Black backdrop test (2026-01-04)

I've had this 3m x 4m black backdrop since 2024, but I only got to try out the full length last weekend since I don't usually have the luxury of being able to rearrange the furniture to this extent.

notes:

[1]
I have no idea if the wrinkles can be ironed in a reasonable amount of time after unfolding the cloth since I don't have a backdrop roller to keep it wrinkle-free for storage.

[2]
The muslin cloth is thin, so any lighting in the background can easily bleed through. Even light-colored objects (ex. white walls) behind the backdrop can easily reflect light from studio flash. A second layer of dark cloth needs to be clipped to the backdrop stand to prevent this issue.

[3]
If the subject-background distance is close relative to the position of the light, the backdrop will appear as dark gray when it is hit by the light. To make it look black, either the light must be much closer to the subject, or the light must be controlled to prevent it from spilling onto the background.

[4]
I used a gray card to check the necessary camera and flash settings to get a proper exposure with my DIY projector attachment. With my camera set to 1/200s, f/4.0, ISO 400; my Godox AD200 Pro needed to be set to 1/1 power, with the projector lens (Sigma 20-40mm f/2.8) at f/2.8 and roughly 28mm focal length to illuminate a subject of my height.

Granted, I can get brighter light using the Godox AD100 Pro since that flash can focus the light into a narrower beam to force more of it through the projector lens, but it produces an uneven pattern, and the generated heat is enough to melt my acetate prints.

[5]
I don't like the idea of shooting at home since it would be a hassle for the other people living here.

At the same time, the backdrop (cloth + stands) is prohibitively heavy for shooting elsewhere when combined with the rest of the gear (camera + lens, flash + light stands + modifiers).

Right now, the only thing I can do with this is practice and check for feasibility before doing an actual shoot in a studio somewhere else.

There IS a studio though that's less than a 10-minute walk away from where I live, but that costs money to rent.

[6]
When the light projector is used, the output of the flash is significantly reduced to the point that drowning out ambient light is a challenge even indoors.

As such, the ideal use case would be inside a studio where the ambient light can be shut off. Otherwise, it would be best to shoot at night.

Cosplay Matsuri 2025 (day 3)

[1]
As a hobbyist who advertises shooting for free, I get approached by cosplayers with varying levels of experience. Admittedly, directing models is one of my weaknesses as a photographer, and that's why I appreciate it when I get to work with people who already have a good idea of the shots that they want to get.

[2]
My setup was mostly the same as what I had utilized for day 1, but I think the output for day 3 was improved by flagging the umbrella and Flashbender to prevent light spill on the background. Also, I used a circular polarizer as an ND filter to cut down ambient exposure by about 2 stops, and this allowed me to use the RF 28-70mm f/2.8 STM wide open.

[3]
For day 3, I was able to secure a spot at the photographer's area which was later shared with 2 other photographers. Special thanks to Robin Nightschooler and Vérité Imaging for making this event much more interesting than usual since I rarely get to work with other photographers to this extent.

Cosplay Matsuri 2025 (day 2)

For day 2 of the event, I failed to secure a spot for shooting, so I had to resort to the more mobile 1-light setup since photographers were prohibited from putting up light stands outside of the designated photographer's area. I've been avoiding this technique lately due to its physically-demanding nature, but for this instance, I also had to carry the weight of the unused 2nd light stand.

Fortunately, I think these shots turned out okay despite the constraints.

For this occasion, I also used the EOS R6II instead of the usual PowerShot V1 for the one-handed camera operation since my left hand was busy holding the light stand. Unlike before when I used the full-frame camera with a heavy Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 G1, my current RF 28-70mm f/2.8 STM lens is much lighter, so the setup isn't as demanding on the forearm and wrist.

Cosplay Matsuri 2025 (day 1)

This convention marks the first time I had used the RF 28-70mm f/2.8 STM for shooting cosplay. The 28mm wide end works well enough for shooting portraits from orthodox camera angles, but the field of view is a bit lacking compared to the 24mm of the more common 24-70mm lenses for dynamic low-angle shots where I try to exaggerate the limb proportions.

To compensate, I brought the Canon PowerShot V1 as a secondary camera. I still prefer the proportions rendered by stereographic fisheye lenses, but compared to that setup with the EOS M50, the PowerShot V1 is lighter, less bulky, and it can also zoom in to 50mm equivalent in a pinch (albeit being limited to f/4.5 at the telephoto end).