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How to Make a Photography Studio Setting Look Like Water

There are several varieties of water settings and backdrops available in the market for use in a photography studio. While some settings may be used to create an illusion of the ocean, others may be used to create images of rain, a swimming pool or a flood. The setting often depends on your requirements as well as your budget, and although some settings and backdrops can be pricey, you can create a simple water setting for the studio with a few creative steps.

Things You'll Need

4 to 5 yards white muslin cloth
3-inch-wide China hog bristle brush
2 to 3 different shades oil-based blue paint
2-inch-wide nylon brush
Paint thinner
Fine-tipped brush
Gray paint
Double gobo rotator light

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the wall that will hold your backdrop for the photo session. Cut the muslin cloth with scissors according to these measurements. Fold the edges of the fabric to make a hem, and apply fusible no-sew tape to the edges. Iron the folds for proper adhesion.
- 2
  Place the muslin cloth on a clean floor. Tape the edges to the floor to prevent it from moving. Stretch the fabric before you fix it to the floor to avoid any folds or wrinkles.
- 3
  Sketch the different depths of water on your backdrop with a pencil. Use paint or water colors to paint water on the muslin cloth. Use a darker shade of blue to paint the deepest areas of the water. Move on to progressively lighter shades as you color the shallow layers of your water backdrop.
- 4
  Dip a nylon brush into some paint thinner and lightly brush all over the backdrop. This helps the different shades of blue blend into each other for a more realistic look. Use a fine-tipped brush and gray paint to create crests of a wave.
- 5
  Allow the muslin cloth to dry in the same position for two days. When completely dry, hang the backdrop on the wall of your studio to create a water backdrop for your photo session.
- 6
  Use double gobo (pattern) rotator lights with reflected wave gobos to produce the effect of light bouncing off the ocean. You can also create underwater effects by soft-focusing a cool-tone glass colorizer gobo in a single rotator. The position and number of lights will vary, depending on the dimensions of your studio.

Photography