After deciding last night over a lovely anniversary dinner, that a textured backdrop was not for me, I went to sleep last night with a clear head and happier wallet.
When walking the dog this morning, I realised though, being able to fix background issues for both stills and video is still a priority.
I recently completed a large job based on talking head interviews. The indoor ones were a bit hit and miss, with unseen before locations pushed me a little and required in one case, several fixes to combat a wall of glass.
I have just ordered the Lastolite 1.8x2.1 grey/black backdrop, which I discovered by mistake is only a little over $200au, considerably cheaper than the textured ones. Black is handy, because yes, I can theoretically make any location black by directing light away from it and underexposing the ambient, but if I want black when I point light at the back ground, then only true black will do. I can also push deep colour into black with predictable results.
The real winner though is grey.
My other option is the mottle grey Kate, which also looks much better a little light starved and a shift to blue, but the Lastolite does not need a stand, always unfolds smooth and flat, and if it does need support, it only needs a single stand and it is bigger than any other 5x7 equivalent.
A subtle push to Olive using the brush tool and a little white balance shift.
With a true grey back drop, I can measure my white balance off of it, turn it any shade of grey from true white to true black or even shape colour based on lighting application, turn it any colour (gently) using post, which I much prefer to gels and RGB LED’s as they retain the muted, matt finish of the background, do not effecsct skin tone balance and use I can use it as a colour bleed free green screen for total replacement.
I can now enter any environment and shoot a 1-5 person portrait or video with a safe and reliable background.
The other thing is something that has come to light after the research and investigation I have been doing.
I like textured backdrops for the right subjects and in the right circumstances, but for my use, grey with tonal and colour shifts is more than enough. Textures compete with the subject, becoming part of the image, sometimes too much of the image.
Solid, subtle and elegantly applied colours can compliment the subjects clothing, eyes, role, demeanour, mood, location and the images future display without competing with the subject.
I do not love basic grey, in fact I will probably never use it as supplied, but with very little effort, it can be what ever I want.