Backdrops? Muslin? Need advice? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

01/04/2006 07:25:43 PM · #1

I want to purchase some nice background material but I really know nothing about this end of photography. I went to Jo-Anne fabrics as they had a large sale, and although I found some nice fabrics that seemed to have potential ALL of their selections were no more than 54" wide.

OBVIOUSLY, I don't want a seam running down the middle of all my photos....

A friend mentioned "muslin". But I don't know what this means? They did have "muslin" but it was only white...which I am not interested in.

I imagine "shiny" is bad as it will reflect the flash. Some of the microfiber material looked like it might make for a good background.

So, any advice, explanation, education is very much welcomed and desired!

oOWonderBreadOo

Canon EOS-5D

01/04/2006 07:35:30 PM · #2

buy the white & dye it...
make your own backdrop thread :0)

01/04/2006 07:42:23 PM · #3

or just buy one:

Ebay seller

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

01/04/2006 07:44:06 PM · #4

I think you guy's are missing the point...I am trying to learn about them so I know "what" to buy.

a) sorry don't have the time to dye one
b) cheaper to buy one off of ebay
c) looking on ebay, found some affordable ones (but are they good or not)

Message edited by author 2006-01-04 19:44:27.

nova

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM

01/04/2006 07:44:25 PM · #5

Amvona.com has muslin and other backgrounds. I've made one purchase from them with no problems.

hokie

Nikon D2X

01/04/2006 07:44:26 PM · #6

If you are really artisic (versus autistic ..like me :-P ) then make your own.

However, a nice 10 foot x 20 foot heavy muslin will last forever and look really good. I suggest a nice gray...it goes with most everything and goes to black and white well too.

These guys on E-Bay seem to have a lot of studio supplies for less.

Studio supplies

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

01/04/2006 07:45:36 PM · #7

Originally posted by nova:

Amvona.com has muslin and other backgrounds. I've made one purchase from them with no problems.

Yeah, that's who I'm looking at right now...

(i figure over time I'll acquire a red, grey, blue, green...then just mix them together to form any other colored one I want...j/k)

wavelength

Nikon D300

01/04/2006 07:48:56 PM · #8

Originally posted by theSaj:

Originally posted by nova:
Amvona.com has muslin and other backgrounds. I've made one purchase from them with no problems.

Yeah, that's who I'm looking at right now...

(i figure over time I'll acquire a red, grey, blue, green...then just mix them together to form any other colored one I want...j/k)

amvona is also an Ebay seller. You can usually find auctions that end at half their regular online store price.

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED

01/04/2006 07:58:31 PM · #9

A question if I may. How does this work?

Digital CD

nomad469

Nikon D700

01/04/2006 08:05:48 PM · #10

Originally posted by rex:

A question if I may. How does this work?

Digital CD

It works with chromakey which when it works well it is great when it dosent it is a total mess.

I just did a chromakey shoot... after I thought I had it figured out... and I have a true mess on my hands...

The biggest problem that I have found is having the area around the hair drop out cleanly

01/04/2006 08:35:23 PM · #11

I was thinking the hair would be a problem.....Well $129 for a chromakey background and $59 for the cd. Not bad I don't guess. I might buy one this weekend just to see.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon

01/04/2006 08:46:34 PM · #12

Originally posted by hokie:

Same place as Amvona just a lot cheaper

Nusbaum

Fujifilm X-T1

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/04/2006 08:50:32 PM · #13

I personally don't like fabric backgrounds. I am just starting to do some studio work and so far I like seamless background paper the best. Fabric can look like you tossed up a background. Seamless paper simple leaves a seamless color in the background it it's difficult to determine what it is. From my perspective, it just fades away leaving the subject. I bought some from calumet because their shipping was less than B&H, but it's even less if you have a decent photo store close.

just-married

Canon EOS-10D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

01/04/2006 09:08:39 PM · #14

I have to give amvona a thumbs down.

Their hand-painted muslins "bleed" color all over my carpet. Awful.
I highly recommend Silverlake. They are pricey, but worth it. Not a bit of paint flaking off, and very nice variety. They also run deep discounts from time to time, so keep an eye out for that. I got a 10x20 natural for $139 (originally $289).

Here's the link:
//www.silverlakephoto.com/index1.htm

Prof_Fate

01/04/2006 09:49:24 PM · #15

Muslin can be had in 90 and 108 and i think 120 inch widths at walmart - it is with the quilting fabrics. JoAnn should have it too - check with them about it - under QUILTING though.

