Backdrop or not for mobile portrait work?

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rebelpaul

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Just gauging what others use and why!
Do you use backdrops for mobile portraits in people's homes or do you find the space restrictions so much of a problem that you try not to use them?
 
Depends how much space they have. Make sure you ask them how much free floor space they have, specify without furniture....Then at least you will be able to picture the space yourself. To be honest I would reather have a couple of my own bacgdrops just incase.

If the persons home has suitable backgrounds in their homes, then use them.
 
It depends what you want from the portrait, if they have a nice book case full of leather backed books and its a graduation type shoot then you don't need a backdrop or they have a nice fireplace to use as a backdrop your fine. A real wood floor with character and a wall with nice covering can also work. But most people like a clean white back ground creating that in a location with papered walls or coloured walls is going to be very difficult and involve lots of work after. for the £100 of a pop up background it can make life a little easier.

The space restriction then you work arround it if you can, no point taking a 7x8 highlite if it wont fit but a popup probably will.
 
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That's kind of what I was getting at, I have a 2m x 2m popup but find that of taller full length shots or more that 3 people it's unsuitable, can't decide weather to get 2.75m paper or vinyl or go for fabric (which I've had other problems with creases being mobile or indeed a larger popup but how big do I go?
They all have bad points and thought I'd ask the people that use them which they had settled on.
 
Fabric is the best option for unknown locations, you can make it as wide as the fabric if you have plenty of space or as narrow as your support will allow by using clamps to pull the fabric tight. Creases I didnt notice them on a job I did with someone who shot on black muslin, I have not used fabric before always paper or vinyl or a pop up (which does creas but again not noticable)
 
Being relatively new to photography and having only used cheap fleaBay material I have limited knowledge on it, does the muslin material crease like say a cotton sheet?
 
Out of interest, I have just got some muslin back drops from eBay, but they have come creased. What is the best way to rid the creases? Am I ok just to iron them out?
 
widge milward said:
Out of interest, I have just got some muslin back drops from eBay, but they have come creased. What is the best way to rid the creases? Am I ok just to iron them out?
Click to expand...

All of my backdrops have come from eBay. I don't normally worry about the creases as I use clamps to pull the backdrop tight against the support stand. On the odd ocassion that I have ironed them (normally only the first time they come out of the packaging) I've used ther minimum amount of heat and ironed on the back so as not to damage the front surface.

Hope that helps :)
 
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