Looking for backdrop ideas...

Not sure where to post this so I'll start here.

Anywho, I'm doing a photobooth this weekend for my sons' Fall Festival. Of course, I forgot/waited until the last minute to think about what to use for the backdrop. I'm looking for some ideas of what I can use for this. Looking for something with fall colors but I'm not terribly picky.

I need to be able to pick it up locally or order and get it over night (essentially at this point). I have one of those inexpensive packages with the stands stands and the bars to go across the stands but they won't hold up anything really heavy like a roll of paper (unfortunately). I've thought of using a shower curtain because the shots don't have to be full body shots so this could work. Only problem has been finding something which doesn't have all kinds of designs on it or which doesn't have that shiny sheen to it.

I also thought about using a bed sheet since I can find them in good colors and not terribly expensive. This may be what I go with.


Any other ideas from those who are more creative with this sort of thing?

Thanks.

No ideas? I'm stuck on this one...

Aside from a mail-order outlet that may be able to deliver quickly, some of the options may be:

Look for a paper or art supply store that may have sheets of material that could be used as backdrops.

Find a fabric store that sells inexpensive bolts of cloth at could be quickly assembled into a backdrop.

Check hardware stores for large drop cloths that could be used as backdrop material.

Find a drapery, stage supply or canvas cover retailer that could have big sheets of material or used curtains or covers.

Sheets work pretty well. Another thing I've done for props as well as the backdrop is to buy a bail of hay ($15-$20) and some fall leaves (silk or preserved) from a craft store. Spread the leaves on the ground around the bail of hay. The hay is nice for group shots, if you have any, to provide a place for some people to sit.

DC Fan wrote in post #13230380
Aside from a mail-order outlet that may be able to deliver quickly, some of the options may be:

Look for a paper or art supply store that may have sheets of material that could be used as backdrops.

Find a fabric store that sells inexpensive bolts of cloth at could be quickly assembled into a backdrop.

Check hardware stores for large drop cloths that could be used as backdrop material.

Find a drapery, stage supply or canvas cover retailer that could have big sheets of material or used curtains or covers.

I like these ideas. Might stop by a fabric store and see what they've got.

Thanks.

Dermit wrote in post #13230484
Sheets work pretty well. Another thing I've done for props as well as the backdrop is to buy a bail of hay ($15-$20) and some fall leaves (silk or preserved) from a craft store. Spread the leaves on the ground around the bail of hay. The hay is nice for group shots, if you have any, to provide a place for some people to sit.

Actually getting a bail or two for this as well. The leaves thing is a good idea, too. Have to check the craft stores in the area.

Thanks.

It's a fall festival, so get some bales of hay and stack them up and put some pumpkins on top. Everyone looks good on a bale of hay.

J Michael wrote in post #13230942
It's a fall festival, so get some bales of hay and stack them up and put some pumpkins on top. Everyone looks good on a bale of hay.

LOL! Not sure I'd look good on a bale of hay but...

You could take the leaves one step farther. Buy a roll of paper from a photo store. Lay some out on the floor, scatter some leaves on it and then spray with a few fall colored paints. Cut off as much as you need and the hang that from your pole set up. Use the paint lightly, you just want a pattern not clearly defined leaves. Then add hay, pumpkins, and leaves.

vraspagraphix wrote in post #13234074
You could take the leaves one step farther. Buy a roll of paper from a photo store. Lay some out on the floor, scatter some leaves on it and then spray with a few fall colored paints. Cut off as much as you need and the hang that from your pole set up. Use the paint lightly, you just want a pattern not clearly defined leaves. Then add hay, pumpkins, and leaves.

That's a great idea. Might not have a chance to try this for the weekend but would love to try it.

Fabric from IKEA or Jo-Ann.

I picked up a huge amount of black IKEA fabric to make a big giant black backdrop; the muslin I got in my cheap-O backdrop kit was so thin and transparent it's almost unusable. The IKEA fabric works much better.

Jo-Ann has some fun stuff. I got some fur for a costume, it was on sale for $8/yd. I oughta get a couple of yards to make a furry backdrop

Jo-Ann also has stuff like black velvet which is a good backdrop for products and such, since if you get the right kind of velvet it'll just absorb the light.

I'd second a fabric store like JoAnn Fabrics, Hancock, or Hobby Lobby. I've used velour successfully when I wanted a matte black background, though that's probably not exactly what you are going for. Fleece is also cheap, comes in lots of solid colors, and has no sheen. Or something with a little texture like muslin.

