Low Profile, Low Cost Backdrop Wall Mount
The next hack is pretty trivial so if you have a seamless backdrop mount already feel free to skip forward, if not here is a way to build such a mount for as little as $5. (Actually, the mount by itself is about $2, the other three are for some extras).
Actually, This is how I mount (and store) my seamless white backdrop at my basement studio, and thought it may have some sharing value if you are in a similar position and space confined.
I started off with two angle strong ties, the ones you use to bind wooden beams together. I am using the ones that are about 7cm on each side of the angle.
I mount one of the strong ties on the wall (about 7cm from the ceiling).
Then I measured about 3.25 meters and using a level I mounted his buddy, the other strong tie. I chose 3.25 as the average seamless is 2.75 and I wanted some spare space for the beam. Beam? Read on.
That's about it for the actual mount. Now comes the part where I needed to actually mount the seamless white on the wall. I needed some sort of pole to go through the seamless white roll and attach to the brackets. I used a 3 meters 1cmX4cm wooden beam for that.
The beam can be used to mount fabric backdrops as well, though I really intend to use if with seamless white most of the times.
I am using pony clamps on both sides to secure the beam to the brackets. I am also using an additional clamp to make sure the roll does not unroll.
Since the plan is to have an almost fixed seamless white up there, and since paper backdrops and floor storage don't really work that well together, (and since I only have one paper backdrop) I plan on storing the backdrop on that beam as well.
Lastly, the wall mounted bracket is also used as a stand for my hair light (which is an SB on a NastyClamp with a CPU cooling grid).
Just before ending this post, I'd like to turn you to one of my favorite items on Amazon. Every once in a while Amazon will sell rolls of 60" wide HP printing paper for as low as $18. Those are 100 feet long and will serve as poorman's seamless white.
Are you living and shooting in confined spaces? how are you mounting and storing your backdrops? Share in the comments.
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Comments
7' Ceiling in Basement
Great post. This is a constant struggle for me, as my basement still serves as my studio when I need total lighting control. My ceilings are 7 feet tall in the basement, which means that I need to really maximize my vertical space. Even losing half a foot to a mounting assembly means that the roll is going to be in frame for many people at a full stand.
My solution was to mount the roll itself in the middle of the ceiling, about 5 feet away from the wall. That's where the whole hanging assembly is located. I also have two hooks (like the hooks you'd use to secure a bicycle to the ceiling in a garage) in the very top corner of the wall where I want the paper/fabric to hang from. I also have a long wooden pole to fit between those hooks.
When it's time to shoot, I unroll the appropriate amount of paper/fabric from the roll in the top-middle of the room. I use the wooden pole to pull the paper up into the top corner of the wall, hook it, then let it hang from there. Since it's only the paper and the pole in the corner, I only lose about 3 inches of vertical space on the 7' wall.
This also serves another great purpose. My ceiling it off-white acoustic tile, but when I hang my background like this, the paper covers the ceiling from the middle to the wall, and from the wall down to the floor. This creates a TON of great surfaces of the same color and reflectivity as the background, opening up good lighting options.
-Gac
re: low Ceiling
Hi GAC,
This is a great idea. I guess that when making the calculations, the "gone to waste" paper is worth the extra inches. If you have an image of the construction I'd appreciate if you shared it.
What I love about this!
...is the part where you can use the poll as a place to hang your speed lights. Brilliant!
multi-Backdrop installation
if you ever need to expand your backdrop mount to several backdrops, you could simply make several of these in a 45° angle up to the wall, having enough space for half a dozen and being able to pull each down without disturbing the other backdrops.
Also, I would suggest rolling the backdrop around a cardbord roll, leaving a few centimeters at each side. Then roll around a thicker piece of string three times, give it a meter or two down and knot it together. That way you have a cheap but nice cord to pull the backdrop up again without having to climb up or slowly roling it up with your hands.
Insead of using an A-clamp to
Insead of using an A-clamp to hold the beam, you could add two smaller L-brackets or a U-bracket to set the beam in. This would be safer. You would still need an A-clamp to act as a break to stop the beam from turning.
So Simple!
What would you recommend as a backdrop made from a material? I'm not sure if the HP paper will last long, especially with my 1 year old son as a model.
re: backdrop material
Hi Marcin,
not much you can do about it. You can use muslin which is more durable, but any paper will die eventually, even if you treat it with "silk gloves".
Muslin, however, lacks some of the so needed seamlesness that the paper has. that means more work in post.
HP
60" wide roll seems narrow. Do you buy two rolls and glue them together to make 10ft? If yes, what's the best trick?
re: HP
hehe,
This is why it is called poorman's backdrop . This is the widest paper I saw. Sadly, you can not glue two of those together, as you will loose the seamlessness qualities. If you want wider, you are probably better off with a "pro" backdrop
Fun!
