Background systems...

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I have a single stand and with a white, black, and two brownish pattern muslin backgrounds. I don't like them and am thinking canvas would be better. The muslins are way too thin and don't always block out light from behind. Of course when I want that it's nice, but I don't always want it that way.</p>

<p>So I've been looking around at roller systems and there are a bazillion. I don't want a wall mount as I'd like to be more portable for now. Do any of you have suggestions for a good, three or four background roller system, chains, etc?</p>

<p>I'm thinking a white, black, blue pattern, and a another pattern canvas background setup would be perfect for what I want. Something at least 12' wide.</p>

<p>Also, I've seen some setups that appear to use a life-size (for lack of a better term) shooting table. What are those? The while transitions nicely from the background to the floor, no seams.</p>

<p>Thanks as always, you folks are always so helpful and I appreciate it.</p>

<p>Don</p>

<p>That "life size shooting table" is called a sweep or cyc (short for cyclorama). It requires construction and upkeep, and is a luxury in a studio.</p>

<p><Chas></p>

<p>How portable were you looking at? Just portable.. Or fast setting and portable?</p>

<p>Why not just take your existing stand, with a black background, and clamp your other muslins to it for shooting? I doubt you're going to see any incoming light from that. 5 or 6 clamps from Lowes is like 15 bucks.</p>

<p>12 feet wide is pretty wide. Most affordable backgrounds are like 108 inches. Even 10 food wide muslins, you're probably going to want a bit of curtain effect, unless its a ChromaKey. And if you're going to ChromaKey, I definitely recommend going with a paper roll, not a green or blue muslin. ChromaKey green muslins are useless, I threw mine away.</p>

<p>PS,<br /> I think Whisper and Close are your best two renditions of your model so far.</p>

<p>I like them both.</p>

<p>I like Sensuous too.</p>

<p>Hi</p>

<p>Isn't it a wonderful world when there is such a lot of product to choose from? Bugger that for a joke. I would rather roll my own.</p>

<p>I have a multiple motor driven wall mount, 2.5 metre wide. A portable motor drive setup, 2 metre wide that will fit in my car. I also have a black velvet backdrop made from an old projector screen that will fit in the back seat of my car.</p>

<p>The thing is that I built them all from what were basically found objects. The motor drives are scavenged car window drive motors. The rollers are scrap alloy tube from a scrap merchant. The movie screen background was fitted with left over velvet from the wall mount system. I used the original movie screen material to make various reflectors for lighting. </p>

<p>The questions are, what are you capable of doing? What are you willing to do? What skills do your friends have?</p>

<p>The pic below is my black velvet movie screen conversion. Very handy for portraits in other peoples homes. A snap to set up. At the top right you can see two of the motor drives for my wall mount system. Not pretty, but then I am not taking pictures of my system.</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>Thanks for all the feedback. I like the idea of clamps and will go with that for now. That's why I ask!! ;)</p>

<p>D</p>