Budget backdrop

Muhozol

Hello everyone,
I'm new to studio lighting and trying to set up a small studio at home. At present I've been searching for some budget backdrop and found an online fabric shop. My question is : will something like this crushed velvet do the job as a background? https://secure.online-fabrics.co.uk/Velvet-Fabrics/Black-Crushed-Velvet
Any advice is welcomed. I might also consider other suggestions because I'm desperate to get started asap
Cheers

noby

How about something like this?

Muhozol

That's a cool idea and I've seen that before. The only problem is that muslin fabric in my local store is more expensive than the velvet I linked.
Any more ideas? Is crushed velvet really so bad?

AnCatDubh

I went with a black out blind from ikea and a telescopic pole (stop sniggering down the back rows please) to mount it in a door frame. Depending on what size you are looking for this might be a viable option.

It gives the likes of this;



or this;



so is appropriate for portraits where you want them on black. In reality, for what i've shown here, a large black A1 card from your local crafts shop would have done. But i'm assuming you want to take people in you setup.

Other colours are available too. Obviously look out for the drop that they have that they will cover the desired area that you are looking to fill.

Might be worth checking out.

Only thing I found is that they don't take too kindly to creases. Obviously if they were on a window it wouldn't be a problem but when you are unraveling and reraveling the whole time you need to be careful for creases in them. What creases I did get in mine haven't shown in the photography.

Quackles

I use large fleecey throws I bought in penneys for a fiver each. Have white, black, dark brown, light brown and blue. Works well for small kids etc, but need to rethink my strategy for bigger kids and adults. I would imagine that would be similar to the crushed velvet, but with a longer pile. I was discussing the blind idea with the hubby only last night, so there'll be no sniggering from this corner

Chorcai

AnCatDubh wrote: »

In reality, for what i've shown here, a large black A1 card from your local crafts shop would have done.

Would the black card give a slight glare when using a flash ? unless you use what I know as sugar paper, mainly used for pastel/chalk drawings it's slight mate and would absorb the flash rather than bounce it back if you get what I mean .

IRTT:

Cheap white bed sheets ? Like the burshed cotton type, could also dye them as well.

Quackles

Chorcai wrote: »

Cheap white bed sheets ? Like the burshed cotton type, could also dye them as well.

I tried the sheets thing, it was hard to iron out the wrinkles and I hated the look of the wrinkles when I didn't.

GhostInTheRuins

I had shoot some boring household products last week for a brochure, never did anything like it before so didn't really have a clue what I was doing. I couldn't find any good material for a backdrop so I had to improvise, I managed to make a grand black backdrop from some of my heavy metal t-shirts turned inside out and draped over a row of wine and whiskey bottles. I was very proud of that one

Muhozol

Thanks for replies and excellent photos included. That fleece seems a great idea I need to visit Pennys over the weekend. Especially that I also have my young fellow to take pics of.
Thanks again

DK32

I picked up a large piece of card from a local stationary shop. Matt black on one side and matt white on the reverse.
I haven't really played around with it much as I'm more into getting out and about. That said with the winter fast on it's way I think i will have to try to do a bit more at home.

This was taken as a test with the matt black side and a Stofen diffuser.

Muhozol

That's a great sample shot DK32 I'm wondering what is your board called. Is it foamcore? Is the sheet big enough for headshots or shooting kids? Thanks for your reply

DK32

Hi Muhozol,

I honestly don't know what it's called as it's just sold as a blank double sided sheet of card. Most good stationary or art's & craft's shops should sell them.

The dimensions are, 60cm wide x 80cm high, you could fix it to a wall for doing headshots. For kids i'd say that would be tricky, getting cheap linen bed sheets from penny's, dunnes, tkmax etc.. would be the way to go, or if you have plain/neutral coloured walls available to use, this can work well depending on available light.

Muhozol

I'm going to order that crushed velvet fabric anyway just to give it a try so hopefully sometime next week I'll try to post some sample photos as soon as the backdrop arrives. Thanks guys for posting...:D

squareballoon

Also think about something like this Material is fine but the reflection on folds can be wicked. I got a collapsible background which was white one one side and black the other. It makes a big difference when you don't have to iron and make sure it's always flat. Especially if you're photographing moving things.
I know you said budget and this may be expensive but after I went through getting the material first and getting frustrated with it and then having to move on to a collapsible background it was more expensive that way in the long run.