Any good studio has a few backdrops to take photos against. It’s probably a good idea to avoid Wal-Mart type photographic backdrops and instead opt for something simpler. Solid colors work, as well as something with a small amount of texture.
Backdrops commonly come in a variety of different materials and textures including muslin (cotton), canvas, vinyl, or just plain old paper. The cheapest versions are obviously the paper backdrops and typically start around $30.
If you want to go a little more professional, you can typically expect to spend $100-$150 on a tougher and more interesting material backdrop. Photoflex carries a variety of backdrops that you can see here.
You can get a decent backdrop kit complete with stands and carrying case from Photoflex for around $269. It’s called the “Photoflex First Studio BackDrop Support Kit”
Of course, to start off you could take the poor man route and grab a bed sheet or some butcher paper and build a stand out of PVC pipe, but I tend to lean to a manufactured set-up. They are easy to use, will not fall apart like an ad-hoc set up and will hold a multitude of back drops… plus they are collapsible and portable. (Remember what I said in the last post about storage and space in your studio in the home?)
Come back tomorrow when we are talking about softboxes, umbrellas and other lighting accessories.
