michael_novo Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 While I'm not a total newbie at photography, I'm a beginner in terms of selecting backdrops. It's becoming thetime of year in Chicago when the clients are opting to have me show up at their home and do a studio styleportrait. I have a couple light stands, sb-600's, and umbrellas but usually try to seek out a natural backgroundlike a cozy fireplace or just use a solid sheet as a backdrop if I'm working indoors. Muslin seems to be the most popular choice right now just from a quick glance around the web. Does anyone knowthe difference in the further breakdowns such as poly/cotton vs milled cotton? I'm guessing that the poly meanspolyester which I'm not really opposed to using. I'm more of a fan of the solid colors, but figure perhaps onemixed gray backdrop might not be so bad either. Here''s what I've found so far... http://www.backdropoutlet.com/10-X-20-MUSLIN-BLENDS/productinfo/AB331-WINE/ This one is quite a bit more but I'm guessing the fabric is a bit different as is the pattern work compared to asolid color...http://www.backdropoutlet.com/OLD-MASTER-MUSLIN/productinfo/MO128/ Now if I'm looking at just solid colors, is there any reason I can't simply buy a few yards of fabric and usethose? Seems that would be the cheapest bet. If that's a reasonable option, should the fabric be more flat orhave a little shine to it to bounce more light? Any suggestions welcome!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_earussi1 Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 My black and white backgrounds are just that, cloth bought in 110" widths at a local material store. But pure cotton does tend to wrinkle more than poly and since ironing/steaming is time consuming, I prefer poly if available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_clark___minnetonka_mi Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 One of the challenges with muslin is keeping it wrinkle free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_novo Posted November 11, 2008 Author Share Posted November 11, 2008 Ok so a trip to my local cloth store might be in order it seems. A few yards of fabric will certainly cost less than the $100 most of the places want to sell you something ready made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel_harmon Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 When I purchased my backdrops, I used Amvona. I know there are arguments as to their quality, etc, but for a new photographer on a limited budgets, my backdrops from there have worked very well so far. I ended up getting 5 backdrops for $300, which I thought wasn't too bad. One of them is even a scenic muslin. I'm certainly not saying they are the only way to go, just that's where I found my first backdrops and at a decent price. =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_hartman Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 As a fellow Chicagoan I thought I'd weigh in! I suggest putting some money into a good stand if you plan to use the cloth backdrops on location. You'll want the stability, but you'd also want to be able to pull the cloth tight to remove wrinkles, etc. I have a wall in my studio space that I tact cloth to so that it doesn't wrinkle, but clients tend to frown on the idea of you putting pits in their walls! Backdrops also tend to be a style choice more than a right or wrong decision, so find something you like. I lean more toward seamless for solids but make a trip or two to the fabric store to get something different every so often. Attached is a shot using some purchased fabric pinned to the wall. I like getting something with texture and sometmes a pattern, to mix things up. Tastes will vary, so go with what you like. Fabric stores like Hobby Lobby or Michaels usually have sales so you don't have to limit yourself. The only problem I run into with this route is width can sometimes be limiting.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyle obrien Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Micheal, I agree with everyone that said a trip to a fabric store would be the most cost effective. I bought 2 backdrops, 1 black and 1 white, 6 ft by 10 ft each, for like $30 (cant remember how much it cost me exactly. Just be sure that you get something real thick, otherwise, a flash going off can make whatever the backdrop is covering show through. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monique_b1 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 <p>I would even go as far as to consider useing curtaining material, its quiet a heavy material that has a backing which doesn't allow much if any light shine through, just make sure its wide and long enough.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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