I didn't even need to go to the home depot last night. My husband helped me be creative and use things we already had. I will post pics of my new set up when I have it finished. My spare bedroom where I am putting my new little studio is acutally cram packed with "stuff" that I have to organize. I got a lot done last night...so hopefully within the next few days, I'll be crankin! :o)
ps. what are "alien bees"?
Alien Bees are a brand of studio flash units. Not the hotshoe mount kind, but the big, boxy, very powerful kind. A lot of folks like Alien Bees because they're good units, and resonably priced (well, at least compared to other, more "professional" brands).
So, I would know if what my husband got me for Christmas was an alien bee? :) It didn't say so on the box. So I'm assuming I don't have them? i'm showing my amateurity eh? haha. Is that even a word?
So, I would know if what my husband got me for Christmas was an alien bee? :) It didn't say so on the box. So I'm assuming I don't have them? i'm showing my amateurity eh? haha. Is that even a word?
If it's not a word, it ought to be! As for Alien Bees: //www.alienbees.com. Compare what hubby gave you to what you see there :o) Good luck with the studio.
So, I would know if what my husband got me for Christmas was an alien bee? :) It didn't say so on the box. So I'm assuming I don't have them? i'm showing my amateurity eh? haha. Is that even a word?
If it's not a word, it ought to be! As for Alien Bees: //www.alienbees.com. Compare what hubby gave you to what you see there :o) Good luck with the studio.
Thanks for the link. Nope, I don't have the aliens. Hubby got my lights at Wolf.
At least now if I need more lights, I know where to find the beeeeeees. :)
I purchase my muslin backgrounds from
//www.backdropoutlet.com. Their prices are quite reasonable and they have a sale or clearance just about every week! I often purchase 10 x 20 muslin on clearence from anywhere $69 to $99 or use the coupons provided in the back of their catalog to get a discount on regular price merchandise! What I like best about them is if you need a custom backdrop there is no additional charge!
I purchase my muslin backgrounds from
//www.backdropoutlet.com. Their prices are quite reasonable and they have a sale or clearance just about every week! I often purchase 10 x 20 muslin on clearence from anywhere $69 to $99 or use the coupons provided in the back of their catalog to get a discount on regular price merchandise! What I like best about them is if you need a custom backdrop there is no additional charge!
Walmart carries muslin in very wide widths - 9 or 10 feet. It's with the quilting fabrics! It's pretty inexpensive - HOWEVER I've tried making my own BG and man what a hassle.
You've got two choices - dye or paint, and with paint spray, soak, or roll/brush.
The fabric is LARGE and when wet (with anything) heavy, and it drips. I had no luck getting dye to be dark enough, but then I don't dye fabrics often (well, ok, ever).
I tried several painting methods, but the size of the cloth is an issue. If you try and put it on the ground you need an entire room (garage might work well). but reaching the middle sucks.
Hanging it is an issue - sagging, can't push on it so you have to spray. Outside it must be SUPER SUPER SUPER calm or it will blow back onto itself and make a mess of the paint (and perhaps you too).
It takes a LOT of spray cans to nicely cover a 9 foot by anything piece of fabric.
The ones I buy are spray painted muslin (heavier fabric than walmart) and are heavyish overall and rough/scratchy to the touch. My attempt at homemeade was worse - stiff, rough like sandpaper and well, not something i'm ever gonna try again - and hence I recomend against it. The cost of materials can run $40 maybe more, and you can usually find a muslin on clearance for under $100. The hassle is more than the $50-60 savings.
Like magenmarie in this thread, I am now lucky enough to have a spare room to use as a studio. The walls are currently a kinda blech kahki colour. There is a tiny built-in closet, I was thinking of painting it a VERY flat matte black for backdrop resons, and doing at least one other wall in an equally flat, non-glare white.
