Green Screen Photography is gaining more and more in popularity, especially among small photography studios that wish to bring something new and innovative to their business - something that the large corporate photography studios don’t even bother with. Green screening, also called chroma keying, is the type of innovative technique that can give a small studio the critical edge needed to smother the competition.  Moreover, if your studio can carve out a niche with a specialty such as fantasy photography, you’ll stand out in the vast photography field.  

In the world of green screen photography, there is the fantasy-theme option known as “sword and sorcery.” Some examples include the role playing game “Dungeons And Dragons” and stories such as the “Lord Of The Rings”. To shoot these fantasy-theme photos, pose the client dressed in a period costume in front of a green screen, holding a “weapon” or prop such as a sword, bow and arrow, or a magic wand. Then, add digital background scenery such as breathtaking views of nature or ancient architectural structures — especially castles. Tip: If the client wants to have that soft mystical look, take a piece of nylon and strap it to your camera lens with a rubber band. That trick will instantly add softness and a sense of mystery.

Science fiction is another widely used fantasy-theme choice. Common settings for this genre would come from Star Trek, Star Wars and Babylon Five. But it also includes steam punk (a Victorian era character who uses steam to power today’s technology) and the time and inter-dimensional travel character of “Dr. Who.” This particular niche come complete with thousands of costumed characters who are eager to be photographed. Some ideas for amazing pictures would be: For space travel - like Star Trek - think the observation deck (a large window with a star field behind it) or Ten-Forward cantina (shoot a modern bar for the background). Steam punk photos could be shot using interiors of Victorian homes.

A niche that is related to the first two, yet deserves a distinct category, is fairy tales. Fairies and other gentle creatures are the stars of these photos.  Magical landscapes that relay an air of mystery and a bit of mischief work well for this genre. However, don’t think that fairy tales are only for small children, nor only for cos-players. There’s another unique group who love these particular photos: high school senior girls. Think about shooting portraits of them in their prom dresses, standing in front of this mystical backdrop. The result is that your client receives memories that are joyful and magical.

Finally, the last niche which can fit inside of all of these, yet also is all by itself, is that known as Anime and video game cos-play. Ideal areas for these photos would include an indoor or outdoor Asian-inspired area and decrepit locales, such as an abandoned warehouse or remnants of a old civilization.

The most important thing to keep in mind when shooting fantasy photos is that regardless of the strange, outlandish costumes you may use, and regardless of the odd locations your clients want you to create, if you can produce a believable photo you will have plenty of eager clients for many years to come.

Taking a professional shot of a child comes with its own issues, not excluding the task of holding the child’s focus long enough to snap their picture. However, there are other major problems photographers deal with unknowingly. In no particular order, these problematic issues are: having the child not look as if they are truly a part of the backdrop, creating an image that does not hold the viewer’s attention, or especially creating a boring picture that feels flat. Even the best photographers will face these three issues every now and then, and this article will help you to eliminate them completely.

To begin with, when using a photographed background, such as a professional printed backdrop, people who view the end result can at times see that it was faked. Most of the time this isn’t a huge issue, but occasionally we all experience these nit pickers. Using modest props would be one approach you could use to fight back. As opposed to using a muslin or printed backdrop at the start, think about using a green screen as an alternative. By using a green screen with cheap chroma key software, positioning a digital photo would be a lot simpler than attempting to make your angle perfect with a printed cloth.

Now with the child standing or sitting in front of the chroma key screen, add in a prop or two that can add to the illusion that the child is really there. A holiday like Christmas, for example, could have the child carrying a cheerfully wrapped gift box for the picture. Or if the child is being shot as if on the beach, have them wear a swimsuit and then wrap themselves with a towel. The main idea is to make an effort to add natural elements to the child’s surroundings. Tricking your viewers with the perfect illusion can be done if you pair your props and digital backdrops correctly.

Now another benefit to adding in props such as these is that they can help to engage the viewer. Think about it: which of these two pictures would look more interesting to you? A picture of a child wearing a nice suit standing in front of a background of the Star of David, or one where it’s a three-quarter view of the child wearing his yamulkah and he’s lighting a menorah for Hanukkah? The first picture gives and overall understanding, but the second one is much more engaging and fun to look at.

On the other hand, these pictures also help to tell a story. A baby laying on a blanket is cute, but add in a background of a grassy field and you’ve got a nature spirit. On that very same field, retrieve the child and hand them over to their mother - you now have a gentle spirit, dozing in his mother’s arms. Remember this: Use props in conjunction with a green screen to help make the scene more solid and real, to engage the viewer on an emotional level and to tell a story. Why wait any longer?  Find out more about green screen software today!