How far should a subject stand from a backdrop?
Asked 1/4/2012
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2 answers
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When photographing a person in front of a backdrop, is there a standard subject-to-backdrop distance, or does it depend on the look, lens, aperture, and lighting? I’ve heard suggestions like 6 feet, but I’m wondering what factors actually determine the best spacing.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
5
Its really a creative decision, but generally you're not putting the subject behind a traditional backdrop in order to really focus on the backdrop - so ideally you'd want it to be somewhat out of focus.
So generally, the further they stand from the background, the more out of focus the background will be. Unfortunately, how far depends on too many things.
- How out of focus you want the background to be.
- How far you are from your subject.
- Aperture of your lens.
- Your backdrop
- Your lighting
Ideally your backdrop should be neutral in texture and tone enough that even a little out of focus will gently blur the whole thing and thus you won't have to get your subject a long way away.
Originally by user1917. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1917
14y ago
0
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There’s no fixed rule like “always 6 feet.” The best distance is mainly a creative choice and depends on your setup.
In general, placing the subject farther from the backdrop makes the backdrop appear more out of focus, which is often desirable when you want attention on the subject rather than the background.
The amount of separation you need depends on:
- how blurred you want the backdrop
- your aperture
- your distance from the subject
- the backdrop’s texture and tone
- your lighting setup
A neutral, low-texture backdrop usually doesn’t need much blur to look smooth, so the subject may not need to stand very far from it. If the backdrop has visible texture or detail, more separation may help.
So instead of following a strict distance rule, adjust subject-to-backdrop spacing based on the effect you want and how your lens, aperture, and lighting render the scene.
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