Choosing The Right Background For Portraits
When it comes down to capturing the portraits, everyone pays incredible attention to the getup, décor, clothes, and expressions, but one thing that makes these portraits amazing is the background, and hardly anyone pays attention to it. So, if you are starting out with photography, we are sharing tips that can help select the right background for your portraits.
Considering Different Types Of Portraits
When it comes down to choosing the right background, one needs to consider a variety of portraits. Some of the most common portraits include;
- Blurred background – these backgrounds are perfect for people who like soft and blurred background and makes a great choice when you are capturing close-up pictures. With outdoor shoots, a blurred mountain or a tree will surely strike an amazing balance with facial expressions
- Detailed background – if you are into creative portrait photography, a detailed background with a skyline or a landscape is enough to complement the creativity
- White background – if you have to capture simple portraits, headshot pictures, product photography, and stock photos, white background makes an apt choice. However, the white background needs to have proper lighting to make sure the primary subject is well-perceived
- Black background – this is a great choice when you want to capture a professional yet cool portrait. These backgrounds can be elevated with low-key lighting to create stunning and moody portraits
- Textured background – the portraits with textured backgrounds add a dynamic feel to conventional photoshoots. For this purpose, you can capture portraits in front of the muslin fabric, and it will add intriguing quality to the shots without distracting attention from the main subject
- Solid color background – these backgrounds are a great option if you intend on creating a classic look for simple family portraits. However, it’s best that you choose tan or grey colors because these colors are easier to correct and are versatile
Focus On The Colors
When it comes down to the background, you need to pay attention to colors. This is because you have to ensure that the background color is carefully selected to complement the skin tone of the subject. In addition, it should also complement the color of your clothing because everything should complement the subject rather than create a distraction. For instance, if a subject is wearing a white outfit, a light blue background will look amazing, but using a white background in such instances will literally wash out the entire tone.
Lighting
Keep in mind that all your top-notch photos can be ruined if you don’t pay attention to lighting. For instance, ineffective lighting for the background can take away the attention from the portraits. This is because if the lighting is too much, the subject will wash into the picture background, while a blurred background doesn’t always look appealing if there is not enough lighting. To make sure there is no overexposure and underexposure of light, you must choose well-lit areas. However, if you have to capture the portraits at indoor locations, you can leverage the natural light coming from the windows.
Eliminate Distracting Images
Everyone wants to experiment with portraits, but in the majority of cases, you will need to use background removers like Slazzer to delete the weird backgrounds. You need to remember that portrait photography is all about capturing the best part of your subject. For this reason, you shouldn’t choose a background with too much clutter because it results in distracting images that look very unappealing.
Post-Processing
If your background isn’t looking perfect even now, you can always use specialized photo editing software to smoothen the imperfections and blemishes.
