I Bought A New Double Sided Backdrop. Keep Or Return? (I’m not sold personally).

[Archie]

I like modern backdrops but Manfrotto had a sale and so i bought this double sided, vintage style pop up. Since paper backdrops have been driving me crazy, what with creasing and the tube sagging in the middle, ruining a whole role, I thought a more resilient material might work.
My only issue is they look a bit cheesy to me. I prefer the clean modern look of a one colour (normally light grey) backdrop.
That being said, I’m not 100% against this new backdrop.

What’s the verdict here?

 

[GAD]

It depends on what you're after. Personally I like the second pic (nice lighting!) but I'm not crazy about the color. The background in the third is too busy for my tastes.

It's no secret that I like plain white backgrounds for my reviews but I'm not against colors or patterns. I do think that with color backgrounds you can run into problems where the color in the background clashes with the color of the guitar so I would probably choose more something closer to grey. Then again I tend to shoot for more of a documentary style vs an artistic style which is why I think it really matters what you're after.

 

[Archie]

It depends on what you're after. Personally I like the second pic (nice lighting!) but I'm not crazy about the color. The background in the third is too busy for my tastes.

It's no secret that I like plain white backgrounds for my reviews but I'm not against colors or patterns. I do think that with color backgrounds you can run into problems where the color in the background clashes with the color of the guitar so I would probably choose more something closer to grey. Then again I tend to shoot for more of a documentary style vs an artistic style which is why I think it really matters what you're after.

I think we share the same reservations.

The blue is too busy, the green is ok but i’m still not over the moon. I know if I do a shoot with either one, I’ll look back in years to come, when the guitar is long gone and think ‘hmm i wish I had of used a different backdrop’.

I do like the Sunburst against the green, just need more lighting on the top and bottom.

The blue doesn’t look as good imo due to the guitar being much closer to the backdrop, the aperture being higher and there being no back lighting. There’s not enough separation.

 

[GGJaguar]

I agree with GAD. The lighting in the second photo is very nice, but the green color is depressing for lack of a better word. Like an old hospital ward color. I find the blue mottled pattern distracting, but the lighting is pretty good.

 

[davismanLV]

I agree with the above. The green is better than the blue, but still they're both .... how to say, competing in the color arena. I'd rather something far more neutral, which is what you've already said. With a patterned and colored background, you have to care too much about the color of the subject vs. being more neutral and non-competitive. Does that make sense? I'm not a photographer at all. Just throwing some impressions out, Archie.

 

[Archie]

I agree with the above. The green is better than the blue, but still they're both .... how to say, competing in the color arena. I'd rather something far more neutral, which is what you've already said. With a patterned and colored background, you have to care too much about the color of the subject vs. being more neutral and non-competitive. Does that make sense? I'm not a photographer at all. Just throwing some impressions out, Archie.

Davis; makes perfect sense.

 

[Archie]

I think if there was a nice red leather chair as a prop, or a rich mahogany sideboard, it would tie in better on the green and fill out that vintage ‘old money vibe’ but it’s a small pop up so that won’t swing.

 

[zulu]

I quite like the green myself. You could expose the background a stop brighter maybe. Or reduce the background color saturation in post.

Typical use of a color wheel would suggest using a color opposite the subject. Guitars are more typically warm colors. Lots of red, yellow and orange. Using a cool color background, blues and greens, will make a warm subject "pop" out of the image and these photos are a good example. The more distance between the subject and background will help throw the BG out of focus and reduce the "busy" distraction.

Great photos!

 

[Bonneville88]

Cool photos Archie, very interesting and helpful to see, I've been looking and looking
at different backgrounds - so far still sticking with completely boring medium gray, but
I'm more aligned with GAD - I don't want anything in the photo taking any attention
away from the instrument - so more of the documentary aesthetic.

 

[Westerly Wood]

I like modern backdrops but Manfrotto had a sale and so i bought this double sided, vintage style pop up. Since paper backdrops have been driving me crazy, what with creasing and the tube sagging in the middle, ruining a whole role, I thought a more resilient material might work.
My only issue is they look a bit cheesy to me. I prefer the clean modern look of a one colour (normally light grey) backdrop.
That being said, I’m not 100% against this new backdrop.

What’s the verdict here?

I dig the one on the left!

 

[Archie]

Cool photos Archie, very interesting and helpful to see, I've been looking and looking
at different backgrounds - so far still sticking with completely boring medium gray, but
I'm more aligned with GAD - I don't want anything in the photo taking any attention
away from the instrument - so more of the documentarian aesthetic.

Nice pic!

I had a titanium paper backdrop which I really liked but the cardboard tube sank in the middle and the paper took on a ripple effect. I ended up throwing it out.
The other benefit of 2.7 mtr wide backdrops, is when you take angles shots, the background is still the same. With these 1.5x2 mtr pop ups, you basically have one angle to shoot.

Do you know how to keep paper backdrops in good condition? I’v not had a ‘studio’ for very long and not that knowledgable regarding studio gear.

 

[Bonneville88]

Archie, I don't use paper anymore, for similar reasons, damages and ripples way too easily.
The material I've been using as a backdrop is 60"W display loop fabric. Not as wide
as a professional backdrop would be, so that presents some limitations, but
overall has worked well. The stand is a hacked-up cheapie and not terribly
stable - several close calls but nothing has fallen yet.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

I went super low buck and bought some fabric at a sewing store:



Went with a green as it would be a neutral color since I don't have a green guitar.

While not the best, I think it was an improvement over the comforter I was using:

Which was an improvement over the bed spread before that:

Which was an improvement over the yellow blanket I started with:

Which was better then the couch covered with a sheet:

Which was better then just the couch!

 

[Bonneville88]

Grot, you get the outstanding post award of the day - what a great set of photos!

 

[Archie]

I went super low buck and bought some fabric at a sewing store:



Went with a green as it would be a neutral color since I don't have a green guitar.

While not the best, I think it was an improvement over the comforter I was using:

Which was an improvement over the bed spread before that:

Which was an improvement over the yellow blanket I started with:

Which was better then the couch covered with a sheet:

Which was better the just the couch!

I couldn't stop laughing through that. Def internet of the day award!

I started in my living room. I’ll post a ‘how it started; how it’s going’ series too. It’s great to see the evolution.’

The skills improve along with the quality of backdrop. Perhaps with the skills you have now, you should revisit the comforter and see what results you get.

 

[Archie]

Archie, I don't use paper anymore, for similar reasons, damages and ripples way too easily.
The material I've been using as a backdrop is 60"W display loop fabric. Not as wide
as a professional backdrop would be, so that presents some limitations, but
overall has worked well. The stand is a hacked-up cheapie and not terribly
stable - several close calls but nothing has fallen yet.

Love it!

I had a meme in my head the other day of a typical photographic studio:
£5k camera
£4k lights
£2k accessories
£3k computer and editing software
£2.50 item used to put subject on. Also very unstable, likely to seriously damage £20k irreplaceable guitar.