Photo by Just Fab using a version of the do-it-yourself scrim.

It’s senior portrait season, and that means people are looking for easy ways to take better portraits outdoors.  Direct light is the double-edged of outdoor portrait photography.  On one hand, it produces beautiful, rich, saturated backgrounds.  On the other hand, it produces harsh shadows on the face - a big no-no for proper portrait photography. For better portraits, you want diffuse directional light.  This is the purpose of using a soft box indoors - you’re able to use a bright light while softening it to eliminate its harsh qualities.  But how to you diffuse the sun?

Enter the do-it-yourself scrim, which lets you shoot outdoors in direct sunlight while softening the sun enough to produce sharp portraits.  The best part?  It can be produced for under $30.

Here’s what you need to purchase:

• 3 ten foot sections of PVC Piping
• 4 T Connectors
• 2 90-Degree Connectors
• White Nylon Shower Curtain

That’s it.  Cut two sections four feet in length.  These will serve as the two, perpendicular horizontal parts of the frame.  Then, cut two five foot sections for the side of the frame, two 16-inch sections for the legs and four nine-inch sections for the base.  You end up with something like this:

This should give you enough support for the frame to be freestanding.  The shower curtain you purchased will act as the diffusing material.  For an inelegant solution, you can simply drape it over the frame.  Or, if you’re nitpicky, you can cut and tack it so it looks a little more professional.

How do you use it?  Position your subject so they’re facing at a right angle to the sun.   Stick your new do-it-yourself scrim between them and the sun.  The shower curtain acts as a diffuser, casting softer shadows across the face and improving the quality of the portrait.  At the same time, the background is still bright and saturated.

For better results, use in the early morning or evening - the so-called “golden hours”.  This will keep your background from being washed out from a bright sun and the sun is at a greater angle, making your scrim more effective.

Be sure to come back and post your results!  This will be a great addition to the toolkit for parents looking to take senior photos, and might save the need for hiring a professional.  Good luck!

The do-it-yourself scrim was refined from an original concept by Just Fab.  Thanks for the inspiration!

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