I'm known here among a small circle of photographers as primarily a landscape photographer. But there is another area in which I want to delve and improve: Object photography. To be precise, I like photographing guitars. And other inanimate objects.

Believe it or not, it's a lot harder to take a good photograph of an object than just pointing a camera at it and snapping the shutter. I've seen stunning "portraits" of guitars, antique guns, jewelry, etc. A couple of years ago I purchased a photo studio backdrop "system" that included four umbrella lights, a backdrop holder, white and black backdrops, cords, stands -- all the basic stuff to shoot well-lit, posed photographs.
My problem is that I have never been able to hang a "smooth" backdrop. They are muslin, and always show fold lines, even after ironing them with a steam-shooting iron. I'm also limited by a half-size ironing board.

I've read that some photographers, instead of trying to get smooth, seamless backdrops, actually dampen the cloth and crumple it and stuff it into a bag. The end result being a non-uniform wrinkled backdrop. I may try that.

Lately I've taken to using bare wood floors. But the lighting is often such that I get reflections and flares, which ruin the shot. I've attached a couple of examples.

How do others use backdrops? Do you use plastic, and if so, how do you avoid flash hot spots? How do you get your backdrops wrinkle-free? Are there other solutions I haven't considered?

I'm known here among a small circle of photographers as primarily a landscape photographer. But there is another area in which I want to delve and improve: Object photography. To be precise, I like photographing guitars. And other inanimate objects.

Believe it or not, it's a lot harder to take a good photograph of an object than just pointing a camera at it and snapping the shutter. I've seen stunning "portraits" of guitars, antique guns, jewelry, etc. A couple of years ago I purchased a photo studio backdrop "system" that included four umbrella lights, a backdrop holder, white and black backdrops, cords, stands -- all the basic stuff to shoot well-lit, posed photographs.
My problem is that I have never been able to hang a "smooth" backdrop. They are muslin, and always show fold lines, even after ironing them with a steam-shooting iron. I'm also limited by a half-size ironing board.

I've read that some photographers, instead of trying to get smooth, seamless backdrops, actually dampen the cloth and crumple it and stuff it into a bag. The end result being a non-uniform wrinkled backdrop. I may try that.

Lately I've taken to using bare wood floors. But the lighting is often such that I get reflections and flares, which ruin the shot. I've attached a couple of examples.

How do others use backdrops? Do you use plastic, and if so, how do you avoid flash hot spots? How do you get your backdrops wrinkle-free? Are there other solutions I haven't considered?

Lighting the background is important, but again there are many approach and methods. I cert kinds of portrait and commercial photography here is the employment of a background light- it can be a spot ligh a softer kind of ligh or just some light that spills on the background from the other lights in the setup. The volume, nature (hardness of softness) and even the color of the ligh will depend on the effect you wish to produce. In many composition the background is subordinate to the subject and may be kept darker or in softer focus. If the background detail is important to the theme it can be more pronounced and similarly lighted. Just like there is a ratio between ligh and shadow there is a ratio between the subject and the background.

The background also plays a role in the KEY of the image. Low key images of darker subjects against a darker background as opposed to lighter subjects on a light background (kind of a white on white effect) will all fact in to how you ligh the background.

When theses topics and questions arise, most folks seem t emphasize equipment usage which certainly factors in, however in making theses choices the concept of the image and the applicable technique needs to be considered.

Yet another way of lightning a background is by trans-illumination. There as a Plexiglas product called "sigh White"- it is a white translucent that diffuses or "spread light very effectively. It is use in making back lighted signs, transparency viewing light boxes and light tables, especially where shallow enclosures are used for the light sources. It can be flexible enough to use in a cyclorama type of light table shows in my previous post. A light placed behind and or/under the Plexiglas can create a floating background for small and medium sized objects. It can register as pure white or colored gesl can be used over the ligh source to produce colored backgrounds. Again a background ligh ratio has to be established. Spot exposure meter readings can be used to get you into the ballpark range and then refined by testing. Once you establish the setting, the setup is easily repeatable.

This thread is mainly concerted background treatments. Of course how the item is lighted by the main, fill and/or any accent ligh all influences the background as well in terms of levels of illumination, ratio, contrast, key, and direction of lighting.

Another note- There is ample discussion, here on the HOG about every camera and lens in existence, all kids of post-processing issues and some lighting gear and issues. Little know that BACKGROUNDS comprise an industry in the photography and cinematography business. There arr companies and several independent artists that produce all manner of backgrounds, painted, multi-color, old masters, scenic, in every style, era, mode imaginable. Some are ugly and gaudily, others are perfect, as long as the photographer knows how to use an light them. some are painted on paper, canvas, vinyl or even large window shades for portability. Some are collapse on those spring loaded hoops. The there is an entire technology of green screen, front projection, rear projection and theses can also be combined with post-processing techniques.

I have used some of theses products and technologies, over the years, in my studio. With individual portraits and small products, however, some of my best background were improvised- fabric remnants for the sewing and fabric stores and old worn out dark Oriental rugs from the second-hand store. Clever lighing and selective focus are the tricks. And...if you wife or husband won't kill you, you can paint a great painterly background on a wall. Lay in a coat of flat dark gray or black latex paint- let it dry overnight and then paint in the colors with brushes and natural sponges (flat latex paint is best), If you don't like it, just start over again. You can do this on a large window shade too.

I think the OP has some good suggestion to work with.