Urgent!!! White Backdrop Needed

abulense

Hi, I'm looking to rent or borrow or buy (secondhand!) a simple background setup for a shoot I have planned for next Monday (with stands and white paper or cloth backdrop). I know they have them in Barker Photographic but they don't rent them out.
Any suggestions or offers greatly appreciated!

Ballyman

Try this

http://www.photographyireland.net/new-white-seamless-backdrop-for-sale-t41713.html

Ballyman

Actually, I have one that you could borrow if you want. I'm in the Dublin area though

abulense

I suppose I should have mentioned that I'm in Cork! I wouldn't be able to get to Dublin but thanks for your offer Ballyman

rameire

If you cant rent/borrow one, you could do one of 2 cheap options:

1. Go to a fabric shop and get a large plain white piece of fabric (just make sure it is not too shiny and is thick-ish!)

2. Buy a plain white shower curtain from Dunnes or somewhere alike.

You can then throw it over a curtain pole & bulldog clip/clothes peg in place, or pin to the wall with thumb tacks...

This is what I did when I was stuck & short on time before a shoot and it works wonders.

Thecageyone

If you're really stuck, buy a white cotton sheet in Heatons or Dunne's or Penneys. It might need a quick iron over to remove the usual fold creases and if you've no other way to hang it have someone stand on a chair behind the subjects holding the sheet out with arms out-stretched. Last resort type thing, but it'll do the job. A little work in PP maybe, using dodge or an exposure adjustment brush over the white will make it appear like it was a proper lit studio backing.

rameire

Thecageyone wrote: »

someone stand on a chair behind the subjects holding the sheet out with arms out-stretched.

Good idea!

abulense

That's great advice guys! Thanks so much. Going to head out to Hickey's fabric shop and B&Q today to see if I can come up with something!

rameire

Great, let us know how you get on and post a pic!

abulense

Thecageyone wrote: »

have someone stand on a chair behind the subjects holding the sheet out with arms out-stretched

The shoot could take a few hours so not too sure about this idea!!!

abulense

rameire wrote: »

Great, let us know how you get on and post a pic!

Will do!

Thecageyone

abulense wrote: »

The shoot could take a few hours so not too sure about this idea!!!

That is one problem with it. We did it here when I was shooting portraits of the kids. Myself and the missus took turns holding a silk bed spread up as backing. I'd set the camera up and use the remote for some of the shots, or have her press the shutter as once it was set up I didn't need to change settings much. We were opposite a large window using natural light. I was converting all the images to B&W so it didn't matter that we used a red backing, turned out a nice silvery grey

abulense

Thecageyone wrote: »

silk bed spread up as backing

I'm now wondering what type of fabric would be best to use?? Cotton/nylon/silk??? Have you tried and tested a few different types?

Thecageyone

I've tried a bit of this and that, last shoot I did I just shot against a slightly off-white wall. I was able to bring that to white in PS using dodge, set to highlight @ 10, I did have to create a layer mask and do some fine tune brushing to make sure the subjects wren't affected though. I knew while shooting I was going to have to do this later. Better off get it right on location. I should have brought a king size white sheet that day.

You could hang your sheet/fabric over curtain rails either, or if there's patio doors like I have here you can do that with the curtains pulled back behind to let some light pass through. All sorts of things you can try.

AnCatDubh

If interested in something a bit more production like - try barker photographic supplies who are in Cork if memory serves me.

If going for a bed sheet or similar and you want a pure white background, and *if* you have or can get your hands on a second flash/trigger, you can blow the background whilst keeping the subject properly exposed. Your second flash will be triggered by your camera - but with the second flash in manual mode and playing with the power settings, you should be able to blow the background right out of there - so the camera when it takes its image will see a properly exposed subject in the foreground and a continuous bright (white) area behind them.

Thecageyone

That is something that would have saved me a lot of PP work last time out, really need to get a second strobe for the background.