Studio photography

Throstle

Why is there a need to have a 1 meter gap between the backdrop and your subject when shooting portraits? What is "triangle" composition?

bruto

For "triangle composition" your best bet is probably to google it. It's a basic principle of composition regarding the way objects are arranged in a picture for the best visual effect. A rule well worth looking at even if you decide to break it.

Certain geometric shapes tend to hold the eye within the shape and stop it aimlessly wandering, and a triangle will tend to guide your vision from the lower left where it naturally starts, to a focal point near the vertex. A strong geometric form will tend to stand out against the background, almost as if in 3D, and a triangle will suggest perspective. Da Vinci's Mona Lisa is a famous example of this.

For the gap, it's probably a matter of depth of field. A backdrop is meant to fill space around an isolated subject without leaving residual images that steal visual interest. If background is too close to your subject it will be too sharp and its own texture distracting. Moving it back takes it out of the subject's focal range and allows it to blur a bit.

Throstle

Thanks Bruto!