Backdrop types - The best for a medium sized studio space

[Ashley]

I am currently using cotton backdrops and I can never get them wrinkle free. Plus after all the uses they are stained. For a medium sized studio what would you recommend for a backdrop? Paper, vinyl, canvas etc. I will not be transporting them anywhere.

[Shadowman]

I am currently using cotton backdrops and I can never get them wrinkle free. Plus after all the uses they are stained. For a medium sized studio what would you recommend for a backdrop? Paper, vinyl, canvas etc. I will not be transporting them anywhere.

Vinyl might be easier to clean but wouldn't you worry about reflections? Might be insignificant in the long run.

[Steve S]

How about attaching a weighted rod to the bottom to pull the wrinkles out of the cloth.

[Hero]

make it wet while it hangs in the right place, then let it dry. (that's what we sometimes do with backdrops on stage)

BTW, roller-blinds do pretty well too, but if you get wrinkles it's gone because they tend to discolour on the fold.

[Tygart]

I am currently using cotton backdrops and I can never get them wrinkle free. Plus after all the uses they are stained. For a medium sized studio what would you recommend for a backdrop? Paper, vinyl, canvas etc. I will not be transporting them anywhere.

I haven't done any portraits, but I would recommend getting a roll of seamless papers. That is the popular recommendation I keep seeing..

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=REG&A=details

[Colin Southern]

It really depends on the backdrop; seamless is great, but doesn't have any texture. Muslin is cheap, but you really need a steamer to get some of the wrinkles out (they're cheap though).

Plan C is just to throw the wrinkles out of focus by keeping as much distance as you can between the subject and the background.

You can nuke the wrinkles out of white material (with your background lighting), but it's not ideal.

[Squidgy]

I had the same problem with cotton backgrounds and being limited for space I could not get the subject far enough away from the background to throw it out enough to eliminate the creases so I tried paper and it works a treat. Paper is relatively cheap compared to vinyl and when it gets dirty or torn you just cut it and roll out some more. I can get a 2.7 meter wide by 11 meter long roll for less than £45 and when you are finished shooting you just roll it back onto the tube and store it. Cheap and not a crease in sight!

[PRSearls]

I shoot occasional portraits (individuals to families) at church. I use a black, king-size sheet, suspended from a telescoping backdrop rod on two light stands. I use a wall-paper steamer to get the wrinkles out. I light the sheet with a studio flash with a red gel. Adjusting the exposure of the backdrop gives a range of color from black to an intense red. I prefer to light it about 1 to 1.5 stops below the subject's exposure to get a nice dark red (red wine color) that looks nice with skin tones. I have other gel colors but I personally prefer red. When I'm shooting these portraits, I have a very limited amount of time so I have to use a standard lighting setup rather than adjust for each individual like one would normally (and ideally) use in a studio. A cotton sheet is cheap and very portable. I have a muslin backdrop but prefer the sheet for this application.

- Paul -

[Tygart]

I have used a photo light tent, with cloth backgrounds, and even with a steamer I could not get the wrinkles out.

[Ashley]

I have tried washing the backdrop just before a session and still end up with wrinkles. My studio space isn't as long as I need to get the subjects far enough away. I have been kicking around vinyl and found some on backdrop outlet. Here is the link to one I have been looking at http://www.backdropoutlet.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AB406
All the reviews look good. What do you guys think?

[Ashley]

I haven't done any portraits, but I would recommend getting a roll of seamless papers. That is the popular recommendation I keep seeing..

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=REG&A=details

I have thought about paper. I do a lot of work with children and it seems like they are always dirty :-/ The vinyl I have been looking at says you can just wipe it clean. If it turns out as good as the reviews say, it would be worth the extra money to get vinyl and save on the paper (although my son would love to color on the waste paper ;-) )

[rpcrowe]

There are good muslin backgrounds and lousy muslin backgrounds (just like good and bad bed sheets). The good ones won't hold wrinkles as badly if you stuff them in a stuff bag (never-never fold them) and occasionally throw them in a clothes dryer along with a damp towel and a couple of sheets of fabric softener. The bad ones will always look like an unmade bed. Throwing them OOF is about the only option but, will not work all the time. Sometimes they will still look like an unmade bed that is out of focus.

I really like canvas. It is not very portable and good ones are expensive (cheap ones often look bad).

Another possibility is a flat painted gray wall...