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				DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks
				Posted: Thu 04 Jun 2020, 13:50
				by abennettphotography
				
			 
			
					
				Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks
				Posted: Fri 05 Jun 2020, 18:45
				by Iggy
				Thanks Andy.
That is helpful.
I was wondering what cloth like material is suitable for a black backdrop for  small still life arrangements?
Iggy
			 
			
					
				Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks
				Posted: Sat 06 Jun 2020, 08:49
				by Mike Farley
				Iggy wrote:I was wondering what cloth like material is suitable for a black backdrop for  small still life arrangements?
Black velvet.
https://www.creativeislandphoto.com/blog/black-velvet 
			
					
				Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks
				Posted: Sat 06 Jun 2020, 17:13
				by Iggy
				Thanks Mike.
Peter Baumgarten  does produce some wonderful images with the black velvet.
I was just wondering where to get the high quality black velvet required.
On some of the sites selling black velvet, photographers have kindly left a comment saying that it was not suitable for photography backdrops.
Some pointed out small particle reflection or too see through.
So what and where do I get the photographic grade black velvet?
Kind regards,
Iggy
			 
			
					
				Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks
				Posted: Sat 06 Jun 2020, 19:01
				by Mike Farley
				Iggy wrote:So what and where do I get the photographic grade black velvet?
Google is your friend when it comes to answering that.  All I can tell you is that I bought mine from a shop called MacCulloch and Wallis which sells fine fabrics and is located just off Oxford Street at 25 Dering Street W1.  It was a few years ago now and seemed damned pricey at around £20 per metre as I recall, but seems to be doing the job.
	
		
				
			 
- Fern with black background
- Fern-3.jpg (80.4 KiB) Viewed 4127 times
  
			
					
				Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks
				Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020, 10:07
				by Iggy
				Thanks Mike,
MacCulloch and Wallis are still listed but there  a few outlets in Croydon that probably do black velvet.
Also many on google.
Thanks for sharing that lovely image. 
Did you follow Peter Baumgarten's suggestions or do your own set-up?
Regards,
Iggy
			 
			
					
				Re: DIY portrait backgrounds from Jake Hicks
				Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020, 10:33
				by Mike Farley
				Iggy wrote:Thanks for sharing that lovely image. 
Did you follow Peter Baumgarten's suggestions or do your own set-up?
Thanks for the comment.  As I had never previously heard of Peter Baumgarten until I used Google to find an example of using a black backdrop, I can safely say that the shot is all my own work.  
