Home Studio Backdrop Question - DPChallenge Forums

01/15/2007 11:10:25 AM · #1

Hi all!

I'm trying to turn my spare bedroom into a small studio. I have another thread going about my new portrait lens that I just bought myself...

OdysseyF22 and

pamelasue gave me a few suggestions for a backdrop... Other Thread, using some pvc pipe and some muslin for the backdrop. I looked up muslin at the fabric store, and it comes by the yard. Fabric by the yard is pretty thin widthwise, right? Should I put 2 pieces together? Or will a seam show in the pics? Or does anyone have any other advice, suggestions for me? I am going to make the stand for it out of pvc pipe (going the budget friendly way for this project!).

Thank you all my brilliant dpcers!

01/15/2007 11:19:43 AM · #2

if you look back at the other thread ... I've posted some pics of my setup ... the background was purchased on eBay from "Amvona" ... if you watch the auctions you can get them pretty cheap ... they've got a good selection of sizes and colors also ... one end has a rod pocket and the other end has grommets in it ... I'm very happy with the size and quality and plan to purchase more from them in the future ...

01/15/2007 11:23:01 AM · #3

Originally posted by pamelasue:

Thanks Girl! You've been so helpful! I did see the pics, and it looks great... It would be perfect for what I'm trying to do. :)

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

01/15/2007 11:24:10 AM · #4

No worries ... good luck and be sure to post pics when you've got it built!

dacrazyrn

Nikon D300

01/15/2007 11:27:35 AM · #5

I have a lot of experience with PVC. Check out this PDF on building your own Tinker Tubes
//www.software-cinema.com/tinkertubes/tt-book.pdf

a few sets of possible helpful forum posts
//dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=266936
//dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=106899

Lighting tutorials
for under $200
Basic studio
cheap studio
useful
another useful

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

01/15/2007 11:33:23 AM · #6

Originally posted by dacrazyrn:

thank you SO much. There's tons of helpful info in there! :)

Magen*

snaffles

Nikon D7100

01/15/2007 11:35:11 AM · #7

Sometimes fabric stores have huge clearance sales and you can get swatches of cool material. Charity stores like Sally Ann also tend to be good sources of possible backdrops.

Good luck!

giggle4fun

Nikon D70

01/15/2007 11:36:41 AM · #8

Magenmarie -

I've made my own backdrops and I've ordered through Amvona and a few other places. I have to say, its well worth the price to buy them already made. I bought plain muslin at a fabric store and added color dye to them myself. Word of advice - make sure you have a large enough space that you can get messy in. It was simple enough to do, just messy & a little time consuming.

Fabric is sold by the yard and usually has a set width. You can usually find muslin that is 45 inches wide (it's folded in half, so you really get 90 inches or 7.5 feet wide). This has worked well for me. I would not suggest getting anything narrower than 45 inches. I also went for 5 yards lengthwise and then cut it in half after dying. I use one on the ground and one as the background (this is nice because you don't have to worry about someone tripping on the fabric and pulling your whole system down).

If you go for 3 yards in length, you still end up with a 7.5 x 9 foot piece that is versatile. For individual shots, you can hang it to cover part of the ground. For larger groups, you can hang it so it is wider.

I wouldn't sew two pieces together because you will see the seems if you don't have a lot of space between your subject and background. If your using a bedroom, I am assuming that space is tight.

Also, the PVC thing works well if you're not planning on moving it anywhere. I bought a siple JBL background stand for $99 off of ebay & it allows for more portability. Check out your dollar store for clamps to hold the fabric to the PVC pipe. I found a pack of 6 in the tools section (they're orange, but I turn them to the backside of the backgdrop so they aren't visible anyways).

Good luck to you

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

01/15/2007 11:47:59 AM · #9

Thank you Giggly!!

I will take a look at the fabric store today and see if they have the muslin... I appreciate your feedback! I hope to be able to make this for less than $100, but I'll have to research and see if that's even possible...if not, I may look into the Amvona store for the already made stands. :) Thank you so much.

dassilem

Nikon D90

01/15/2007 11:51:22 AM · #10

how do you keep the backdrops from being wrinkled?? does throwing them in the dryer de-wrinkle them??

