photography backdrops

[holly1230_11]

I would like to buy a photography backdrop stand. However, they seem fairly expensive (I'm no professional - it would be more for nice pics of my kids and close family members). Could I still get the professional look with large pieces of say...upholserty or curtain fabric that you can purchase from a fabric store? Thanks for any help.

[flyfishnj]

I tried fabric from a fabric store. You need to have small subjects for it to work because the fabric is not wide enough. I'm buying a stand - like $75 and paper is around $35 a roll.

[holly1230_11]

That's not bad. All of the stands and paper I've seen were higher...care to share where you've found these bargains? Thanks.

[Harry Settle]

You can also buy your own muslin from a fabric store, if you can get it before all of the quilters, and dye it yourself. Check out Joann fabrics online to see what's available.

[robertwgross]

You can buy black velveteen, and it works good if you want the background to disappear.

Other fuzzy synthetic fabrics work good too if you like gray or brown. Muslin is good if you want to get creative. Many people paint their own to get a mottled-color background like they want.

I got a gray one that is thin, and I can shine light through it from the back, which gives an interesting effect.

White... I've never had good luck with white fabrics.

---Bob Gross---

[DragonJade]

White... I've never had good luck with white fabrics.

---Bob Gross---


Really? I thought white was pretty much a standard.

[hjoli]

And with the right amount of space and a good seamstress you can come up with many different unique backdrops with cloth. Eventually I will have a portrit studio in my home. I plan to use those thick wooden curtian rods and fabric for the backdrops for my studio portrits.

[Timm]

... I plan to use those thick wooden curtian rods and fabric for the backdrops for my studio portrits.
Dang but that idea is just inspired! :D

[hjoli]

If you need a good seamstress, I'm in the book....

:)

[coreypolis]

calumet sells a heavy duty background stand for about $150 that is 12' wide. you can order seamless paper for pretty cheep or make your own backdrops

[holly1230_11]

Thanks to you all. You certainly got my wheels turning. I found some pretty cheap muslin on ebay and the bh photo website. I think I'll be able to "rig" something up from the ceiling of either the garage or family room.

[robertwgross]

Garage or family room?

The cheapest way to support a backdrop is this: Hang some very heavy steel wire from the rafters or through a supported ceiling. Make them slightly more then about eight feet apart, or whatever width you are shooting for. Suspend any kind of metal channel (available from a hardware store). Steel is good, or else heavy aluminum channel. If you have only one backdrop, then you can just hang it from the channel. Or, if you have multiple backdrops, sew them all together, end to end, in one continuous loop. Put the metal channel through the loop. That way, you can pull on one side of the background loop and pull the others into position if you want to change quickly. I also put one metal bar at the bottom to keep the bottom edge straight.

---Bob Gross---

[turtlewings]

Stumbled across this a while.
http://homepage.mac.com/geerlingguy/jeffscomputersupport/tech_help_articles/photography/homemade_greenscreen.html

[redbutt]

Dang but that idea is just inspired! :D

The pro studio I was ot over the weekend did something like this. He hooked up a few pullies to the roof, rigged some climbing rope up, and attached a long thing wood dowel with some quick release clips. When not in use, the bar is raised to the roof and out of the way, when he want's to use a background, he lowers the bar, unclips one side, attaches what he wants, raises it to the right height, and done.

For portable/location stuff...calumet stands.

[PrimaPhoto]

I ran across this site a few weeks ago http://www.chicagocanvas.com/muslin.htm
(http://www.chicagocanvas.com/muslin.htm)

[PhotosGuy]

For a cheap & easy way to hang paper/fabric from a wall, take a look in the lower-right of pic #1 in in this thread.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=58609&highlight=cobble

[forgottocockmyshutter]

Photography Muslin vs. Photography Canvas

If you are new to photography or backdrops in general, you might be a bit confused when you go to all of the various websites and contemplate ordering a backdrop. This website is designed to help you make an informed decision as to which type of backdrop would best suit your needs. Along with discussing the merits and pitfalls of muslin and canvas, we will addres some of the other mediums for backdrops as well.

Muslin backdrops are made on "muslin." The term muslin is used lightly, because there are several different weights and weaves. Some muslin has some polyester in it, and other muslin is completely cotton. There are some really good cotton/poly blends of muslin and it has less shrinkage. The average muslin is going to feel somewhat like a bedsheet, A good muslin is slightly heavier, and has a denser weave (less transparent.) Both of the 50/50 blend, and the 100% cotton muslin that Signature Backgrounds use are of a high quality dense weave. You will be happy with either one. I stick with the 50/50 because it's less expensive, and I can't tell much of a difference between the cotton and the 50/50 anyway.

Muslin will wrinkle a bit, but you can mist it with water or a Wrinkle releaser spray (Downing has one.) and the wrinkles fall out pretty well. You can gather or bunch the muslin when hanging it so that it has a draping effect. SB sells clamps that work well for this. A muslin has a casual soft effect for a photograph.

Muslin is easier to transport and takes up less space than a canvas in your vehicle. Since it is lighter wt, you can hang it to a wall, or doors to create your backdrop, however, it looks more professional to use a muslin hanging system. SB has a variety of these to choose from (ranging from about $110 to $240, the more expensive they get, the larger backdrop they hold, and the more stable and weightier the stands.) Like I said, though, the system is not necessary.

SB sells some muslins that are painted to appear more formal than the traditional mottled muslins. Their Standard and Two sided muslins are designed to be hung straight and appear more like a canvas. The trick to avoiding any wrinkles appearing in your photograph is to keep your subject a good 2-4 feet in front of the backdrop.

