|
Ready to take the plunge and set up a studio? Yes you'll need to buy a set of lights (covered in depth by Joe Farace in his excellent series on studio lighting), and the best camera to capture the images you desire, but what's behind the subject is as important as what's in front of it.
Backdrops come in a wide variety of sizes, and materials, and range from simple solids to subtle patterns, and even custom-painted, photo-realistic (or surrealistic) scenes.
If you’re just starting out, your studio may be a spare room, or the basement, or garage. If the rooms have multiple purposes, you need flexible setups that can be easily broken down and stored. (See Joe Farace's Portraits without a Studio for an example.) This limits your choices, but not by much. If you have dedicated space, anything goes, limited only by your budget and commitment.
So, what kind of backdrops are out there, and which are best for you?
Muslin
Adorama Belle Drape Old Masters Series. Muslins have become a popular material for their light weight, relatively low cost, and versatility.
Muslin is a lightweight material that can be used as a solid-looking background when hung flat, or can be draped over anything to transform the look of a picture. Because of the fabric's characteristics, its folds when draped over objects can be very appealing. Muslin material is considerably thinner and lighter than canvas, and doesn't show wrinkles as readily. By manipulating how it hangs and using directional background lighting techniques, you can use Muslin either as a neutral background or a very dramatic one.
Muslin backdrops come in an amazing variety of sizes and patterns. (In fact, there are nearly 2,000 different Muslins available at Adorama!) Sizes range from 5x7 to 16x30 feet, with prices ranging from around $40 for a simple 5x7-foot backdrop to around $630 for a 16x30 patterned design. Many larger Muslins, because they are low-demand items, are made when ordered and shipped directly from the manufacturer. Since this could take up to five weeks, plan such orders carefully and well in advance of any anticipated need.
Velour
Velour is a relatively thick but lightweight material that travels well—it takes a lot of effort to get it to crease. Available in 40”x5’ to 8x12’, Velour can be stuffed in a duffel bag and used on location with minimal fuss. The only limitation of Velour is that it doesn’t come in a wide variety of patterns or colors. Another thing to consider if you have minimal storage space is that Velour’s thickness means it takes up more room than other backgrounds with the same dimensions. However, if you need a low-maintenance backdrop to take on the road, it’s worth getting at least one Velour. Photek makes the best-known line of Velour backdrops, called “Backgrounds in a Bag.”
Velour backdrops range in cost from approximately $38 to $160, so they’re also light on your wallet.
Canvas
Made of moderately thick, heavy material, canvas used to be the most popular of backdrops, but due to their bulkiness and cost, have been eclipsed in popularity by Muslins. Nevertheless, a good canvas backdrop will last a long time and provide a classy look to your scenes. While you can bring canvas backdrops with you, they are best suited for studio work since they easily wrinkle when stored in a duffel bag.
Some canvas backdrops include subtle patterns which provide an interesting but neutral background that does not fight with a portrait subject for attention. Darker backgrounds can be used for low-key lighting, while a lighter backdrop that is well lit can create a completely different hi-key mood. Canvas backdrops at Adorama range in price from around $135 for a 5x7 to $210 for a 7x8-foot cloth.
Try a Collapsible Disc
| Photoflex 5x7' Flexdrop 2, Dual-sided collapsible disc chroma key blue & green background. Disc backgrounds never show creases, are light and easy to set up and break down. But you'll need either an assistant or a stand to hold one. |
|
Location photographers have come to rely on canvas backdrops on that collapse down to flat discs. Usually large enough to accommodate 2-5 sitters (depending on if it is vertical or horizontal, the material is stretched when opened, so wrinkles, a typical problem with standard canvas backdrops, is not an issue. They are light and convenient, and can be leaned against a wall or attached to a stand. There is a wide choice of backgrounds that give you a studio look anywhere, and most discs offer two color schemes and/or designs, one for each side. However collapsible discs are limited to a relatively small range of sizes since a big surface would be difficult to collapse.
Some foldable disc backdrops have "skirts" that extend in front of the backdrop on the floor, resulting in a seamless background for full-length subjects. Prices range from approximately $80 to around $269 for a 6x9 two-sided chromakey.
Seamless paper
Seamless background paper comes in rolls, with typical widths of 26, 53, 107 or 140 inches (although there are some wide widths available. Rolls are usually 12, 35, or 50 yards long. Seamless paper is generally available in solid colors. Prices range from around $15 for short 26-inch rolls to around $172 for 50-yard 107-inch wide rolls.
The most popular color for seamless paper is white--no surprise—and the most popular width is 107 inches (a 12-yard roll of 107-inch-wide paper can range from approx $25 to 40). This paper can be used for portraits, as well as for product/still life photography in smaller sizes. Most studio photographers keep several different rolls of seamless white paper available because it is so flexible (you can cut it to fit) and inexpensive. Prices range from only $8 for a 10x34-inch roll to $183 for a 140"x34-yard roll.
If you are just starting out in studio photography, get a roll or two of seamless paper, and start with white and/or grey. You can build your collection from there as assignments warrant specific colors.
Backdrop supports
Just as with lighting systems and cameras, backdrops require some kind of support. These can be basic affairs that are easy to set up and break down and are well suited for location work, or sophisticated, permanent studio systems that can hold multiple backgrounds that can be raised or lowered either manually or at the flip of a switch. Some photographers get the lightweight systems so they can bring them on location, but also use them in their studios with sand bags at the base to keep them stable. A sophisticated studio support system can cost thousands of dollars, but a portable system shouldn’t set you back more than $100-200.
|
