This backdrop holder by Edward Holtzman is one the fastest-to-assemble / cheap-to-build / quick-to-store / don’t-piss-wife-with-photo-junk projects I have seen.

Riding on the PVC wave, Ed created a three section foldable backdrop stand. The genius thing about it is the way Ed overcame the common problem of stabilizing the stand. And the really genius thing about it is that after you are done taking pictures, you can take the stand out to play football with your son.

There is no end to creativity – if you created a cool setup for your shot, and you want to share it with DIYP readers and post it on the site, drop me a note.

A magazine client of mine asked me to do on-location headshots to update their existing contributors. Two were in my area so I needed a quick backdrop stand for location headshot use and didn’t feel it was worth purchasing one for a few hundred. (Headshots aren’t my bag)

So here’s my ghetto-fab Home Depot/Lowes portable backdrop stand for less than $40

Parts Needed

• 2- 8ft sections of 1″PVC
• 2- 1″ PVC “T” Fitting
• 1- Levolor solid 1″x6′ curtain bar from the window treatment aisle
• 1- Section of 1 1/8th I.D. black foam pipe insulation, 1/2″ thick for padding
• 1- Pair of 7/8″ replacement cane/crutch tips from your local drugstore. Ignore the 1″ replacement tips.
  (I found the 7/8″ tip fit much better inside the PVC than the 1″ tips fit at all. A little hot-glue and I had discreet no-mar tips)

Da Build

The construction is so simple that one image says it all. But we are so nice that will step-by-step it anyway.

The first thing is to get the two uprights. each upright is a 1″ PVC. (1- 6′ section + tee fitting + 1′ PVC with foam pad tips.) About 7′ overall

Place black foam pipe insulation at the top of each upright so it won’t mar walls.

Attach the rubber crutches replacement feet at the bottom to prevent slippage and marring of non-carpet floors.

The crossbar is a Levolor solid curtain rod. Won’t flex from the BG weight and fits perfect into the 1″ PVC fittings.

Assembles in seconds and costs lest than the muslin :-)

Yea, I know what you are thinking. This is great but it is so simple. It will only take minutes to build. what do I do next? Well, you can try this backdrop stand.