A Canvas is painted on Stretched, primed canvas. It cannot fold and must be stored on rolled up on a dowell of some sort. Canvas will last you a long time if you care for them properly, however, I've seen a great canvas get ruined because I had a tripod laying on top of my canvas in the car for a few weeks (Unknowingly). It created a rippling, wrinkled part throughout most of the backdrop.

For in my studio, I like to have one main, large canvas that is always available. I never take it on location because I paid a good thousand dollars for it and I don't want to risk damaging it. But it is solid, and I know that my subjects will always be happy with the finished result. It always looks artist, professional and high quality. It is done in the traditional old masters colors. Very brushy texture with the main color creamy browns, and the center has some blue, cream and a rusy color. It is a very classical look.

For High Key portraiture, photographers have a couple of options. Either white muslin or white paper. The advantage to muslin is that you can wash it if it gets dirty. Paper must be torn off, and although you can purchase long rolls of it, you need to continually be replacing it. The downside to muslin is it is harder to light. You need to blast it to get that high key fantasy look, whereas paper is a bit more reflective and a little bit easier to light. Either way, when shooting high key, you WILL have to light your backdrop.

For Low key, black, you can use either muslin, commando cloth, or paper. I don't really even consider paper, because I don't want it to be reflective at all. The black muslin that Signature Backgrounds sells is dense enough and non reflective, so that I can get a deep black as night look with it pretty easily. If I am in a situation where I have a window or a lot of light behind my backdrop, I go to the commando cloth. It doesn't allow any light to show through, even when I'm in front of a south window. (It's more expensive than the black muslin, though, and in most cases the commando cloth is overkill.) It will darken a room if you cover a window with it.


Great Backdrop Website (http://www.muslin-backgrounds.com)

Using Muslin Backdrops (http://www.using-photo-backdrops.com)

[PhotosGuy]

Good info!
"forgottocockmyshutter"? :D You've been around a while, haven't you?

[PrimaPhoto]

Great info forgottocockmyshutter. After looking at the backdrop site I think I'll get my airbrush out again.

[SkipD]

For "make-it-yourself" rigs to hang backdrop fabric from, I have used - with great success - 1/2-inch "thinwall" electrical conduit (known in the electrical trade as EMT - short for Electrical Metallic Tubing). 10-foot sections can be had at any home supply store (Home Depot, for example) for about $2 US. You can use common lumber for a base and ordinary hardware for other portions of the project.

For my basement "studio", I made some hooks that screwed into the joists (the unfinished basement ceiling) and I just hang the conduit on those. A few spring clips keep things from moving. A piece of conduit clipped to the bottom of the backdrop fabric makes it hang nice and tightly when that's what I wanted.

[am_pitbull_terrier]

You can also buy your own muslin from a fabric store, if you can get it before all of the quilters, and dye it yourself. Check out Joann fabrics online to see what's available.

I was just going to try that myself..... There is a Joann Fabrics around here, I was there the other day they sell muslin at 108 inch (9 foot) widths. Then you can get the length as long as you like.

[Katie]

For "make-it-yourself" rigs to hang backdrop fabric from, I have used - with great success - 1/2-inch "thinwall" electrical conduit

For indoor away location I use pvc water pipes which are available at any hardware in a range of widths, cut in various lengths to fit the car boot. An Array of angle connectors to put them all together so that a frame can be popped up in moments. Attach Muslim with velcro so its nice and firm. I also use this to attach sailcloth to diffuse the available light from windows or portable studio lights.

Cheap to put together, light for transport, custom sizing . The base is also the water pipes in a large cross with sand bags dumped on them. I've used this outside with tent ropes pegged in ground for stability in wind.

katie

[Harry Settle]

I was just going to try that myself..... There is a Joann Fabrics around here, I was there the other day they sell muslin at 108 inch (9 foot) widths. Then you can get the length as long as you like.

I got mine at the local Jo Ann store. Last year. At 5 am the day after Thanksgiving. I got the last scrap of wide muslin. The quilting ladies were pissed. It took over an hour to check out the lines were so long.

I bought my last backdrop online at B&H from Backdrop Alley 12x24 for not much money.

[alpineslide]

I would like to buy a photography backdrop stand. However, they seem fairly expensive (I'm no professional - it would be more for nice pics of my kids and close family members). Could I still get the professional look with large pieces of say...upholserty or curtain fabric that you can purchase from a fabric store? Thanks for any help.


i'm as new to photography as they come, but when I've been looking around I found some used backdrops on ebay that looked pretty reasonable. Maybe you could find what your looking for there.

[liza]

You can get wide muslin quilt backing at JoAnn Fabrics. I think the widest is 120". Their drapery fabric is 54" wide. Every store has a clearance area for drapery and upholstery fabric, which provides some affordable alternatives for backdrops.

[zimzum]

hey guys is there a way to tell how thick the muslin is when ordering from the online fabric stores? also is there some kind of material i can get to drape over my soft boxes to diffuse more if needed?

[PhotosGuy]

also is there some kind of material i can get to drape over my soft boxes to diffuse more if needed? Translum Diffusion (http://www03.bhphotovideo.com/product/46170/SATLM/REG/2427)- 54" x 18' Roll

[zimzum]

thanks photo guy! anyone on the thickness of muslin?

[dragnfly1996]

Another great cheap backdrop is a king sized sheet. Especially if you get one with some polyester in it, it wont wrinkle as badly as something 100% cotton

[sjlarson]

I've got a page with numerous links on building affordable PVC stands

http://www.standontherock.org/pvc.html

Good Luck,

Steve

[blhaw]

check out if Amvona is still on ebay. I bought my first backdrop from them for about $17 through ebay (it was then about $50 to ship to Canada but that's another story). It wasn't anything fancy but it was a good size (9'x15' or something).
Good luck.

Laura