Floor/Background for a Nudeshot

[soeren]

I have this blurred image in my head I'd like more or less to transfer to a neg.
Its a nude or semi nude female sitting back to camera maybe on the floor and its taken from above. I just can't figure out on what to place her. Our house is from the seventies and the floor is quite modern and unphotogenic.
What would you sugest? carpet? seamless? bedsheet? or something completely different?
Should I add, the pic will end up somewhat gallistylelike.
Best regards

[jp]

There's probably lots of 1920's pictorialist art-nude-photos in books if you have access to a well stocked photo library.

Maybe mirror tiles laid out on the floor?

Or black matte fabric..

Or a few canisters of dry oatmeal sprinkled on a tan/grayish bedsheet for texture. It'll be out of focus of course.

[Vaughn]

Whipped Cream (and other delights)?

[Jim Jones]

A used carpet or a carpet remnant might be inexpensive, and works better than light fabric.

[Jim Noel]

Vaughn,
That is my favorite recording, as well as my favorite album jacket.

Jim

[matthew blais]

• an oriental rug with some wear to it..
• crumple up several same color bedsheets..since it'll be blurry something without a lot of texture

[bigdog]

Whipped Cream (and other delights)?

Best. Album. Cover. Ever. :cool:

[Vaughn]

Vaughn,
That is my favorite recording, as well as my favorite album jacket.

Jim

My parents had the album back in the 60's -- I loved playing it (and sneaking long looks at the cover!). For our 8th grade yearbook (1968) I put down the Tijuana Brass as my favorite band. Man, was I lame...:D (a "square" to keep with the period).

As far as the background to actually use it all depends on that blurred image the OP has in his brain. I can imagine a pure white background/high-key image as well as an all black background. So the OP is asking us to create the image for him when he should be the one doing it.

Looking at other images is a good way to figure it out.

[dsphotog]

Polar Bear skin rug... or maybe tiger?

[soeren]

Whipped Cream (and other delights)?

He he could probably work but perhaps to messy :D

[soeren]

Thanks all
Most of you recommends somekind of textile (sp?) so Ill look into rugs, carpet sheets and the like. I wonder if the zoo would notice if a tiger and a polar bear went missing :D

[Jim Jones]

It's much more fun working with a bare girl than a girl bear.

[soeren]

It's much more fun working with a bare girl than a girl bear.

The bare Necessities :)

[Robert Opheim]

I once used the back of an old carpet for an interesting effect with some soft focused portraits....

[Rick A]

I have a painters drop cloth that I favor as a backdrop. It's untreated duck cloth, light tan, and can be painted or left plain.

[Dan Dozer]

From my experience:

Normal single color carpet - I've never gotten that to work. Patterned carpet does offer some possibilities.

Seamless - can work quite nicely. What tone are you looking at for the floor - white, black, patterned?

Bedsheet - don't advise - it will come out looking like a bedsheet.

Background cloth or painters drop cloth - the texture can come out looking nice, but it will likely take a little practice to get it to what works for you.

Concrete/Stone/Wood floors - lots of good possiblities with these. If your shot is closely cropped, what about going to a discount flooring place (maybe even home depot) and getting a box of wood flooring if they have it cheap and just put it out on the floor for the model to sit down on.

Other considertion - don't put her on the floor, if you have something like a wooden box or crate and shoot like that or can even cover with something like a back cloth or painters drop cloth - getting her off the floor might work well.

I've also heard that you can get a thin board (I think it's called tile board) down at home depot in 4 x 8 sheets that has a glossy surface on one side that you could get reflection of the model on - that might work really well.

[Frank Petronio]

I agree with Dan, I've seen some nice work with concrete floors and worn factory/industrial settings. But nobody wants to cuddle up to concrete so an additional prop - a box, stool, towel - might be a good idea.

[soeren]

Thanks Dan and Frank.
I have difficulties working out how the floor should look (kinda blurred :) ) but your ideas will be taken ito consideration.
Best regards