Three Must Have Portrait Props In My Studio
With the colder, darker weather very much with us here in the UK it’s not surprising that I’m finding the studio a much nicer place to work in then being on location. However the four walls of my small home studio can start to feel very limiting after a while so to avoid cabin fever setting in I have a selection of props to liven up my shoots.
The video below covers my three main types of prop and a few ideas on how I like to use them.
Sunglasses
Winter might sound like the wrong time of year to be on the hunt for novelty sunglasses but I find having a selection on hand can really help. On a very simple level it gives something for your subject to interact with but sunglasses can also become part of the styling of the shoot. With a bit of craft skills you can also transform a pair of dull, basic sunglasses into a fashion item in it’s own right!
Hats
Just like sunglasses a hat can be worn or held once again giving your model something to work with. Hats can add character, hats can add mood, hats can be fun. Hats with brims can cast shadows which can cause problems as the model moves but with a bit of careful lighting that can be used to your advantage.
Fabric
Random bits of fabric are the perfect thing to have in the studio. They can be pegged up as backgrounds or wrapped around your model as a an outfit. Sheer fabric can be placed over your subject to add mystery or moved around for a floaty feel
There are endless ways to add ideas to your shoots, props can really help at this is just a few ideas to get you started.
Thank you for your knowledge!
Gavin, These are such great videos, thanks for sharing them. 🙂