Be ... Peaceful (with Some Pretty Backdrops Tutorial)

This month is all about finding peace in our lives. The funny thing is that is exactly what I need to find. Lately, I have been presented with some big choices about my future and it has created somewhat of huge headache of stress in my life. Decisions I thought I had more time to make, just like anything in life I do not. There is always the "what if's" about my future as well, what if this was the wrong choice, what if the other option would have propelled myself further. Do I look back in twenty years and have regrets? Ah, what I would do for a crystal ball! 

Enough about that, it's stressing me out just thinking about the ordeal. Ok, serious discussion about backgrounds in photography. May times I get kudos on my pictures, if you want to learn how to better operate your camera I highly recommend Ruth's posts at Charly & Ben's Crafty Corner. Ruth does a whole series about taking better pictures, and it has helped me A LOT. I still don't shot full manual but I am having better luck on the "P" mode, which is half manual mode. 

The problem with creative photos is, I rent, so I have limited options as paint and wall space, but still want interesting photos! Here was my solution. The background above is the one I use the most. You can purchase this board at from Home Depot, they have a variety of textures. That piece is  left over from the prop below, two backdrops for $10, winning!

Rainy day .. the lighting stinks!

My father is handy with the table saw so he helped (actually he did all the work). The design was simple. The boards, with strips of wood nailed to the back so you can clamp the two pieces together, using basic Home Depot clamps ($5 each, and already had a pair I use to clamp quilts to my quilt frame). When the prop isn't in use, it unclamps and stores behind the couch out of sight. If you're not so handy with a table saw, or terrified of them, Home Depot and Lowes will cut boards for you. Just give them the dimensions :). 

Ta da, a simple background that stores flat! You can see the stash of Sugar BOM fabrics is getting slim.  This month I also cut out a second block for each month, twelve wasn't going to be enough so I doubled up :). More on that later. The white background is BRIGT, so I was able to shoot this picture in low light on a rainy day without too much photo magic!  If you want brighter photos start with a brighter background.

The background helps overcome bad light!

Now for color! Pantone's radiant orchid is the color of the year, but really who wants a wall of it?  Eeek, that might be TOO much!  Here was my color solution.  I picked up two 24 inch square boards at Lowes, they were cheap with imperfections at $4 each, and some 4 inch foam rollers ($5 a pack and used 2). In this project I used left over paint and primer or already purchased paint.  If you want a particular color, I recommend the sample size jars, they are small and cost about $3 each.

Then I primed and painted BOTH sides, giving me four background choices. Lately, I have been having fun with the radiant orchid! The good thing about painting the boards they can quickly be changed. To photograph using the boards, just lay the blocks on top and stand over to shoot. It also takes away the step of hanging/taping/pinning the block to a wall. Much faster and easier. The hard part is choosing which color to use!  These also store flat behind a couch when not in use.

All these options cost at total of $35 dollars, if you need paint it's more like $50, for all 6 backgrounds! This is blogging on a budget ($5.85 each!). If you have any questions about the process, shoot me an e-mail I would be glad to help!

-Patch & Chels