


Most of the time I buy paper for pastel, it is thicker than usual and not that easy to crumple up.Ĭolored paper comes in different sizes, the best one for me is A2 (420 × 594 mm). Sometimes I can’t mix the tone I like and paint a sheet of plywood with it, but I’m always able to find paper with the required shade. When I want solid colors, I always go for paper. Another handy thing about narrow boards is that you can assemble them into shelves 6. Or you can find a barn door and turn it into your new favourite shooting surface. Maybe you already have a suitable piece of furniture. If you don’t want to buy it for your DIY background, look around. Just stack the boards together and put them in your usual bag for tripods and stands. If you want an angle, you need to carefully decide which one.īut assembled backgrounds have one great advantage. If you place them parallel to the edges of your frame, it has to be geometrically perfect. In the case of assembled boards, you need to think about their direction in the frame. That is a fascinating process in itself and a theme for another article.Ī one piece board is the easiest to work with since you have an even surface of beautiful texture. That removes softer parts and releases the texture! After that, stain it with special solutions or a combination of vinegar, steel wool, and tea. Move the brush over the wood along the grain. Give them a distressed look using wire brushes. I recommend getting some cheap pine wood boards. Or you can combine several narrower boards.

You can paint the board with a dark color first before applying a “messy” pastel layer on top.įor this, you should work with a wide brush or a dishwashing sponge and let the darker layer show through. Here, you can play with tones and shades, and paint them whatever color you like. You can use one piece wooden boards as your shooting surface. Are you after a one piece or an assembled one? The first thing you should choose is which background you like best. Shabby re-painted wooden boards are perfect for country and rustic scenes. Thick polished wood can convey an atmosphere of wealth and prosperity. It has an earthy, natural appeal.Īnd it can look quite different depending on the treatment you give it. Wood gives your photos a sense of human presence, a warm and cozy feeling. Wooden Boardsįood photographers are in love with wooden backgrounds. And portable enough to take on shooting locations. They should be lightweight enough to move them around the studio. I work at my home studio, but often have to move to my customers’ workshop or restaurant for a shooting.īecause of this, my backgrounds should not only look nice in the frame. Some are so comfortable to work with, they are going to stay with me forever. Over the years, I’ve used a variety of materials as shooting surfaces. Buy from Unavailable Photo Background: What to Look For
