On-location portraiture is a lot of fun and one of my favorite types of photography, but when trying to create nice images, being on-location can present its own set of unique challenges, one which are troublesome backgrounds.
When we're out taking portraits with some friends at a park or a cool looking street alley we can find some great light and nice compositions, but the background will be dull, too busy, or everything in between! A way to work around issues like these is bringing a backdrop to put your model behind while still including the environment or background you initially liked. You can take this a step further and incorporate a strobe to achieve studio-like lighting while still including the colors or details in whatever location you are working in.
Lugging around a backdrop can be cumbersome, so a great option for a small, easy to carry option just in case you need a quick backdrop is a 5 in 1 reflector. You can use the various materials and colors to compliment your model in a tough on-location shoot where your background is troublesome. Give it a try!