How To Make A Flower Wall As Photo Backdrop (DIY)

The time I started to embrace the portraiture style more intensively, I also began to explore various ideas for different backdrops – other than only seamless paper, paper-walls or the like.

For my Portrait Nudes, I had one particular concept in mind: Building a beautiful flower wall that can be used to create an either fresh mood or a subtle romantic feel. Both styles rely on the exact same backdrop but they get polished differently by tweaking lighting design and image looks in post.

Follow my thought process, some tips and the set construction here.

The Flower Wall will be used in my upcoming webinar as one of the sets!

Keywords: Sexy, Alluring & Romantic
Concepts: Private & Business
Connecting With Your Subject, Building A Rapport
Subtle “Posing”: Caching & Directions
Lighting: Moods & Looks

Tutorial “Contemporary Allure: Portrait Nudes”

LIVE Replay: ‘Contemporary Allure: Portrait Nudes’

5 Films. 95 Min Runtime. FullHD
Tempting & Striking, Fresh & Free, B&W, Silky Glam. Starring Nici Dee.
“Create portrayal, do not just depict a scene!” Contemporary Allure is about designing different moods/stories/emotions by building emotive situations, just like the genre of portraiture is intended to do. Dan started shooting frisky portraiture as an additional business opportunity for doing privately commissioned work, meaning Dan is taking shots of ladies that actually pay him to do so. This photo shoot is meant to push you to start doing such a style of work yourself!

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2 Comments

RANDY on June 17, 2017 at 11:38 pm

Great job Dan. So much work! I’m curious why you didn’t just glue the panels together with wood glue. Works great and gives you permanent results.

Yes, I’ve built many backdrops; fabric, wood to name a couple. The wooden one was the most labor intensive. It took a whole weekend. There were about 5 different shades of stain that I used.

I’ll be very curious to see your live model in front of your flower wall.

Randy

Dan Hostettler on June 21, 2017 at 11:15 am

Thanks Randy!

Gluing: I tried a decade ago gluing these panels together but with a more “aggressive” glue. The polystyrene got affected and it crumbled and fell apart – no good results. Didn’t know that wood glue would do it.
Frankly I am not a very good craftsman – much less than a photographer is supposed to be. I guess my craft lies in my mind, not hands…
But thanks for the tip, I will try this next time.

It sounds like you are doing good with such work; I would have to hire a family member, LOL.

WEBINAR: All sets are prepared, lighting for the Flower Wall is finished, all set to be worked on. Soon…

#ShootBold
Dan
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RANDY on June 17, 2017 at 11:38 pm

Great job Dan. So much work! I’m curious why you didn’t just glue the panels together with wood glue. Works great and gives you permanent results.

Yes, I’ve built many backdrops; fabric, wood to name a couple. The wooden one was the most labor intensive. It took a whole weekend. There were about 5 different shades of stain that I used.

I’ll be very curious to see your live model in front of your flower wall.

Randy
- Dan Hostettler on June 21, 2017 at 11:15 am
  
  Thanks Randy!
  
  Gluing: I tried a decade ago gluing these panels together but with a more “aggressive” glue. The polystyrene got affected and it crumbled and fell apart – no good results. Didn’t know that wood glue would do it.
  Frankly I am not a very good craftsman – much less than a photographer is supposed to be. I guess my craft lies in my mind, not hands…
  But thanks for the tip, I will try this next time.
  
  It sounds like you are doing good with such work; I would have to hire a family member, LOL.
  
  WEBINAR: All sets are prepared, lighting for the Flower Wall is finished, all set to be worked on. Soon…
  
  #ShootBold
  Dan

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DIY: Making A Flower Wall As Photo Backdrop

Tutorial “Contemporary Allure: Portrait Nudes”

LIVE Replay: ‘Contemporary Allure: Portrait Nudes’

Dan Hostettler

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