Photo backddrops

ruffdog64

ruffdog64

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Harvey
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I'm looking to take some studio type shots of family and am looking for basically a starter backdrop set up to use,does anyone have some recomendations
 
ruffdog64 said:
I'm looking to take some studio type shots of family and am looking for basically a starter backdrop set up to use,does anyone have some recomendations
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Do you mean how to hold it or the backdrop material itself. For holding you can use a couple of stands with a pole attached between them, or just use bulldog clips and attach it to something like the curtain rod in a window. You can make self supporting backgrounds out of foamcore board or similar material.

As for the backdrop itself you can use anything. Paint a pattern onto paper or the boards. Material, tablecloths with nice designs. You can use plain white and colour your background light. Shoot a strobe though things like drinking glasses and liquid for interesting effects.

A good tip is position you background or people relative to the background at an angle. That way your background has more dimension than if you are shooting straight onto it. It just looks nicer imo.


Now if you are talking about a background kit, sorry I have no experience with the ready made backgrounds.
 
Hi Harvey,

I can recommend the 6x7 foot black/white background from smick.co.uk. It costs about £70-£80 and can fold up with one twist into a disc. It's very handy.
 
I'd avoid pop-up backgrounds personally. I have an Interfit giant collapsible, and while it's handy, the creases drive me nuts, and you can't iron it without the dye coming off, so you spend ages steaming it to get the creases out. You can buy backdrops for as little as £44 from a company called Colourscape (no experience of them, but that's who I'm looking at) and a support system could be about £80.
 
Thanks for the replies,I was just wondering what people were using and making something myself is probaby where i will start.
 
For plain backgrounds get yourself down to your local market - you can pick up plain dyed cotton muslin for a couple of £££s per metre in whatever width and length you want.
As for supports, depending on what I'm shooting and how much space I have I've used anything from a "proper b/g stand"; to a free-standing projector screen to drape it over; to a couple of clothes pegs to hold it wrapped around a curtain rail . . . for smaller subjects just draping it over a side table or pegging it onto a clothes airer both work well.
 
I use a black kingsized sheet or colorama's 1.7m paper rolls for backgrounds in smaller locations.
 
I was thinking of this too. You can buy [I am a spark and use it frequently] 3/4 or 1" plastic conduit and various fittings which are tight push fit. Whatever material you prefer and some spring clamps, jobs a good un!
 
Being a carpenter I've no excuse for not being able to make some kind of support system
 
i like this idea for the stand seems easy enough to do
 
Mooseh said:
Thought I'd drop in on this thread since I've been looking at backdrop solutions today, and if your anything like me (I.E Skint) this looks like an affordable solution

http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/photography/articles/1898.aspx

I intend to have a go at this and then its just a case of finding various fabrics to use as backdrops.
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This is the stuff I was talking about. Electrical wholesalers and ask for 25mm round conduit. In fact I have just remembered i have a loads of it outside!!

Dunc
 
if you go to diyphotography.net, they have some diy solutions for backdrop stands.
 
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