Botero backgrounds

Thinking of getting a collapsible background. I've used Westcott products

before, and they seem to be pretty well-made. I discovered a brand called Botero

on B&H, that I'm not familiar with -- and their prices are a fraction of

Westcott's. Has anyone had any experience with Botero's products, positive or

negative?

Thanks much.

I have an 8x16 botero collapsable and I never use it... two problems:

first, the collapsable frame thing isn't made for 8x16. On a smaller backdrop it would likely be fine, but this thing cant really stand on its own like others can, so you have to use backdrop stands and clamp it to them, etc. I kinda like the ones you can just lean up against a wall instead, but this wont do that well.

Second, The one I have is kinda black and white or grey and white... the white parts are circular blobs, not really mottled or blended well... its kind of polka dotted and looks stupid, to me.

I just checked BHPhoto.com, and it looks like that version, the pattern at least, isnt available anymore. I needed one quickly and the better choice (which is there now) was out of stock, so thats what I ended up with.

All in all, if you know what you are getting into, or if going with a smaller size, they are certainly worth the money. I used it for one shoot, it paid for itself and I didnt care because it wasnt a $1000 canvas.

I have the black and the brown 8x16 work great for me. All I use is one lightstand to hold

them up no problem. They have paid for themselves 10 times over. thet are no Joseph M.

Proscia background, but they do a great job without worrying about setting up autopolls. You

can have them set up in 5 minutes and put away in less time.

http://www.ralphberrettphotography.com/FullMetalPhotographer.com/MechaStorm/Entries/

2008/1/29_Botero_Super_Collapsible_Background.html<div></div>

Mark,

I have one of their sheet backgrounds, the #23, I believe. I use it for business-type portraits quite a bit. Unlike most muslin backgrounds that are made from cotton or a cotton/synthetic blend, the Botero backgrounds are completely synthetic and, as a result, are lighter. As with many muslin backgrounds, you can use both sides of the background. Botero uses a spray (airbrush) process to create the variegation in color/tone. As a result, the back/front difference is starker than with backgrounds that use dye and paint applied with brush or sponge.

Overall, I like the Botero, but I also like my old Westcotts. I like the Botero sheets best when I have them out and hung. If you keep your muslins on a track or rail system, then the Boteros are real nice. Once smoothed out, they have a smoother look than most cotton muslins. If you stuff your muslins in a bag after use, then I prefer the look of wrinkles you get with a classic cotton muslin. The Boteros wrinkle in a sharp way that seems more distracting to me.

Hope that helps.

I own one. As others have pointed out, it is flimsy and it tends to collapse under its own

weight unless you use a light stand. Having said that, I can stand against a wall for head

and shoulder shots: it is not straight but with limited depth of field, the shots look good.

The frame applies enough tension to the fabric such that creases, etc. are not a problem if

the background is slightly out of focus.

Bottom line: it's cheap but usable. In my case, I choose the Botero for a color I use

frequently (I did not wanted to invest into a more expensive background) so the

limitations are OK.

--ben

I have four for my school video class. We use the 8x16 for announcements and just lean it against the wall. I had been clamping them, but found it unnecessary. They get wrinkled, but that's to be expected. One's a painted muslin that gets our hands dirty when handling it, don't know if that's a sign of bad quality or not. The other three are green screens for special effects.

The large ones are difficult to fold up. Sometimes they go right together and other times they fight us. The carrying bag seems like it won't last long, but we pack and unpack it every day. For the money, it was a great purchase.

Sam