Backdrops ... Once again

[flyfishnj]

I

[OviV]

I purchased mine through B&H. They seemed to have the best prices but shipping will be high on large rolls (I bought the paper ones). One piece of advice that I can give you is, don't bother with the 52" rolls. It is very hard to get your shots in even for a single person if you want full body. I bought some of the 52" ones and now I am looking to get some of the 104" ones. I only have black in the 104". I would recommend both black and white to start with while you experiment. Also get a cheap slave such as the one below for hair lighting. It adds alot of depth. I am definitely a rookie but I can tell from my experimentation that it makes a big difference.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=112595&is=REG

Here are two pictures that I took of my daughter, first without the back light and then with.

http://www.shareapicture.com/vsalbum/getpic.aspx?fld=/OviV/Photography/Portraits&pic=2004_09_17%20003.jpg&OV=0

http://www.shareapicture.com/vsalbum/getpic.aspx?fld=/OviV/Photography/Portraits&pic=2004_09_17%20009.jpg&OV=0

Hope this helps
Ovi

[robertwgross]

The color of a backdrop should be selected based on the hair colors, skin colors, or clothing colors of the subject. If that gives you too many possibilities, then get one backdrop that is pretty neutral. I have only two, black and gray. Mine are eight feet wide.

Sometimes the photographer wants the backdrop to disappear completely. Sometimes the backdrop can be illuminated with colored light to give a nice effect. It just depends on what you want to do.

---Bob Gross---

[DaveG]

I know we've had this thread before but ...

What colors should I buy for portraits of the kids? - Wife says plain blue. How is that going to look? Will I have to light the backdrop to give the background a little depth? Are there other colors is should consider?

I know people have used shower curtains. Is cloth better than plastic for this. I think Vegaspoboy had some examples of this. Anybody else?

Lastly, where is the least expensive place to buy them - Steve Kaiser?

Thanks for your patience.

BTW - I have two monolights

Get a light medium grey backdrop, preferably mottled. With this backdrop you can do anything. You can under light it and it's dark grey. You can overlight it and it's almost white. You can put a blue gel on a light source and you've got a blue background, or red, or green.

But if you start with a coloured background it'll take a lot of effort to remove the colour cast later if you choose to do so.

[WestFalcon]

I just go to the fabric store and buy fleece. Its cheap and non-reflective. It comes in a myriad of colors. I do pictures for student recognition for my high school. they look dynamite and don't cost an arm and a leg like professional backgrounds. You can sew a rod pocket(well, my wife does that) and mount it on a seamless background holder. Typical backgrounds cost me about $15 so you can change them often.

[robertwgross]

"Fleece" means different things in different places. It can be cotton or wool or synthetic. I've used a very heavy synthetic fleece before, and it was heavy to move around, but it sure absorbed light.

Now I am using a very lightweight synthetic fleece in gray color. I can shine a bright colored light at it from the rear, and it appears to make a colored background glow behind the subject. You can't do that with a heavy fabric.

---Bob Gross---

[WestFalcon]

Mr Gross......I am talking about polyester fleece...cheap,light and easy to work with.....just go to the fabric store and look under fleece and get what looks and feels good....In the store I go to, all the fleece looks the same to me but I'm no seamstress, just a photographer.

[chris.bailey]

I know we've had this thread before but ...

What colors should I buy for portraits of the kids? - Wife says plain blue. How is that going to look? Will I have to light the backdrop to give the background a little depth? Are there other colors is should consider?

I know people have used shower curtains. Is cloth better than plastic for this. I think Vegaspoboy had some examples of this. Anybody else?

Lastly, where is the least expensive place to buy them - Steve Kaiser?

Thanks for your patience.

BTW - I have two monolights

The cheapest I have bought was a large decorators cover cloth which is about 5' wide x 10' long. It cost me around £20 ($14) and though it comes in a creamy colour you could dye it. With a backdrop light on it you can make it appear white or with gels any colour you like. It weighs a lot though so is hardly portable but it is hardwearing.

[flyfishnj]

I'll be going to the fabric store this weekend. Will they have fabric that is wide enough? Does anybody have an opinion on electronic backdrops?

[Conk]

I'll be going to the fabric store this weekend. Will they have fabric that is wide enough? Does anybody have an opinion on electronic backdrops?

I shoot against chromakey green and use digital backdrops. It is cheaper but does require some photoshop. There is a bit of a learning curve with using chromakey. As mentioned by Daveg there can be a colour cast. This is where the learning curve comes in. If you over light the back drop or shoot with your subject too close to the back drop, colour can bleed into the subject. I use green as it is a less common colour. There is also blue chromakey but I've yet to use it.
Here is an example of using a digital back drop.
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y3v1wm&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1