Storing backdrops

[staceylking]

If you also suffer an absence of a large area of vertical hanging space, how do you store backdrops?

I've only very recently taken the leap into 'full-time' photography (I don't consider myself 'professional' yet because I have yet to charge full price--all of my clients thus far are friends, family, and organizations to which I belong--but I'm working on expanding). My garage studio is still in the works, so right now, my studio is mobile-only. I pack up and go to them or do outdoor/on-location sessions.

I have several hand-painted-by-me backdrops, which have, for the past ten years or so, been folded or rolled-then-folded-over, and stored in a large trunk. They now have permanent creases that won't budge, even after blasting with a wand steamer. Obviously this is unacceptable and I'll be replacing those over the next few months.

However, even after my studio is finished, I'll still need to use it as a garage occasionally (like during hail/ice storms), so vertical storage will remain at a premium. And I'll still want to be able to pack one or two up to take with me to schools for events. I do carry a $20 hand steamer with me in my light bag, but its efficacy is somewhat limited :)

So I'm looking for tips and/or suggestions. How do you store your muslin-type backdrops?

[bondarnes]

This is how I store seamless paper backgrounds above the hood of the car. And I store muslin backgrounds in bags and when I get on location I just hang and stretch it then steam it if needed. When I had painted muslin backgrounds, I treated them like canvas backgrounds and rolled them onto carpet tubes and stored them with the seamless rolls. I hope this helps.

[staceylking]

Wooohoo! Don, you rock! A ceiling mounted storage rack--great idea that never occurred to me. Thanks for providing pics. I had my plumber/husband take a look, and he says your rig should be easy enough to duplicate (he muttered something about left-right nipples and asked me seriously, 'You know what I mean?' I have no clue, but trust that he does. )

Thanks again!

[studioarlington]

Great idea Don! Our Props and backdrops keep growing and this will be a good solution for us to keep more props/paper rolls without taking up shooting space . Thank you so much for posting suggestions and the pictures.

[S-Man]

Don, do you find that storing seamless on it's side creates wrinkles and lines? The instructions on the box say to store upright. I usually leave mine hanging when not in use.

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by S-Man

Don, do you find that storing seamless on it's side creates wrinkles and lines? The instructions on the box say to store upright. I usually leave mine hanging when not in use.

If they are in a box or a tube as all of mine are, then it is no problem. If the paper is on a core, also no problem. Free rolled paper can sag if stored horizontally.

[photopam]

How do you make your backdrops? I have been toying with the idea for some time.

Also thank you for offering suggestions for storage! I have all mine folded up in a tote. I don't know if I'll be able to put rolled backgrounds in my car though...

[S-Man]

^ I looked into making my own backdrops (painted muslins mainly) and it's cheaper and faster just to buy one. Unless you don't value your time and have hours and hours to kill.

[csa]

Mr. Organization!

[staceylking]

Originally Posted by photopam

How do you make your backdrops? I have been toying with the idea for some time.

For me it's not totally a matter of saving money (though that is a factor). If I enjoy doing something, I'd much rather do it myself if I have the inclination. If I save money in the process, it's a bonus.

Lately I've been hand-dyeing 108" muslin (usually 100% cotton king-size sheets from IKEA, which are $13 each!!) with two or more boxes of RIT dye. Sometimes two of the same color, sometimes two different colors mixed, sometimes a dip in one color, then a dip in another color. I'd much rather spend my 'chillax' time being creative than vegging in front of the television. But that's me :) Hand-dyeing takes about an hour all told and doesn't require constant attention.

Many years ago, I also hand-painted three backdrops with latex paint. I thumb-tacked a plastic drop cloth to the big wall in a then-spare bedroom, then a huge piece of fabric over the plastic. Spread more drop cloths on the floor and used a variety of paintbrushes and paint colors, using photos from the Denny catalog as reference . Base coated with a quart of tinted wall paint, then used another 8-10 $.50 bottles of cheap off-brand acrylic paint to add the color variations. I made a brown one, a green one, and a navy blue one. They do have a bit of a sheen to them because of the nature of latex paint, which sometimes gets on my nerves. If I replace them via DIY, I'll probably gently knock down the shine with some sandpaper.

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by staceylking

They do have a bit of a sheen to them because of the nature of latex paint, which sometimes gets on my nerves. If I replace them via DIY, I'll probably gently knock down the shine with some sandpaper.

Use flat latex and dilute it with water. That should eliminate the shine. It will also help to keep it from building up too thick and cracking.

[staceylking]

Originally Posted by bondarnes

Use flat latex and dilute it with water. That should eliminate the shine. It will also help to keep it from building up too thick and cracking.

It's the cheap bottles of acrylic paint that are the problem. They only come in one sheen--a sort of eggshelly sort of not-quite-flat-not-quite-shine.

I suppose if you were making several at a time, you COULD use some of the same colors on all, and mix flat white or flat black with your base coat color to get the color variations. My brown has swooshes of green, orange, and yellow in addition to the various brown tones, the green has swooshes of brown, charcoal, and yellow in addition to the various green tones, and the blue has swooshes of charcoal and ivory in addition to the various blue tones.

Of course I didn't make them all at the same time, so at the time it didn't occur to me to do that. Hmmm.... (Making mental note...)

[csa]

Very cool. I'm inspired. I bought and paid what I thought was too much for a backdrop that turned out to be UGLY! (bought it online of course) I have often thought of repainting it. Summer project decided!

[bondarnes]

The first two images show a permanent background that I had painted on my studio wall. It was 18 feet wide so I could do large groups. The painter first applied the dark gray base coat then he would mix three or four different on his four inch wide brush. He would allpy that in a long swirly streak then begin blending the edges until he got the look he wanted This was all done with Kelly-Moore flat latex house paint.

The third image is a muslin that has black and gray house paint on it. Some of it is beginning to flake off, but that just adds to its grungy look.

[staceylking]

A muslin painted right on the wall! That's very cool. Also like the grunge one. Edgy, yet elegant too.

I wish I had better pictures of my painted BGs from right after I made them. It was February of 2000, after I'd ordered my first studio kit but before it arrived. The first picture below is a photo collage of my daughter taken a week or so after the kit arrived--it's the only photo on my computer I can find from that time. (I have the negatives stashed someplace--I've been meaning to get these reprinted).

The second picture is the same background taken last November. Looks terrible even after photoshopping the major cracks and crinkles out. Comparing it to yours, Don, I wasn't 'big' enough with my color blotches. The usable part of mine is only 9' wide, though. When I photographed babies on it (smaller scale) the blotches seemed bigger :)

I may try actually ironing it sandwiched between drop cloths or 'scrap' muslin. I've got nothing to lose, right?