" or "securing" the male parts properly -- which would create an even more natural look. Was the sunblock cream on her back a special effect or actual cream of some sort? Anyway, it looked excellent.

GubernatorFan wrote:That one worked even better. Kinetic sand? It loves TBLeague TPE surface, but the feeling is not mutual. The poor eunuch! Unless you are specifically intending the "banana hammock" look (without the banana), I recommend the basic "underwear" that comes with TBLeague boxed sets and can be had for low prices parted out. They used to be all black, but now they have white too. Also useful for "storing" or "securing" the male parts properly -- which would create an even more natural look. Was the sunblock cream on her back a special effect or actual cream of some sort? Anyway, it looked excellent.

The white trunks delivered with the TBLeague figures look cheap and ugly - in my opinion. Yes, it is real suntan cream. The sand is bought in a modeling shop. It doesn't harm the skin.
Though you cannot recognize it in the pics, I placed a little plastic hand grenade in his underwear, because the delivered 'private parts' are too big.

Very nice photo set. I like the little details and the creative use of the rubber animal to cover the sensitive areas in the last photo

ElBundy wrote:The white trunks delivered with the TBLeague figures look cheap and ugly - in my opinion. Yes, it is real suntan cream. The sand is bought in a modeling shop. It doesn't harm the skin.
Though you cannot recognize it in the pics, I placed a little plastic hand grenade in his underwear, because the delivered 'private parts' are too big.

I don't know which ones you have in mind specifically, but yes, they are underwear so basic, that it does not bother to look quite right. To some extent, it was like that which they provided (when they provided it) for their base male bodies (although M32, in particular, had more ambitious sports shorts). Still, I think it is slightly better than using ladies undies; that said, perhaps it is not a much better option for swimming attire. If the sand is slightly clumpy and easy to mold and keep its shape fairly well, it is kinetic; but it looks very fine (which is good for the sense of scale), so maybe not. It does not harm the body, I agree, but it can be a pain to get off. Like Anakin, I'm not fond of sand... but sometimes one needs it for a nice diorama and it worked beautifully in yours. As for the "privates," perhaps you got the Jiaou version; there are also two TBLeague versions (3 pack of more moderately sized ones, and 2 pack of larger ones; this body came with none, hence my assumption).

Aww, a very natural looking scene with some nice posing and very creative hiding!
Nicely done.

I like this kind of backdrop. It pretends spatial elongation. Remember: this is only a small IKEA-shelf.

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Excellent pictures and good choice of backdrop. The catch with these is that they work from only one angle, here from the front. But they work beautifully the way you've shot the photos.

That is excellent. You did a good job from the floor to the backdrop.

Meanwhile, I have established a backdrop system in 90x60 cm on the bookshelf. The back wall and the floor can be changed separately. My backdrop collection contains about 40 different backdrops.
The only disadvantage of this technique is that sometimes the floor is a little bit wavy.

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More great shots and some behind the scenes stuff too, cool!

Some impressions of different backdrops (samples of my Instagram posts):

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Great pics! You have a very nice collection of funiture for indoor shoots.