Great, interesting post.
Just writing to say that that Amazon price is amazing. At Newegg.com, it's $70. Oh, and Newegg claims that it's not just 100 feet, but <b>150 feet</b> of paper. For $18 (plus another $18 for shipping) at amazon, that's still a steal!
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N82E16828104513
buy
$31.30 and it's 150ft roll http://www.buy.com/prod/hp-coated-paper-60-x-150-90g-m-matte-1-x-roll/q/listingid/11717489/loc/111/201643633.html
Does anyone know if this roll comes with a center core and how big? I can't install anything on the wall in our main living room, so I bought two stands on ebay auction today for amazingly $34 shipped. Should work fine for me. Now I am only debating between Savage Pure White 53" 12yards for $35 shipped OR 60" HP 50yards. I think however, that Savage from B&H is much thicker and meant to be as a background where HP is a thin printing paper. Please correct me if I'm wrong! I have also visited JoAnn's last night, and they had 59" white denim on sale for $3.99/yard, however I think paper roll will do a better job here. I'm stuck with a decision now.
What about the floor?
Great solution for the whot backdrop...but what about the floor? I am a newbie, so forgive me if this is obvious to some.
Do you unroill enough paper to cover the floor? and the subject stands on it? or is the line between floor and wall removed in post?
Thanks
re: floor
You had it right, the roll goes for about 3 meters on the floor to hide the wall/floor line. the paper rolls to a curve around that line, so the line becomes invisible.
There is an excellent tutorial by Zack Arias about how to use a seamless. it is here.
Another background alternative
While paper is nice, the more traditional muslin is less, single setup, washing for future use rather than throwaway.
I went to JoAnn Fabricks with their weekly 40% off coupon in Sunday paper ads. While the have 60" wide cheaper, usually get the 90-108" wide for around $6.99. 3 yards comes to about $12 - choice od white, lt brown/natural, and some dark colors. Add another yard or two for more floor coverage. At that price, can always dye the whte or natural to build a selection.
background idea
I use a large window roller blind for a backdrop. I have 2 - one white and one blue. I hang them from the wall with large hooks which I screwed into 2 studs. The only disadvantage is that they do not extend on to the floor.
Savage Widetone Seamless Background Paper (53" x 12yds)
Has anyone worked with this paper before? Seems like a good alternative to HP. Should be much better in durability although it is 7in. narrower. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/45607-REG/Savage_1_1253_Widetone_Seamless_Background_Paper.html
backdrop
Is anyone using green paper or muslin as a greenscreen to drop out the background and replace it in Photoshop? If so how is this working for you?
greenscreen
I saw a video regarding this very thing... Light your model normally, softboxes at 45 degrees or whatever you wanna do.. but.. use atleast 2 soft lights to light the green screen background.. take meter readings to get it 100% right, but shoot for even lighting across the entire background.. Have your model placed about 12 ft in front of the backgruond, to avoid any color bleed.. Expose for your model, then remove the background in post, using the chromakey background..
Alternative for seemless paper
I was just wondering, instead of using a seemless paper, is it possible that i could use a fabric an an alternative?
re: fabric
Hi Daniel,
you can use fabric for some of the shots, however it is very very hard to get the same seamless quality with fabric. it just wrinkles.
I have a similar set up,
I have a similar set up, however instead of the L- brackets I use 2 "bike" hooks. I got them from a sporting goods store, they are made to hang a bike from a wall or ceiling. They are almost complete U shapes so I dont have to clamp my roll to them. I use a 1 inch wooden dowel in each of my backgrounds. (With my muslins I just made a loop of fabric at the top and stitched together (like curtains have) and I just slid my dowels inside.) At several points around my ceiling I have additional hooks to hang a speedlight from using a NastyClamp...
Backdrop Size?
How big of seamless paper backdrops were you hanging from this system?
re: seamless size
about 2.5 meters
Is this still working okay?
Is this system still working okay for you? What did you use to attach the angle strong ties to the wall to ensure that they did not damage your wall or start falling out after hanging the heavy paper? Were you hanging the 107" paper from this system?
I would really appreciate your help, I am wanting to try this as soon as possible.
Thanks!
re: he-l yes!
Yes, definitely still working for me.
I used plastic screw anchors that fit my cement wall. I assume that each wall (wood, plaster, bricks) will have its own anchors. the good guys at home depot can help on that.
I am currently handing the largest seamless I could find. not sure of the exact size, it is about 2.5 meters.
Student photag backdrop
I have used a plain white bed-sheet against a white wall (and probabl black would work) for headshots and half-body. I haven't used it before for a full body but I'm sure it would work fine for amatuer stuff.
I've also used a paint dropsheet (the stuff to cover furnature) taped up against a folded up ping-pong table for product work. That works really well, especially with the flashes blowing out any creases in it.
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