DIY Locations
Pictures of women are so often shot in the most exotic surroundings. If you do not have access to interesting locations, what can be done? Make your own is the answer.
Shooting digitally opens up all sorts of possibilities. Thanks to programmes like Photoshop almost anything is possible. The backgrounds can be quite small. The place where the subject is photographed does not have to be turned into a Hollywood type back lot. In the example here, a girl was photographed in a small garden. The pictures alongside will show how the archway was made from the simplest materials. Sections of wooden broom handle that had been sliced in half were stuck onto a sheet of cardboard. Curtain rings, again halved, were glued on top and bottom to provide the decoration. Then came the messy part, coated the wood with a thin layer of plaster filler. Using simple card board formers to make moulds, the archway was caste in more plaster. This process continued by instalments leaving each bit to set before continuing with the next until the whole model was complete. The advantage of doing this way is that each shape can be quite simple but the compound effect can be more elaborate. When the plaster has set but before it becomes really hard, it is fairly easy to carve into any required shape with a craft knife. After that, this example was painted in an attempt to mimic stone, using acrylic paints and a small sponge. The finished thing stood about 30cm high. It was then photographed using the same sort and direction of lighting that had been used on the girl. This is important if you want to make a shot look authentic.
The rest was down to Photoshop. As an operation it proved quite simple. With the girl image on screen, the arch image was placed in a layer over the top of her. All that remained was to select the arch opening and cut it out; the simple outline making this relatively easy.
The key to success with all this is to mix the real with the false. An added effect with this shot was to merge the model archway with picture of a real stone patio before adding it to the girl shot.
When planning computer combinations, make sure the lighting type and direction are the same for all the picture elements or the shot will fail. The overall perspective of the shot must also look right, so this is something to bear in mind as you photograph the picture’s components.
Using this technique almost anything is possible and the only limit is your imagination and the length of time you are prepared to spend making background models.
Examples
A wooden broom handle was sawn in half to make the columns. After this had been stuck to the cardboard base the shape of the arch was drawn in the background.
Wooden curtain rings were then halved and stuck top and bottom of the columns to form the decoration. All the wood was then covered with a thing coat of plaster to make it look like stone. The base and tops of the columns then was made by casting plaster using cardboard moulds. The arch could then be treated in the same way. The two rings of stonework added in succession when each previous layer had dried. Then the arch opening was cut out. And a coat of plaster spread over the background to make the wall. When this was dry enough the stonework detail could be scored on with a sharp pointed instrument. The detail on the arch stonework was added in the same way.
The final step in the construction was to paint the model to make it look as realistic as possible. The easiest way of doing this was to use artist’s acrylic paint applied with a small piece of sponge.
Wooden curtain rings were then halved and stuck top and bottom of the columns to form the decoration. All the wood was then covered with a thing coat of plaster to make it look like stone. The base and tops of the columns then was made by casting plaster using cardboard moulds. The arch could then be treated in the same way. The two rings of stonework added in succession when each previous layer had dried. Then the arch opening was cut out. And a coat of plaster spread over the background to make the wall. When this was dry enough the stonework detail could be scored on wit a sharp pointed instrument. The detail on the arch stonework was added in the same way.
The final picture.
