Review: Mobile Studio Sets
Lugging heavy backgrounds to location sessions is a pain. To-Go Packs are a handy—if small—alternative.
If you love photographing newborns on location but like the consistency of working with studio backdrops, then you’ll want to check out To-Go Packs by Intuition Backgrounds. These miniature backgrounds are easy to add to your kit and up your game when you’re working on location.
To-Go Packs are sets of six small portable backgrounds. You can even select your favorite backdrops and create a custom To-Go Pack like I did. Intuition Backgrounds offers a wide variety of options, including some in whimsical settings. I opted to test some that featured subtle and classic looks, so I selected Oatmeal, Boone, Lenno, Froth in grey, Mud, and Porcelain.
I was pleased with the quality of the backgrounds, which are lightweight yet sturdy and photographed well. The wooden plank backgrounds look realistic in the final images, and I love the subtle mottled nature of the more classic studio backgrounds. Each background has a small imprint in the corner with the title of that style.
I’m not a fan of the white border around the background. You can see them here, but I removed them digitally in post-production.
A nice feature of the To-Go Pack is the sturdy storage tube, which includes a screw top and shoulder strap. I’ve purchased several portable backdrops that came in cardboard tubes, so it’s nice to see a company thinking about long-term storage and portability.
Right out of the tube, the corners of the backdrops refused to lay flat. I solved this problem by weighing down the corners with studio gear. By the end of my session, they stayed flat on their own.
Since I’m used to working with a much larger backdrop, I found the small size to be a challenge. I switched up my standard series of poses to complete the test session and was able to deliver a quality set of images to my client, who loved them.
I had fun improvising to explore different ways the backgrounds could be used. The To-Go Pack backgrounds might seem designed for floor use, but I enjoyed using them both on the floor and as a rear backdrop. I experimented with using one background on the floor and hanging another vertically. This allowed me to use some of my favorite poses during the session and move beyond direct overhead photos of the subject.
