I need advice for background for formal dance pictures at home

[FINFAN]

Hi,
DD's Turnabout dance is tomorrow and the group (6) is coming here for pre-dance pictures. The most open space we have is in front of the fireplace which is brick to the vaulted ceitling. My question is, do I remove everything from the mantel and hearth, (screen and fireplace tools also) or do I have something minimal like a few candles...and then do I light those? I normally have the kids portrait on the mantel but I know to take that down...nobody wants THAT in the back of their photos so, all you expert decorators please help me out! If it is any help, 2 of the girls will be wearing black dresses, so I was thinking just ivory candles, but when I look at the fp after moving all our stuff it looks so stark and blah...not inviting for a backdrop at all! I was thinking about something to do with the dance theme...Vintage Hollywood"...but that may get cluttered looking also. HELP!


Pam

 

[Blueeyes101817]

no ideas..we always just left everything on the fireplace and took pictures! they always came out cute

 

[FINFAN]

If you don't mind me asking...what is everything? Do you have a lot of stuff or minimal?


Anyone else?


Pam

 

[mrsv98]

The less cluttered the background the better. How high is the mantle? You want to avoid having the mantle at the same height as the kids' necks because visually it will "cut their heads off". The best bet IMHO is a neutral closed curtain, less distracting to the eye.

Have fun taking the pics!

 

[FINFAN]

hmmmmm, DD is 5'2' and one of the guys is 6'1'.....the mantle is going to be an issue for someone I am sure! I do not have curtains...wood blinds, so that rules that idea out. I guess our place is not very photo friendly! I guess I could take pictures off the wall in the living room and move the loveseat out of the way and just have a blank wall...but it is a sad shade of builders white...just yucky.
So less distracting seems to be the key...I will have to work something out...like pictures at someone ELSES place!


Pam

 

[mrsv98]

Can you tack a sheet to the blank wall? Make your own artist's background? That would solve the height problem, too. I am 5'3 and DH is 6'4 so we have the height difference problem too so we try and take sitting pics, then the difference is less noticable.

 

[FINFAN]

OK. Here is an embarrqssing confession I paint murals for a meager living, so had I thought about this in advance I COULD'VE done that....but even with having all the supplies here to paint one up, I don't think I can pull it off by tomorrow. And honestly, the lighting in the family room is better overall. Oh I don't know...these kids will be moaning about having to get their pic's done at all...let alone caring about the background. I was just wondering if there is some "rule of thumb" about backgrounds...luckily DD did agree to have 1 photo taken at the dance with the backdrop there. But boy, I had to BEG to get that agreement! I actually had to get her boyfriend to help me out...by telling him that I was paying for the pic's!

Pam

 

[froglady]

Interestingly, I've been organizing DM's photos, and with 5 children, there are a lot of prom pictures thrown in, with every imaginable background.

IMO the ones done in front of a plain, fabric drape or curtains look the best, regardless of color. The ones in front of plain brick/stone look better than the one that had some sort of plaque on the brick. The ones done in front of the "prom theme murals" looked the worst, and most dated.

 

[froglady]

BTW, is turnabout dance the PC name for a Sadie Hawkins Day dance?

 

[FINFAN]

Yep...never thought of it as PC....but it's Sadie's...where the girl asks the guy. It is more casual than their Homecoming, dresses are not to the floor,( almost too much less in some cases) but the guys still wear suits and they do the flowers etc. DD is even going w/an updo again...I wish she wasn't, but I think between that and the 3" heels she feels a bit taller and fits in better w/the gang. She truly is a peanut...size 1 now...woo-hoo! I believe it about the dance backgrounds looking dated...but this will be her 4th dance and I have yet to get a professional pic, so this is the one. Maybe if she goes to Prom her senior year I'll get them again....guess I better dig into my 8x10 muslin supply...maybe I can do a quick gradient or splash across it....sometimes the non-thought out things turn out the best!
Thanks again all!


Pam

 

[janet715]

What about outside? If you live in florida, palm trees would make a great background. I'd give my left arm for palm trees near me for a photo backdrop!

 

[froglady]

What about outside? If you live in florida, palm trees would make a great background. I'd give my left arm for palm trees near me for a photo backdrop!

DD's have always been outside, (we have a lovely little courtyard with lots of trees, bushes, and a fountain) but the OP is 1,000 mis north of WDW, so I think they'll have to be indoors.

 

[FINFAN]

Yep....just outside of Chicago......indoors for us!

Pam

 

[Twinkles6892]

We just took ours in the dining room, took the painting off the wall and voila!

 

[FINFAN]

Wow...the girls all look beautiful! I bet they had a great time, you can see the excitement on their faces. I will just ask the other parents when they are here if they would prefer one spot over another...and like I said, I think the kids are going to be fairly impatient about it anyway. Tomorrow will tell what happens!

Wish me luck!
Pam

 

[Twinkles6892]

Wow...the girls all look beautiful! I bet they had a great time, you can see the excitement on their faces. I will just ask the other parents when they are here if they would prefer one spot over another...and like I said, I think the kids are going to be fairly impatient about it anyway. Tomorrow will tell what happens!

Wish me luck!
Pam

Hehe, yeah, it was awesome. I'm actually the third one from the left. I hope your DD and her friends have as much fun as we did

 

[janet715]

Yep....just outside of Chicago......indoors for us!

Pam

Duh. I read your location and for some reason thought you were in florida. Can you tell I'm blonde?

 

[Disney Doll]

I would do it in front of the fireplace, take the pictures off the mantle and put up a couple of red candles on either end of the mantle. When you're "framing" the pic, just make sure the mantle isn't cutting anyone off at the neck and you should be good to go.

 

[FINFAN]

Well, I hung a huge muslin over the patio door, from cabinet to wall, raised the kitchen light fixture to the ceiling, moved the table and chairs and voila! Instant background! The kids had arranged to wear black...(I knew DD's dress was , but didn't know all 6 kids had schemed together) Anyway, it worked out pretty well since they were coordinated. DD's BF gave her red roses and they actually overtook the pictures since they were the only color out there! I offered for anyone to stand anywhere they would like, or sit on the the sectional...whatever they wanted..but everyone just stayed in front of the muslin. I had moved most of the knick-knack stuff from the FP and did leave 2 candles and the FP screen, (I thought it looked barren) so to me it's just as well that no one chose there.
A great time was had by the kids at the dance...DD's BF even gave her a rose necklace during the evening. That was quite the surprise. Oh well, back to reality now...
Thanks again for all the help!


Pam

 

[luvdisney81]

I always tack up fabric. If you do not have a big sheet, then go to Wal Mart or fabric shop, they always have a bargain bin for about 1-3$ a yard. Make it pucker a little with pleats so that it looks more luxurious. Plus this fabric can be used many times over. I use it for parties as a make shift tablecloth. So cheap you won't worry about anyone spilling stuff.