Staff Photography Mobile Back Drop

[davidclick]

<p>Hi from 1 degrees C wetherby UK :-)<br>

I need to buy a mobile back drop for staff pictures. I love the simplicity of these shots: http://www.mintel.com/meet-the-team<br>

<br />I want to resist buying without expert advice first, so just to re iterate I dont want to do green screen amd the size is for head and shoulders only ( at a push full length) & it has to fit in my car (Passatt) and be tough.<br>

Any advice welcome :-)<br />Thanks,<br>

David</p>

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[craig_shearman1]

<p>Look for a product called "Background in a Bag" by Photek. It has been discontinued but you might be able to find it used. It's a single lightstand with top and bottom crossbars, and a 6x7-foot fabric background in your choice of colors that's just the right size of a headshot or even a couple of people. The crossbars break down into three pieces each, the stand collapses and it all fits in a small, easy to carry bag.<br /><br />Even simpler, look under backdrops at <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com">www.bhphotovideo.com</a> and you'll find at least a couple of companies that make a piece of heavy paper (perhaps matte-finish vinyl) about three feet wide. It's attached (or can be attached) to a piece of wood across the top with a hole drilled into it so it can fit onto a single lightstand. Also available in a variety of colors, including ones that are graduated from light to dark. <br /><br />Both of these are from the U.S. and B&H Photo is in New York, but I assume you have similar items/suppliers in the U.K.<br /><br />You can also 1) tape a piece of white seamless or other background material to a wall with gaffer tape (holds well but doesn't leave a mess or peel off the paint when you remove it) or simply shoot against a white wall. Obviously you have to keep the subject far enough away to not get shadows and you have light properly. Go to the Lighting 101 section on <a href="http://www.strobist.com">www.strobist.com</a> and look up the Corner Headshot lesson. He explains how to shoot these in a corner of an office, where you use a single flash in an umbrella, one white wall provides the background and the other white wall acts as a reflector.</p>

[James G. Dainis]

I used to use a projection screen made for slide shows. It was self contained with a stand and the screen rolled up into a 3 inch base tube. Got it at Goodwill or somewhere for $5. Looked like this:

 

http://fan1029.en.ec21.com/Projection_Screen--910078_910095.html

[JDMvW]

<p>As Craig said, in the USA, both Adorama and B&H (and others, I'm sure) sell painted, and so on, backdrops. I don't know if Jessops is still in business or not, but someone of that kind across the lake?<br>

They look nice and aren't terribly expensive.<br>

Brands of "backdrops" are Backdrop Alley, Botero, Westcott (all 10x12 feet at around $70US), plus there is seamless background paper.<br>

There is even a huge "collapsible" light box for portrait work called the Lastolite Mini Studio Cubelite (ca $300US).</p>

 

[pete_s.]

<p>I use a foldable 4x6 ft reflector. It has both white and black as well as gold and some other options. It folds down to something like 2 ft flat and comes with a bag.</p>

<p>It's either a small backdrop or a large reflector for me. I just hang it on a regular light stand with a clamp. No booms or other stuff like that needed when used like that. Pops up in second so setup time is minimal.</p>

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