I had been using bedsheets and actually had to iron them (that was a pain) any ideas??

OdysseyF22

Panasonic DC-G9

Olympus 12-45mm /f4.0 Pro

01/15/2007 11:53:15 AM · #11

Amvona has some good stuff to look into, as does Adorama. But to do it yourself will certainly be cheaper.

And I'll second what was posted above about seams - they're a pain in the butt and should be avoided. I had two pieces of muslin sewn together thinking I could just clone the seam out later, and it was a hassle every time. Doing it in two pieces like

giggle4fun suggested is probably best.

OdysseyF22

Panasonic DC-G9

Olympus 12-45mm /f4.0 Pro

01/15/2007 11:55:34 AM · #12

Originally posted by dassilem:

how do you keep the backdrops from being wrinkled?? does throwing them in the dryer de-wrinkle them??

I had been using bedsheets and actually had to iron them (that was a pain) any ideas??

I've heard that you have to iron them. I always used white sheets and set the lites to blow them as much as possible, then touched it up in post-processing. If you're using a colored background, I guess you either go for the "wrinkly" crinkled look, or go to lengths to keep them flat.

Just remembered - someone posted a while back that they hung theirs from a clothsline when it was wet, with the bottom weighted, and that kept wrinkles from forming.

01/15/2007 12:02:17 PM · #13

Originally posted by magenmarie:

You should be able to make the PVC back drop for under $20 or so ... a backdrop (shipped) from amvona for less than $50 if you watch carefully ...

01/15/2007 12:39:46 PM · #14

Almost anything can be used as a backdrop. It just needs to be big enough to fill your frame and interesting (or uninteresting) enough to complement your photo.

Some ideas I've been having:
* Bamboo window shades, the kind that roll up.
* Fake brick paneling
* Fake stucco paneling
* Vinyl flooring
* Sheet metal (especially aged and beaten up sheet metal)
* Aged plywood siding

Or maybe I just spend too much time in Home Depot :-)

Message edited by author 2007-01-15 12:41:27.

01/15/2007 12:56:55 PM · #15

those are all great suggestions! might have to borrow a few ;)

01/15/2007 01:57:09 PM · #16

Originally posted by pamelasue:

those are all great suggestions! might have to borrow a few ;)

Just buy some clamps to hold the sheets to your background stand.

01/15/2007 02:05:01 PM · #17

I need to do that for my black background ... it just gets draped right now ...

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super for Canon

01/15/2007 02:11:22 PM · #18

Originally posted by pamelasue:

I need to do that for my black background ... it just gets draped right now ...

This types of clamp works well... I bought some cheap plastic ones at a dollar store for about a dollar each.

nemesise1977

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

01/15/2007 02:14:31 PM · #19

//amvona.com/v7/shop/?page=shop/index

good place to look, decnt equipment, and cheap, basicaly knockoffs of the name brand equipment

01/15/2007 02:17:39 PM · #20

Originally posted by nemesise1977:

//amvona.com/v7/shop/?page=shop/index

DjFenzl

01/15/2007 02:33:03 PM · #21

I have a question about background paper (and I don't mean to hijack this thread, only add to it)

If you are alone and raising it say 10 feet, how the heck do you raise it, pull out the required amount and keep the entire roll from flying out?!?

I got 2 rolls of 9 foot wide paper a few months ago and on my first set up I accidentally unrolled all 12 yards of it onto the floor. Now I try and find a second person to help but there has to be an easier way.

01/15/2007 02:52:46 PM · #22

Originally posted by Megatherian:

LOL, I did the same thing :-) Take a clamp and put it on the end of the roll to keep it from unwinding. After you have raised the paper remove the clamp roll out enough paper and then put the clamp back on.

01/15/2007 04:44:10 PM · #23

Thank you for all the help everyone. :) I'm going to home depot tonight! Whoooooooo!

tapeworm_jimmy

01/15/2007 04:48:14 PM · #24

Yeah, this is lookin good. Thanks for the posts!