[bdery]

about muslin, one problem I know about cheap one is that they are very thin. so for example, if ur room is not very sealed around window, and ur black muslin is very thin, then the light will pass through the black muslin..and it will not look very black.

Thanks, that's useful. I don't see myself using the black backdrop against a window, but it's probable it will hapopen sometime.

Regarding paper, my plan is to be able to travel with the backdrop so paper really isn't for me.

You dont check the PYP section much do you?

I guess I don"t. I'm still trying to figure out what PYP stands for

[eddie1960]

Thanks, that's useful. I don't see myself using the black backdrop against a window, but it's probable it will hapopen sometime.

Regarding paper, my plan is to be able to travel with the backdrop so paper really isn't for me.



I guess I don"t. I'm still trying to figure out what PYP stands for

Post your pictures sction. Yeatzee is the king of Bug Macros

an example (that just blows me away, i'm hopeless at macros)

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-your-photos/154857-macro-yeatzees-ma...stack-yet.html

[Internetpilot]

I've purchased three different muslin backdrops on Ebay, and I've been very satisfied with them. I have white, black, and a medium blue "tie-dyed", which was great for the pseudo "school pictures" that I shoot of my kids since the photography shop the school uses doesn't seem willing to sell pictures in packages less than $100(+)/per kid.

When I was doing my shopping, these were middle priced of all the ones available, and specifically advertised in the descriptions that they were thicker fabric, denser weave, etc. I can look up the name of the Ebay store if you're interested. All three of mine are 10'x20'.

I store them by folding them in about 2' wide "strips" width-wise, and then loosely roll up the final 2'x10' wide strip (like a sleeping bag). That leaves horizontal creases in them, but those have a better chance of falling out by just hanging them and gravity also helps if you have to do a quick steam on them. For steaming them at the scene, I just use a $19 Rowenta mini travel iron (that I already owned) that has a vertical steaming feature on it. You don't need a pro steamer with a 5-gallon reservoir just to smooth out a few creases.

I've mostly used the backdrops at school or church events (dances, formals, parties, fundraisers, etc.). When I was forced to put my backdrop in front of a window at a church (with a bright street light -- not the sun, thankfully), I just hung the black one behind the white one, and had no problems.

I'm very much an amateur/hobbyist, so I'm sure there are people here far more knowledgeable than me, but in my opinion you can definitely do well with relatively inexpensive backdrops, and muslin is definitely workable. Like you, I stayed away from paper because I didn't really have a safe place to store it, and once it's messed up it's messed up.

Good luck!

[bdery]

I can look up the name of the Ebay store if you're interested. All three of mine are 10'x20'.

I'd like that. The store I had found was relunctant to discuss the thickness but they ended up saying it's pretty thin...

I just hung the black one behind the white one, and had no problems.

I had thought about that, yes. And the reverse could be done if you need black in front of you.

Did you purchase portable fixations or did you get creative and build something by yourself? That's the last point I have to figure out. In my future garage (I'm moving next year) I figure I can use the ceiling and use a standard pole, but if I want to travel things get more complicated...

[liukaitc]

I just bought black and white Collapsible Reversible background recently...my home is small. I find use paper is a bit troublesome..

I intially bought the Botero 5 x 7 black and white one....but I find there are a lot of wrinkle and the material is thin..so I want a better one..

so I exchanged to lastolite 6 x 7 black and white one..which cost 210..the botero one only cost 80...

but I am still a bit disppointed..the wrinkle is reduced but still has some, and the material is still thin...is that worth the extra money...I do not know...

[Wheatfield]

We get our muslins from the local fabric shop. The last roll we bought was 12' wide x 70' long (or close, we are metric).
We paint our own.
If you want to keep the muslin flat, after painting it you can wash it and press it, but it is nearly impossible to keep them perfect.
This is where the small format cameras fall down a little bit. If you want the muslin out of focus, you need to have the subject a fair ways away from it, which means a pretty big room. Our room is some 36 feet from backdrop to wall, and I can't get the muslins out of focus (the 135 format guy can't either, but he comes closer).

[bdery]

We get our muslins from the local fabric shop. The last roll we bought was 12' wide x 70' long (or close, we are metric).

I'm metric too, but this is often an imperial forum. And in Quebec, we often work with both systems

I didn't know fabric stores carried 12' cloth. That could be a very interesting solution. Thanks!

For the record, which store do you go to?

[NicoleAu]

I'm surprised no one has suggested using polar fleece. It's cheap, doesn't wrinkle and absorbs a lot of light. I only have black at the moment but I love using it. I do have to up the blacks in pp but when it cost me $5 for a 6 metre roll, I can live with that. I haven't tried other colours yet, but it should be on sale again soon here as it's nearing the end of winter, yay! Another option for black is velvet, it is even more light absorbent and I'm sure rolling it up after each use, would prevent wrinkles as well.

[Wheatfield]

I'm metric too, but this is often an imperial forum. And in Quebec, we often work with both systems

I didn't know fabric stores carried 12' cloth. That could be a very interesting solution. Thanks!

For the record, which store do you go to?

Any major fabric store should be able to get large muslin rolls, though I would be surprised to find one that stocks muslin that big.

[bdery]

I'm surprised no one has suggested using polar fleece. It's cheap, doesn't wrinkle and absorbs a lot of light. I only have black at the moment but I love using it. I do have to up the blacks in pp but when it cost me $5 for a 6 metre roll, I can live with that. I haven't tried other colours yet, but it should be on sale again soon here as it's nearing the end of winter, yay! Another option for black is velvet, it is even more light absorbent and I'm sure rolling it up after each use, would prevent wrinkles as well.

Good ideas. Velvet would probably be great for black, indeed, much better than muslin.

Any major fabric store should be able to get large muslin rolls, though I would be surprised to find one that stocks muslin that big.

I'll visit the rare and few stores we still have around here. For some reason I doubt they often have customers order things not in stock...

[Bob from Aus]

Thanks Nicole Au, I think you have answered my question. I once had a roll of unused velcrose material at work that did the job very well. I had a belligerent colleague who nicked it for something else (I had personally asked her hands off). Her belligerence eventually got her unstuck.