Plain color cloth | Cheap close up background solution
Plain color cloth | Cheap close up background solution | ||
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Buying a few yards of cloth in plain colors can be the smartest investment you make for macro photography. There are so many things you can do with cloth. It can be stretched and curved to form a seamless backdrop or draped artfully to give an image a more classical look. You can use a light color that complements the color of your subject or a black velour fabric that soaks up every drop of extraneous light, forming a true dropout background. You can buy velour cloth in widths of about 54 inches and lengths up to eight or nine feet so they can be used for objects of any size, or even for portraits. Velour fabric is doubly useful because you can work with the fuzzy velour side or flip it over and use the smooth reverse side that has a little bit of shine. You can add folds and wrinkles or drape the cloth over objects to create an abstract background "stage" for your subject. Eventually, your cloth will become soiled, and you can just toss it in the laundry. Cloth is so cheap that you can purchase lengths in a variety of colors, from muted pastels to brighter hues. If you only buy a few pieces of cloth, go with blues and browns that go well with many different subjects. Get a black drape as well. Once you've accumulated a collection of plain colors, add a few patterned cloth pieces. Cloth with small red and white checks can be useful when you want a "country" or "diner" look. Striped patterns can be useful, but plaids and other strong patterns tend to overpower your close-up subject. | ||