The bale of hay thing is a double edged sword because it will make a royal MESS of your car and the photo area as well, so consider that before you go buy one. If it doesn't matter, well....it doesn't matter, I'm just sayin'. My favorite cheap backdrops are made from a huge sheet of white foamcore, over which I stretch fun, brightly colored fabrics. You can pin the fabric at each end or duct tape it to keep it tight. Every time I use it, I remove the pins and retighten the fabric to keep it as tight as possible and it makes a really great, wrinkle free, fun backdrop. light can't stray through it and you don't have to worry about wrinkles, as you do with bed sheets. I clamp it to light stands, but have been know to tape it to existing walls, whatever.

Sometimes I put a piece of white baseboard at the bottom to make it look like the patterned backdrop is actually a wall papered wall. Ikea is a great source of cheap fabric and the patterns are always fun, modern colors and designs, very European.

Here is a photo of one of the more traditional fabrics I've used. Again, it is cheap fabric stretched over white foam core. The stretching and tightening, combined with the fact that you CAN'T SEE THROUGH IT makes it a great choice for a backdrop on a small subject like babies, pets, small children, or single person head and shoulders shots. I typically use seamless, but it is much less work to bust these out than to set up the seamless for this type of simple shot. In this example, the white baseboard is just clamped on to fabric covered foamcore and set against my plain colored wall.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

suecassidy wrote in post #13237694
The bale of hay thing is a double edged sword because it will make a royal MESS of your car and the photo area as well, so consider that before you go buy one. If it doesn't matter, well....it doesn't matter, I'm just sayin'. My favorite cheap backdrops are made from a huge sheet of white foamcore, over which I stretch fun, brightly colored fabrics. You can pin the fabric at each end or duct tape it to keep it tight. Every time I use it, I remove the pins and retighten the fabric to keep it as tight as possible and it makes a really great, wrinkle free, fun backdrop. light can't stray through it and you don't have to worry about wrinkles, as you do with bed sheets. I clamp it to light stands, but have been know to tape it to existing walls, whatever.

Sometimes I put a piece of white baseboard at the bottom to make it look like the patterned backdrop is actually a wall papered wall. Ikea is a great source of cheap fabric and the patterns are always fun, modern colors and designs, very European.

Here is a photo of one of the more traditional fabrics I've used. Again, it is cheap fabric stretched over white foam core. The stretching and tightening, combined with the fact that you CAN'T SEE THROUGH IT makes it a great choice for a backdrop on a small subject like babies, pets, small children, or single person head and shoulders shots. I typically use seamless, but it is much less work to bust these out than to set up the seamless for this type of simple shot. In this example, the white baseboard is just clamped on to fabric covered foamcore and set against my plain colored wall.

Hmm, hadn't thought of this before but I love the idea!!

Thanks!

suecassidy wrote in post #13237694
The bale of hay thing is a double edged sword because it will make a royal MESS of your car and the photo area as well, so consider that before you go buy one. If it doesn't matter, well....it doesn't matter, I'm just sayin'. My favorite cheap backdrops are made from a huge sheet of white foamcore, over which I stretch fun, brightly colored fabrics. You can pin the fabric at each end or duct tape it to keep it tight. Every time I use it, I remove the pins and retighten the fabric to keep it as tight as possible and it makes a really great, wrinkle free, fun backdrop. light can't stray through it and you don't have to worry about wrinkles, as you do with bed sheets. I clamp it to light stands, but have been know to tape it to existing walls, whatever.

Sometimes I put a piece of white baseboard at the bottom to make it look like the patterned backdrop is actually a wall papered wall. Ikea is a great source of cheap fabric and the patterns are always fun, modern colors and designs, very European.

Here is a photo of one of the more traditional fabrics I've used. Again, it is cheap fabric stretched over white foam core. The stretching and tightening, combined with the fact that you CAN'T SEE THROUGH IT makes it a great choice for a backdrop on a small subject like babies, pets, small children, or single person head and shoulders shots. I typically use seamless, but it is much less work to bust these out than to set up the seamless for this type of simple shot. In this example, the white baseboard is just clamped on to fabric covered foamcore and set against my plain colored wall.

Good ideas here suecassidy. But I would also not bail on the bale due to mess. If it's the right look, and cheap enough, go for it. I would never not do something for a shoot just because it's too messy. If it contains an element I think will work well, then go for it. Part of standing out in photography and your images will be your willingness to do shots most other photographers will not do. Sometimes this means dealing with making and cleaning up messes. Fall festival shoot just begs for a bale of hay, or corn stalks, or both. Of course pumpkins, maybe some leaves, etc. It all depends on how much you want to put into having decent images, or a step up to having great images. You can just put up a fall colored background and take mug shots in front of it all night, or create an fall environment for the subjects to be a part of and make the images that much better. Creating images often times involves work. Sometimes you have to work more to create better images.