Walmart is $4 to $5 a yard - so a 9x15 is 5 yards, or $20. of course that is off white and the edges are not sewn/seamed. Easy enough with a machine to seam the edges.

I tried dyeing...due to the size of the material and the fact dye will stain it is recomended to work with it outside in the grass. Too cold for that now here. I may play some more jsut to get more than olive drab out of it. For $25 including the stain it was worth it.

As for the chromakey - 2 things - one is bounce back - where the green (or blue) BG reflects on the subject, and when you drop in another BG the reflections cause issues. The other is for this to work nicely ther eis dedicated software - $500 or more is what it costs. Works well, but even it can have problems with the reflections on the subject. I have replaced the BG several times and hair is always the issue/problem, chromakey or not.

jazzmik

Nikon D300

01/04/2006 09:56:29 PM · #16

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

[snip]

... I have replaced the BG several times and hair is always the issue/problem, chromakey or not.

This works great on hair and other fine detail. Well worth the $100

KevinRiggs

Canon EOS-1Ds

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

01/04/2006 10:43:18 PM · #17

I like using seamless backdrops for models, stock and some event photography. For photos that sell to Mom & Dad muslins work well. Pick one or two pre-made or make a couple for yourself and figure out how to light them. You can have plain flat lighting, rembrandt lighting or mix it up and you can create some images that people will eat up. Most backdrops I've looked into come in the "painted" or "dyed" variety. If you want to buy some of the top quality you probably want to invest in something like Denny, Mfg out of Alabama. Outstanding quality but danged slow service (probably not much worse than anyone else in the industry but they seem to cut & paint a lot of the "scenes" after the order. On hand materials seem to be pretty fast deliveries. Denny's has all kinds of "scenes" painted but be ready to pay for something that looks good. A friend uses one of their basketball scenes for rec league pics & he cleans up. Parents love it even if photographers feel like they're cheesy.

If you want something that won't cost you an arm & leg but will be mildly versatile (you can shoot either side with some slight variation in the hues) try a Westcott muslin link to B&H's stable of Westcotts.

Most muslins I've dealt with should never be washed but should be wiped down to remove footprints/shoeprints.

For background paper I use Savage seamless background paper link to B&H sets of widths (I use 107") and colors

Kev

Prof_Fate

01/04/2006 11:31:08 PM · #18

Wouldn't paper be boring? I mean, black or white for low/hi key, and can probably throw a gelled light on it for some color but for sales to the average joe or jane...

What about transporting it? cloth folds and fits in my trunk (well, not fold as that creases it -more like stuff it in a bag)

deapee

Kodak V803

01/04/2006 11:43:34 PM · #19

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

Paper rolls up, and thus is easier to transport.

oOWonderBreadOo

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

01/04/2006 11:55:21 PM · #20

My roll of paper is on my closet (not transported ever) and crimps show up when I shoot. I have to cut off quite a bit of it every time I bring it out. This is just from it being stored in the original box...

Prof_Fate

01/05/2006 12:05:03 AM · #21

Originally posted by dpaull:

Paper rolls up, and thus is easier to transport.

Yes, but you have a roll or tube of it 9' long. I don't know about you, but that won't fit in my car. may not fit in my van either.

just-married

Canon EOS-10D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

01/05/2006 12:39:39 AM · #22

Paper's definitely not boring, but it gets addicting because you keep wanting more colors. It can get crimped, especially if you're working on carpet, but it's usually fairly easy to fix in pp. For taking on location, I usually cut off a large piece, roll it to go, and can tape to a wall or to the bar of the backdrop stand using masking tape. I end up throwing more away that way because it gets more messed up than it does when I use it in the studio (and because keeping track of loose bits of paper seems like to much work), but it's a good solution. I slide mine under my seats, but I'm a minivan mom, so I have the space.

cools98

Canon EOS R5 Mark II

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM

01/05/2006 01:34:42 AM · #23

Originally posted by dpaull:

Paper rolls up, and thus is easier to transport.

But even though it rolls up, if it is 10 feet wide, it isn't exactly portable from one place to the next, right?

01/05/2006 09:35:58 AM · #24

Problem with Jo-Anne fabrics....

Their max width is like 54"....that's not quite wide enough.

I have a few bids on ebay...so we'll see how it goes.

KevinRiggs

Canon EOS-1Ds