Alphabravo2020 wrote:
I am setting up for a portrait shoot and I'm wondering about hanging the backdrop. I see that there are rectangular frames for this but I'm wondering if I could use a couple of C stands. I think the backdrop roll is 8 or 10 ft wide. Can I add horizontal bars to two C-stands to hang the backdrop? Can I use grip arms on the C stands and a horizontal bar to extend the backdrop out over and above the subjects? Something like a pair of the following but with a horizontal bar at the top of the stand and at the end of the arms. This will put the backdrop under, behind, and over the subjects. TIA.
I am setting up for a portrait shoot and I'm wonde... (
show quote)
Alphabravo2020!
Before you begin, a few questions need to be asked! Are you shooting individual portraits or groups, head and shoulders, half-length or full lengths? One-time shoot or into the future with multiple shoots? Do you have the width and depth in terms of space to set up a 9-foot wide seamless backdrop with a few more feet along the sides
for the stands and shooting space in front of the backdrop?
Your answers would determine what to do, buy and set up.
If you're only doing head and shoulder portraits against a plain neutral background, you could just use a white-painted wall or black and white foam boards or even a white shower curtain! By varying the intensity of your lights, the background can be varied from white to medium grey to black. If you insist on backdrop paper or want colors, you can buy rolls of neutral and colored paper from leading brands such as Savage at photo and art supply stores or via online. Don't forget that the shipping could be as much as the backdrop!
If only doing heads against a backdrop, you might need only a 53-inch half roll of paper but groups would require the 9' wide roll. You can buy seamless paper stands and crossbars via eBay or Amazon and elsewhere at various price points, the studier the stands, the more costly. You would need stands that can extend upwards to approximately 8'. If you already have C-stands, you only need a crossbar and a clamp to keep the paper from unraveling due to inertia. As others have mentioned, no need to extend the backdrop up to the ceiling.
I suggested the following in a September 2021 reply to another UHHer who also needed a backdrop:
I highly recommend Savage Paper's:
https://www.amazon.com/Savage-Travel-Backdrop-Kit-White/dp/B07SB2HNFLI bought from B&H several years ago, 2 sets of the X-frame 5x7 backdrop kits which were half-priced as demo units. They were the full kit including the stand and 4 backdrops, white, grey, black and green in the original packing and I have used them at offices, hotels, galleries, etc and for impromptu portraits with setup in a corner or some other out-of-the-way place. Lightweight and easily relocatable. The kit comes in an easy-carry case.
You can use blue instead of green for dropping your subjects onto different backgrounds. Newer software has incorporated background replacement which makes things easier. Just throw the background a hair out of focus to replicate the shallower depth of field. You can also buy deeper 5x12' backdrops for full-length shots.
Wescott also has a similar kit:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/844695-REG/Westcott_578K_X_Drop_Kit_5_x.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=CjwKCAjwhOyJBhA4EiwAEcJdcZPRlYgXSN2LO_ik9SqUAEV-H-pG4tB3XAy5nquYFcL1dGP-g2_APxoC0hsQAvD_BwEBe well! Ed