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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Portable Background stands
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Showing posts 1 - 5 of 5, (reverse)
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 01/31/2005 03:35:14 PM · #1
I found a Muslin background stand on Ebay for 75.00. My question is what is the difference in a paper and cloth background? Is one better than the other?
 01/31/2005 03:40:48 PM · #2
Originally posted by Karalew:
I found a Muslin background stand on Ebay for 75.00. My question is what is the difference in a paper and cloth background? Is one better than the other?


Well, the paper is basiclly disposable. When it gets dirty, you tear off the dirty part and unroll a bit more. The cloth BG gets washed. Usually, the paper BG's are one solid color, the cloth BG's ar mottled.

What do you want to use it for? Better depends largely on what you want to do with it.


01/31/2005 04:04:52 PM · #3
Portraits
 01/31/2005 05:07:40 PM · #4
Paper backgrounds are good for tones and more fashion work. You can use colored gels to create some depth on background paper; you don't have a texture that creates an interest in the background. With backgrounds you generally get some color and texture that can add dimension to the photograph because you use lighting (kickers, rim lighting, background lights) to separate the subject(s) from the background. I can't wash these backdrops. They can be wiped off with a damp sponge or cloth but they cannot be washed; I'm using Westcott 10x12'.

When I shoot for portfolios I tend to use paper. When I shoot events I tend to shoot paper. When I shoot family portraits I like to use my cloth backdrops.

Example of cloth backdrop:


Black seamless:


White seamless:


Kev

EDIT: Due to PBase apparently having a bad day I had to download the images from my PBase account and put them up on DPChallenge. The color range seems to suffer slightly from that but at least you can get an idea. When we shoot an event at one of the convention centers, we tend to use gels to color the white backgroung a complimentary color and then put a cheesy border around the image in PhotoShop. People eat 'em up.

Message edited by author 2005-01-31 17:09:47.
 01/31/2005 05:14:14 PM · #5
I really like the look of the cloth backgrounds. I guess it is best to start with one of each.

Originally posted by KevinRiggs:
Paper backgrounds are good for tones and more fashion work. You can use colored gels to create some depth on background paper; you don't have a texture that creates an interest in the background. With backgrounds you generally get some color and texture that can add dimension to the photograph because you use lighting (kickers, rim lighting, background lights) to separate the subject(s) from the background. I can't wash these backdrops. They can be wiped off with a damp sponge or cloth but they cannot be washed; I'm using Westcott 10x12'.

When I shoot for portfolios I tend to use paper. When I shoot events I tend to shoot paper. When I shoot family portraits I like to use my cloth backdrops.

Example of cloth backdrop:


Black seamless:


White seamless:


Kev

EDIT: Due to PBase apparently having a bad day I had to download the images from my PBase account and put them up on DPChallenge. The color range seems to suffer slightly from that but at least you can get an idea. When we shoot an event at one of the convention centers, we tend to use gels to color the white backgroung a complimentary color and then put a cheesy border around the image in PhotoShop. People eat 'em up.
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