Do you spend hours on photoshoots making sure every composition detail and gear is top-notch, yet your photos still look average? Coordination between the background and clothing in portrait photography has a huge impact on how professional the photos turn out.
The importance of choosing an appealing background is often overlooked by many photographers, specifically in portrait photography. It seems that there isn’t much room to express your creativity when the subject covers most of the frame. However, there are a few ways you can elevate your portraits using the right backgrounds which we will cover in this blog.
Types of Background
There are different kinds of backgrounds to choose from, depending on the needs of your clients. Portraits taken for professional purposes often require a clear background, limiting you to solid one-coloured backgrounds. Whereas, there is more room for creativity with portraits for portfolios, magazines, or social media images.
For now, we have categorized it into two types of backgrounds: natural and artificial
Natural Light Portrait Photography
Natural backgrounds are often opted for creative reasons. When choosing a natural background it’s important to match the location with the vibe your client wants to go for. You do not want to be placing your subject dressed in a leather jacket in front of a floral backdrop. A more suitable background would be a rugged urban setting or a cityscape.
Although natural backgrounds offer more chances to create impressive eye-catching images, there is more potential for overshadowing the subject. When there is too much going on in the background, the subject often gets lost in the busy scene.
Artificial Background
When someone says artificial backdrop, do you picture a person standing against a dull, plain, one-color background? Well, while solid color backdrops are the most convenient for indoor photography, you can still infuse a bit of creativity.
Depending on your desired effect and resources, a few artificial backdrops you can invest in are:
- Vinyl backdrops
- Fabric backdrops
- 3D printed backdrops
- Green screens
Or you can get a bit more creative and make your own. There are several emerging photography trends where people make backdrops using foil papers, glass, and projectors, and even create hyper-realistic settings indoors.
Choosing the Right Background for Portrait Photography
Now that we have covered the different kinds of backdrops, how do you know which one to use for your shoot? There are no hard and fast rules for the right background, it all depends on your vibe and purpose. The only crucial aspect of choosing a background is how well it coordinates with everything else in the image. Let’s explore how you can achieve that coordination.
Contrast
Contrast plays an important role in creating the effect of emphasis. The area with the greatest contrast in the frame tends to catch the viewer’s attention the most. To make the subject appear high in contrast, the background should be significantly lighter or darker than the subject.
Coordinating colors for Portrait Photography
The effect of contrast can also be achieved by coordinating the colors of clothing with the background. This technique is mostly used for headshot portraits where the face is set as the area with the greatest contrast. Let’s say a client walks in wearing brown, setting a solid brown vinyl in the background would be an ideal choice. This will allow you to remove all the unnecessary distractions and bring emphasis to the face.
Textures and Patterns for Portrait Photography
The process of creating a contrast becomes a bit complicated when dealing with textures and patterns. Textures attract the eye, and using too much can create a lot of diversion in the image. When your client’s clothing has textures, the best background selection will usually be one that does not compete with it. Similarly, to give solid-colored clothing some contrast, textured backgrounds can be used to add some interest.
Negative Space in Portrait Photography
The use of negative space is a photography composition that involves choosing a minimal background to surround the subject. Imagine a white sheet of paper that has a single black dot on it. Notice how your eyes are drawn toward the dot? Negative space works the same way in photography. Minimal background helps your subject stand out which is mainly the goal in portrait photography.
Leading Lines
Lines play an important role in photography composition, often used to lead the eyes of the viewers to the subject. When shooting outdoors, pay attention to the lines. Your goal should be to place the subject on the visual path they create to guide your viewer’s attention. Using leading lines isn’t always a necessity, but be mindful not to place the subject on intersecting lines. This can create a visual clutter and reduce the impact of your subject as the focal point.
Background Blur (Bokeh) for Portrait Photography
Lastly, when working in busy backgrounds, you can blur your background to reduce distractions and create a more cinematic look. This stylistic technique is also referred to as “Bokeh”. Use a wide aperture or a low f-stop to create a depth of field. Additionally, you will be required to shoot from different distances to see how your lens’s bokeh changes. Continue adjusting until you find the right focus.
