Background Stands

Toying with the idea of buying a portable background stand set-up. Generally, the ones looked at are similar in that they are basically high-reach tripods (or strobe stands) with a crossbar. These units are designed to support both muslin and paper backdrops with an approximate average maximum of 10' X 10' coverage.

Any advice or horror stories that could help me critique the various offerings?

Thanks.

Wishing everyone the best of the Holiday Season and hope that 2007 brings peace and prosperity.

Al

you could buy two lightstands and a peice of electrical conduit pipe (for a crossbar)
or you couls hit the hardware store for some abs plumbing pipe and some T and L pipe connectors and build a workable stand on the cheap.
you could use one lightstand if you stapple or tape your background to a length of 1x2 wood or a 2" wood dowel, and drill a hole in the wood to insert a rod that screws to the top of your lightstand (think along the lines of a slide projector screen)
Sheets and or hand painted canvas painters dropsheets make good brackgrounds.

I like this bloke. You don't need expensive stuff for photography, just the know-how.

Well I suppose you need a decent lens but if anyone is after studio stands, I've got a few spare, just p.m.

Thanks Don and Simon for your response.

Don, I like your idea and have been putting some thought into how I could make make something "fold-up" portable (god knows I've got enough plumbing materials left over from many renos). A friend has also suggested those transport load securing bars...they're sturdy and plentiful just not sure how small they will collapse to.

A little insight...what prompted this question was an instore feature of a backdrop starter kit with a price that seemed too good to be true. To me, the assembly seemed flimsy (compared to the professional wall mount systems) and the salesperson wasn't really interested/experienced enough to answer questions. At any rate, by the time I got back for a second look the kit deal wasn't there and perhaps someone else realized they'd forgotten a digit from the price.

The main thing I liked about the whole kit was that it folded and stored into quiver-like pouch which kept everything together and made for easy transportation on little notice (lack of hobby time always seems to be an issue). Assembled in the store, it looked OK but gut feeling was that in real life it could be troublesome.

Again, thanks for responding.

Al

Just to expand on Don's always excellent advice.

If you're only shooting face or torso shots, consider using just your slide screen with an assortment of small, dyed bedsheets (Tie-dyed if you remember the 60's). I've been getting away with this rig for years - and it's portable.

I find that the background is so out-of-focus that it simply provides coloured bokeh to your portraits.

You can pick up old screens for a song (and shipping unfortunately) on eBay if there isn't one in a family closet somewhere.

Cheers,

Hey Mac,

Thanks for the reminder, I have an excellent used large screen in the basement - now all I have to do is find it in all the other important stuff I've stashed away over the years.

Mike

Whilst we're on the subject...

The portable cross-section can be a collapsible window squeegee - which by the way I use as a monopod.