Ideas for Inexpensive Backdrops?

[elementgs]

I just picked up a small job in my local area and wanted to set up a decent backdrop for them to shoot photos in front of, hopefully relatively inexpensive if possible.

Can anyone suggest an inexpensive backdrop stand, or mount, or something I can travel easy with and set up in a professional office environment without looking too cheap?

Thanks!

 

[480sparky42 41]

I typically buy plain old bedsheets.

 

[IzzieK]

Go to a discount fabric store like Hancock's fabrics or Jo-Ann's and rummage through their throwaway end of rolls then hang your backdrop in a dowel using staples or clothes pin. Hancock's or similar discount stores have a table of end of roll or for thowaways for 50c or a dollar/yard.

 

[KmH]

Impact Background Support System - 12' Wide

Twelve feet is the maximum width. The cross bar is in 4 sections so the support can be set up so it's 6 feet or 9 feet wide.

I hope you have a legal business, a solid contract, and business liability insurance if you're going to be shooting for pay in a "professional office environment".

 

[elementgs]

I hope you have a legal business, a solid contract, and business liability insurance if you're going to be shooting for pay in a "professional office environment".

Since 1996.

It's just headshots for a bunch of realtors, nothing too complicated yet but may inevitably grow to be something a bit more substantial.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I picked up a backdrop kit with light stands. I was thinking about going generic but this would likely work better.

 

[Derrel]

Microfiber plush blankets make decent backdrops that do not tear or wrinkle easily. Target sells some good ones of generous size. You can smooth the fabric, or brush it or rough it up using various devices like a ruler, yardstick,paint brush, coffee can top,your hands, and so on. Since it is fabric, it can be hung tautly and smoothly, or draped, or bunched, as desired. It's fairly non-reflective, and will not show diffuse highlights like paper will, so it "takes the light" in an interesting way compared to other fabrics and vinyls and such.

 

[kundalini]

Properly lit and having your distances sufficient, you can use practically anything. See this old pice of black cloth I found? See how sheer it is? See how wrinkled it is?

The room is approximately 16x14' and I was about 6' from the backdrop.

On the other hand, I also very much Lastolite's collapsible background. I preferred the molted grey, which is lighter one one side and darker on the other.

With gels, you can make the background color whatever you like.

Just my 2¢.

 

[elementgs]

Worth more than 2¢, thank you for your feedback.

I'm fortunate enough to have a really massive fabric store nearby so I'm hoping to get some good sized cloth. As mentioned, it's not really necessary to get much in terms of quality or thickness though I may end up going that route anyways. I've always liked thicker backdrops.

Thanks again for all the help guys, much appreciated. I kinda lucked into this photoshoot so I don't want to blow it by looking like a total amateur.

 

[minicoop1985]

I just used black felty velvety stuff for this one. Not even that large of a piece either.

Feuer und Eis by longm1985, on Flickr

Not a portrait, but whatevs. The truth is, your client may look at you skeptically, but show them the final product and wow them.

 

[Braineack]

I've used the same:

and after it was all said and done:


Blue Champagne Flute 4 by The Braineack, on Flickr

 

[TheNevadanStig]

I recently picked white and black poster boards for 50 cents a piece at the dollar store. I just use them for our cats. I just set them against the wall on my bed then set their favorite bed/pad in front of them. Seems to work pretty good considering how cheap I'm doing it.

Once cropped and edited:
079 by TheNevadanStig, on Flickr

011 by TheNevadanStig, on Flickr

 

[JoeW28]

I just picked up a small job in my local area and wanted to set up a decent backdrop for them to shoot photos in front of, hopefully relatively inexpensive if possible.

Can anyone suggest an inexpensive backdrop stand, or mount, or something I can travel easy with and set up in a professional office environment without looking too cheap?

Thanks!

1. I purchased some backdrops off of Amazon...20' x 10' for about $30 each.

2. Go to Home Depot and buy paint drop cloths. Some are cloth. Some are plastic on one side and cloth on the other. Others are just plastic (which are wonderful scrims.

 

[elementgs]

Some excellent feedback here and I absolutely love the cat photos. Brilliant shots. The glasses look amazing as well, great work.

I have my first shoot on the 18th so still a good week to prepare everything. I'll have to set this all up and hopefully snap some shots of the kids this week.


As a second question, the owner of the company offered a room for me to use but it's not 100% controlled light and looks like I'll have about 30% ambient lighting from the windows. There are shades drawn but light is still coming in. How badly do you think that'll effect the setup? I ordered two light stands which may be sufficient in lighting everything up decently enough but should I seek to black out the windows as well? They're massive so I don't even know if that's a reasonable thought.

 

[Mike_E]

Some excellent feedback here and I absolutely love the cat photos. Brilliant shots. The glasses look amazing as well, great work.

I have my first shoot on the 18th so still a good week to prepare everything. I'll have to set this all up and hopefully snap some shots of the kids this week.


As a second question, the owner of the company offered a room for me to use but it's not 100% controlled light and looks like I'll have about 30% ambient lighting from the windows. There are shades drawn but light is still coming in. How badly do you think that'll effect the setup? I ordered two light stands which may be sufficient in lighting everything up decently enough but should I seek to black out the windows as well? They're massive so I don't even know if that's a reasonable thought.

Take an ambient measurement with your meter and then -if your sync speed allows- set your shutter speed one or more stops above that and increase your aperture for a total of at least three stops. Then do a custom white balance for good measure.

Since the only relevant setting using strobe is aperture in this setting you will have put the ambient down into zone two and shouldn't have to worry.

Good luck