White background for portraits?

[james_tigerwoods]

I've given up on the fixed lens as it's just cost prohibitive for now - and I'm getting the same effect from my 55-200 just now:



However, I want to take some portraits that I want to keep and eventually print out on portrait (not unlike those professional type ones that you can get).

What I want is a clear white background and floor and I was wondering if there are "fold away" type canvasses that you can get for this - or do I need a garage and a bucket of white paint?

We'll overlook the fact that I'll want to get, eventually, umbrellas, lights, stands and remote triggers....

Edited by james_tigerwoods on Friday 5th June 17:20

[Nolar Dog]

We get our background rolls from Calumet.

They are on a poll, about 1.5m wide and can be rolled up and down as required.

Can't link as I'm posting from my phone.

[_dobbo_]

I think you are looking at about £50 for one of those rolls, plus whatever it costs to mount it somewhere. You will get the full infinity effect but only when you are shooting square on at longer focal lengths, so you'll need to be able to stand a fair way back, i.e. you'll need a big room.

I'd start by painting one wall white or perhaps getting a white sheet, and sticking to upper body stuff to avoid needing to do the floor. Should you find that limits you too much you can think about standing on a white sheet and using flash to blow out the whites, or just cheat and use photoshop. None of that will set you back more than about £20.

Good luck and do share what you achieve here!

[andy-xr]

Half way house between sheet and paint: http://www.lastolite.com/hilite-backgrounds.php

[james_tigerwoods]

Nolar Dog said:

We get our background rolls from Calumet.

They are on a poll, about 1.5m wide and can be rolled up and down as required.

Can't link as I'm posting from my phone.

Have you got a link now/yet then?

[Nolar Dog]

Sorry, still out and about and posting from phone.

I don't think they'll be hard to find if you Google Calumet and then look at studio stuff.

I'll check in tomorrow and post a link if required.

[andy-xr]

http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/Studio/Backgrounds,+...

[james_tigerwoods]

Nolar Dog said:

Sorry, still out and about and posting from phone.

I don't think they'll be hard to find if you Google Calumet and then look at studio stuff.

I'll check in tomorrow and post a link if required.

Is the above the right link as I want to be able to buy something collapsible (sp) like the lastolite stuff (which isn't cheap)....

Edited by james_tigerwoods on Saturday 6th June 09:31

[Simpo Two]

You may as well go for the garage and bucket of white paint now. It's cheaper and far bigger and more flexible.

[james_tigerwoods]

Simpo Two said:

You may as well go for the garage and bucket of white paint now. It's cheaper and far bigger and more flexible.

Great theory, but I don't have a garage - unless it'd be cheaper to build a garage that is

ETA - Are the Chinese ones any good - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Edited by james_tigerwoods on Saturday 6th June 09:59

[GFWilliams]

I bought this earlier in the week and it is good quality - I have mounted it on the wall of my garage. it is a little too big though for what I need (and the mounts I made were bloody hard to get right - don't ask!)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEAMLESS-PHOTOGRAPHY-BACKGRO...



George

[Nolar Dog]

james_tigerwoods said:

Is the above the right link?

CS2393 is the paper I was thinking of.

I'm sure you can buy a collapsible support system although ours are wall mounted permanently.

[gj88]

How about this for a cheap, possibly free solution...

Have you ever noticed those large posters that cinemas hang up to advertise a movie? They are canvas. A friend of mine asked for an old one at our local Odeon and they gave it to him for free. It works a treat for photo backgrounds. Its pretty large too as you can see for yourself when they're hung up.

[jon-]

james_tigerwoods said:

Simpo Two said:

You may as well go for the garage and bucket of white paint now. It's cheaper and far bigger and more flexible.

Great theory, but I don't have a garage - unless it'd be cheaper to build a garage that is

ETA - Are the Chinese ones any good - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Edited by james_tigerwoods on Saturday 6th June 09:59

That looks like a good deal, though it's likely to be bulky so it will be stung for import tax on the way in.

[james_tigerwoods]

jon- said:

james_tigerwoods said:

Simpo Two said:

You may as well go for the garage and bucket of white paint now. It's cheaper and far bigger and more flexible.

Great theory, but I don't have a garage - unless it'd be cheaper to build a garage that is

ETA - Are the Chinese ones any good - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Edited by james_tigerwoods on Saturday 6th June 09:59

That looks like a good deal, though it's likely to be bulky so it will be stung for import tax on the way in.

How is that paid for? Will I get notified by HMRC?

[jon-]

james_tigerwoods said:

jon- said:

james_tigerwoods said:

Simpo Two said:

You may as well go for the garage and bucket of white paint now. It's cheaper and far bigger and more flexible.

Great theory, but I don't have a garage - unless it'd be cheaper to build a garage that is

ETA - Are the Chinese ones any good - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Edited by james_tigerwoods on Saturday 6th June 09:59

That looks like a good deal, though it's likely to be bulky so it will be stung for import tax on the way in.

How is that paid for? Will I get notified by HMRC?

I've not been "got" yet, but I believe you either get a letter through the door asking for payment so they can release, or royal mail pay the fee then only part with it once you've paid them.

[james_tigerwoods]

jon- said:

james_tigerwoods said:

jon- said:

james_tigerwoods said:

Simpo Two said:

You may as well go for the garage and bucket of white paint now. It's cheaper and far bigger and more flexible.

Great theory, but I don't have a garage - unless it'd be cheaper to build a garage that is

ETA - Are the Chinese ones any good - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Edited by james_tigerwoods on Saturday 6th June 09:59

That looks like a good deal, though it's likely to be bulky so it will be stung for import tax on the way in.

How is that paid for? Will I get notified by HMRC?

I've not been "got" yet, but I believe you either get a letter through the door asking for payment so they can release, or royal mail pay the fee then only part with it once you've paid them.

Makes sense - I think I may just go for it

[jon-]

Might be worth asking / searching over at www.talkphotography.co.uk to see if anyone has ordered one before. I'm sure it'll be fine, but you might find the quality is so low you can't get crease free / even light spread.

[james_tigerwoods]

I've gone for this - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am... Got it for £50 too.

Watch this space as I'm sure I'll be after more things to go with it (light off camera flashes, umbrellas, etc)

[james_tigerwoods]

It has arrived - I've not extended or set it up properly yet, but it looks ok. The backdrop, however, doesn't have any kind of loops or fixings to hook it on to the pole though...