Pros and Cons of Vinyl Backdrops.

There are allot of different materials that you can use in your photography business.  There is vinyl, cloth, fleece, paper, poly paper, canvas, and a bunch more. Starring out with my business I often purchased vinyl backdrops.  


There are allot of pros with using Vinyl backdrops.  The number one thing with a vinyl backdrop is that it is very affordable.  I live in Parkersburg, WV this is a small town.  We do not have any stores close to here that you can purchase backdrops form.   I have to order all of mine off the internet.  I have used allot of companies to purchase my backdrops from. I like allot of the companies featured on Etsy.  Another great benefit of the vinyl is it is very easy to move around.  Most of them are pretty light weight and can be hung easily.  Vinyl typically has very bright and nice colors also.  The colors look great on the vinyl.


There are for me more cons to Vinyl than pros.  It was a good option when I started because it was about all I could afford.  Ordering all of my backdrops off the internet can get very expensive for shipping.  When vinyl is shipped it is heavier than a cloth or poly paper backdrop so you do generally pay more money in shipping.  Vinyl does have a tendency to have a bad blare.  Allot of lighter colors in vinyl is ok but darker colors do tend to glare terribly with my studio lights. The lighter colors and backdrops with white are typically ok to use.  Stay away from all dark colors in vinyl especially black.  If you turn your lighting up at all you will have allot of glare.  Vinyl is not always wrinkle free. Sometimes the vinyl will crease very easily.  It is not easy to get the wrinkles out of vinyl.  Light wrinkles will come out easily with a little bit of heat applied but deeper wrinkles can be very aggravating and take allot of time and effort to get out.  Most vinyl needs to be stored rolled also. For larger sized drops this can also become and issue.  If you have a 10 ft long drop you need a large space to store that rolled.


Overall, if you need a cheap alternative for a backdrop vinyl is ok. I have found it is worth it to spend more money and get a nicer material like fleece or wrinkle free cloth especially on the larger drops.  This will save you storage space and set up time. 


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The perfect mommy and me photo session.

The With Mother's Day quickly approaching mommy and me photo shoots are very popular. What a wonderful way to create a lasting moment between a mother and her children. I often offer these sessions for girls and boys. For these I think it is important to have some type of props to engage the mother and child. For girls I purchased this gorgeous tea sets. It's China but small and children sized. I opted to go for the real deal instead of plastic because it looks so much nicer in a photo. For boys I have a few children's books that are large enough when photographed can be easily seen. 

 

I love the idea also of incorporating something to sit on. I found this gorgeous bench that matches the set well.   I did standing , seated on the floor and settee for posing options. If the child has been taller they could have also leaned over the back of the settee.  

For the editing I tried to give these more a vintage feel. I wanted them to be light in color and soft. Do I did a soft lense focus of 2.8 to keep them very soft. I even went on photo shop and added more lense blur. I also instructed the mother and daughter to wear coordinating colors for there photo shoot. This will make a huge difference in the final outcome of your session. 

I have also recent offered a photo locket to purchase. These have an antique feel and a 2x2 inch photo locker on them.  They are around 28. The price is good and product is beautiful. 

These photos have been very popular. It's a wonderful chance to capture children and their mother at young age. Something That they will treasure as a lasting memory. 

What to wear for your High School Senior Photo session.

What should I wear for my high school photos session?   This is a pressing question on the minds of many high school seniors before their photo shoot. I think it is important to work with your photographer to design and plan background and outfits that will work with each location.  Planning several months in advance is key. Do not wait until a day before your photos to decide on your wardrobe.  I always have graduating seniors text or Facebook message me their clothing choices.
Proper planning ahead of time will ensure a wonderful photo.  www.amandabuckleyimaging.comwww.facebook.com/amandabuckleyimagin