# Homemade Backdrop



## SpeedTrap (Oct 27, 2007)

Well I finally picked up some Alien Bees, Got them a few days ago. Got the B1600 and a B800, Large Soft Box and a Silver Umbrella.
After shooting with an old curtain as a backdrop I decided to try and make one. Here is my first attempt Please have a look and let me know what you think.


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## eravedesigns (Oct 28, 2007)

i guess it works but idk maybe have it be darker (backdrop). Something dosent seem right maybe its just the lighting you did.


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## SpeedTrap (Oct 28, 2007)

ok, here is my second backdrop, It is a bit darker.

Any advice on how to make these better would be great!


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## Tolyk (Oct 28, 2007)

I prefered the first, the second just looks like it needs to be ironed to me.


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## Big Mike (Oct 29, 2007)

So how did you go about making them?  Inquiring minds want to know.


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## Blanchettephotography (Oct 29, 2007)

Big Mike said:


> So how did you go about making them?  Inquiring minds want to know.



Here's a great how to........ 

http://www.diyphotography.net/homestudio/chaep-diy-muslin-photography-background

Regards,
George


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## SpeedTrap (Oct 29, 2007)

That is the site I used, but I did not tie mine as tight, I wanted softer texture than the ones shown on the site., But the process works well,
For the 1st backdrop I used 4 packs of RIT dye(Dark Brown) for the second I used 6 packs of RIT (4 X Navy Blue and 2 X Black)


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## schuylercat (Oct 29, 2007)

I helped a friend do this once &#8211; it was kinda fun. Made a massive mess of his back yard, too.

The best ones he did were 3 passes &#8211; pass 1 was tied up tight with a neutral, lighter color, pass 2 was tied up looser with a darker contrast color, then he laid it on the ground, took another darker color (not dye &#8211; some kind of paint), stuck a big honking paint brush in the bucket and spattered it on from a distance.

In the end, we messed up a half-dozen muslins or so before we got a good result. He took the ruined ones, stuck them in a big pail full of bleach, rinsed, then started at step 2 again. He got a good brown, taupe, gray, and green out of it.

They didn&#8217;t look like what they had hanging on the wall at Calumet, but they worked quite well for him.

Those look nice &#8211; a little ironing and off you go. I&#8217;d like to see the results with a model in front of them.


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## SpeedTrap (Oct 29, 2007)

schuylercat said:


> Ia little ironing and off you go. Id like to see the results with a model in front of them.


 
I hope to have them Ironed tonight and then I will post some shots


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## Alpha (Oct 29, 2007)

Backdrops are nice. But your chair (subject) is way too close to the background. Bring it as far forward as you can...wrinkles won't show up so much.


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## SpeedTrap (Oct 29, 2007)

Here is the first pic with the dark background, let me know what you think of the backdrop and the lighting.


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## sallyjv (Nov 1, 2007)

Wow, doesn't even look like the same backdrop. Very nice!


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## elsaspet (Nov 1, 2007)

I think you did great, but you are going to end up hating the way you are drapping them.  
Those swoops are going to draw the eye away from your subject on tight shots.


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