where to get good cheap backdrops?

neastguy · January 11, 2008

I see em all over ebay.. but are they any good? any recommendations for a newbie?

swintonphoto · January 11, 2008

neastguy wrote:

I see em all over ebay.. but are they any good? any recommendations for a newbie?

I have bought most of my backdrops on ebay, and, as expected some were good, some were not. However, about 6 months ago I bought some backdrops from "skaeserbackgrounds" - a seller on ebay - and have been very pleased with them. You could go check out their store on ebay - got tons of stuff.
I don't know if they have the ones I got, but I got a 12'x20' white and 12'x20' black backdrop together for under $200. And they are excellent quality. (they may be 12'x24')

Rene` · January 11, 2008

Wrinkles

swintonphoto wrote:

I have bought most of my backdrops on ebay, and, as expected some were good, some were not. However, about 6 months ago I bought some backdrops from "skaeserbackgrounds" - a seller on ebay - and have been very pleased with them. You could go check out their store on ebay - got tons of stuff.
I don't know if they have the ones I got, but I got a 12'x20' white and 12'x20' black backdrop together for under $200. And they are excellent quality. (they may be 12'x24')

I think I got the same ones...just curious.... how do you store it and get the wrinkles out???

Nikolai · January 11, 2008

swintonphoto wrote:

I have bought most of my backdrops on ebay, and, as expected some were good, some were not. However, about 6 months ago I bought some backdrops from "skaeserbackgrounds" - a seller on ebay - and have been very pleased with them. You could go check out their store on ebay - got tons of stuff.
I don't know if they have the ones I got, but I got a 12'x20' white and 12'x20' black backdrop together for under $200. And they are excellent quality. (they may be 12'x24')

Hey, thanks for the referral, this guy is local for me, I'm gonna check the store out

claudermilk · January 11, 2008

What I did (and this can work for you Nikolai) is went to the LA fabric district with my wife (she haunts that areas far too often) and just got some black & white fabric. Then she sewed up a pocket at one end and hemmed the other. Much cheaper. For those not near a resource like that, any fabric store ought to do. They run sales all the time. For the basics, this works fine. Just look at the width, I found 120" white, and 80" black which had to be doubled up for my full width.

Nikolai · January 11, 2008

claudermilk wrote:

What I did (and this can work for you Nikolai) is went to the LA fabric district with my wife (she haunts that areas far too often) and just got some black & white fabric. Then she sewed up a pocket at one end and hemmed the other. Much cheaper. For those not near a resource like that, any fabric store ought to do. They run sales all the time. For the basics, this works fine. Just look at the width, I found 120" white, and 80" black which had to be doubled up for my full width.

Chris,
I'm not familiar with the Fabric District. I goggled it, is this it?
We have some local stores in our city, like Jo-Ann Fabrics, is it basically the same stuff, or LA's much better?

James S · January 11, 2008

I buy 9 feet wide paper rolls that are 12 yards long from B & H here. $39.95. Pretty expensive to ship $16 for one roll but if you order more it gets cheaper.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=search&A=search&Q=&sb=bs%2Cupper%28ds%29&sq=asc&ac=&bsi=&ci=1395&shs=&at=Size_9%27&basicSubmit=Submit+Query

swintonphoto · January 11, 2008

Rene` wrote:

I think I got the same ones...just curious.... how do you store it and get the wrinkles out???

I just fold them up - they have wrinkles, but, every muslin I have had does. I think it's just the nature of the fabric. But, I find that if you light carefully you can blow out the white backdrop, and keep light away from the black backdrop - thus the wrinkles arent an issue. For example, here is a portrait I just did of my wife and I with the black backdrop:

Here is another one:

I was just careful to not point the lights directly at the backdrop. Plus, if you properly expose, the black will likely loose all detail anyway unless you shine your strobes right on them.
I also often like to use the backdrop to add some folds, texture, and wrinkles - to create some cool effects.
But, if you need to get the wrinkles out, the best thing would be to use a steamer.

claudermilk · January 14, 2008

Nikolai wrote:

Chris,
I'm not familiar with the Fabric District. I goggled it, is this it?
We have some local stores in our city, like Jo-Ann Fabrics, is it basically the same stuff, or LA's much better?

Yeah, that looks like it. I know Blue Moon and Michael Levine are in it. You will see everything Jo-Ann's has, and much more--AND it's cheaper. Haggling is part of the deal, so prices are flexible. Bring cash to possibly skip tax as well.

Nikolai · January 14, 2008

claudermilk wrote:

Yeah, that looks like it. I know Blue Moon and Michael Levine are in it. You will see everything Jo-Ann's has, and much more--AND it's cheaper. Haggling is part of the deal, so prices are flexible. Bring cash to possibly skip tax as well.

Cash? Really? I see, so it's like a flea market, bazaar even.. :-)
Thanks!

Art Scott · January 14, 2008

Rene` wrote:

I think I got the same ones...just curious.... how do you store it and get the wrinkles out???

depending on how you hang the BD will determine some about the wrinkles....if you use a 12 or 14 ft dowell to roll it on no or very small amt of amall wrinkles...if you take some very small 1/8 - 1/32 cable and use something similar to shower curtain hooks there should be no wrinkles on the vertical part of the BD.....or you can spend a small amt of time to steam the wrinkles out.......

claudermilk · January 15, 2008

Nikolai wrote:

Cash? Really? I see, so it's like a flea market, bazaar even.. :-)
Thanks!

More like the latter, but yes. You can get some smoking deals. Just poke around a bit before buying anything, you never know who's going to have what (and heading for the door sometimes has an amazing effect on the price

).

Nikolai · January 15, 2008

claudermilk wrote:

More like the latter, but yes. You can get some smoking deals. Just poke around a bit before buying anything, you never know who's going to have what (and heading for the door sometimes has an amazing effect on the price ).

Gotcha...:-)

dangin · January 16, 2008

i'm a fan of the westcott backdrops. they're sometimes rebranded as in the case at calumet photo. the're a heavier fabric compared to the cheap muslins that are out there. i fold mine and have very manageable wrinkles. the studio i shoot for uses them exclusively. they hold up well. my only complaint is that they can't be washed. spot cleaning is touchy as well. a 10x12 will run you about $140.

where to get good cheap backdrops?

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