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Photography Isn't Just Pressing A Button


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I agree with Mea, John, Mark and Chris. I used a large Thunder Gray back drop for large pieces. The roll lasted a very long time. Then I went with the easy cube for table top sizes. That also has lasted years. I have two Varitone backdrops. One is large for large work. The other fits inside the easy cube.It is worth the investment and it lasts a long time.

 

Marcia

Marcia, sometimes I miss the obvious, but I really would like to know how you use a Varitone background inside a cube.  My cube has a round cutout in the top, which means that the rear panel has a lip at the top that forms part of the topside. I can see no way to affix the Varitone sheet to the back wall. I would love to use the cube I paid good money for, if I could just figure out how to use the Varitone with it!  

 

And for the record, when I read John's answer to Kevinharr I couldn't help smiling and shaking my head in wonder.  It's a tough world out here, and making and selling art is a pretty tough way to go. When I see a fellow artist take the time to share, in detail, his vast knowledge, I can only marvel that there are still people who will go out of their way to help someone else. I am constantly awed by the the magnitude of the generosity I find on this forum.    

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My cube has a few loops in upper rear corners-I hang a string and clothespin the backdrop to string and weight the front of backdrop with what ever is handy. for the curve. I had to cut the backdrop down to fit my 40 inch cube. If yours does not  have the loops sew some in.

It also has velcro tabs on top  and the cloth backdrop has velcro so it clips in two ways. The top has a zipper to open up but I use it closed and use side lights and sometimes a front light.

Mark

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My cube has a few loops in upper rear corners-I hang a string and clothespin the backdrop to string and weight the front of backdrop with what ever is handy. for the curve. I had to cut the backdrop down to fit my 40 inch cube. If yours does not  have the loops sew some in.

It also has velcro tabs on top  and the cloth backdrop has velcro so it clips in two ways. The top has a zipper to open up but I use it closed and use side lights and sometimes a front light.

Mark

Thanks,  I'll check out the idea of the string and clothespin. I gave up on the fabric backdrops right away because I could spend an hour trying to velcro the fabric so that it hung evenly without wrinkles.  All this effort while the box sat on a 36" high table and I stood on a ladder behind it, working through the hole on the top...then climbing down from the ladder, running around to the front of the box to see how the fabric looked. Bad. It was so frustrating that I seriously considered turning the cube into a cathouse for Black Bart, the studio cat.

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Guest JBaymore

I decided not to post in this thread anymore after the "opening salvo" ;) ..... but this is for you lsculpt.

 

Varitone sheets come in various sizes also.  Check to see if there is a better one to fit your particular needs.

 

best,

 

......................john

 

PS:  Thanks for the kind words too.

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What a great thread, getting ready to put this together now and my research is already done :-)

 

Sorry you got dumped on John. As has been stated repeatedly and I'm sure you already know, there was absolutely nothing but great advise in your post, OP just had a chip on his shoulder.

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I decided not to post in this thread anymore after the "opening salvo" ;) ..... but this is for you lsculpt.

 

Varitone sheets come in various sizes also.  Check to see if there is a better one to fit your particular needs.

 

best,

 

......................john

 

PS:  Thanks for the kind words too.

John, I don't mind cutting down my Varitone sheet (well, I do, but...!!!).  It's just that I can't stick it to anything with that darned cube.  I gave up on the cube and starting standing a large square of plywood on a countertop, then leaning the plywood against the wall.  I then taped the Varitone to the plywood and let it swoop down onto the tabletop so that I had the continuous background.  I had hoped for a similarly effortless method of hanging the Varitone inside the cube, but that lip at the top of the cube defeated me.  Maybe all cubes aren't made that way. I tried velcro, tape, heavy pins....you name it!  I'm going to try Mark's suggestion of a "clothesline" that I clip the Varitone to, even though that will mean that I lose some valuable height. Shoulda bought a bigger cube, I guess.......

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  • 3 years later...

post-63409-0-01321300-1487798686_thumb.jpgpost-63409-0-40146900-1487798695_thumb.jpg

 

For those checking out different tabletop photo set ups, I just got an inexpensive 2-light set  (5500 daylight balanced) and, separately, this seamless backdrop unit (vinyl-which I love). These are NOT good pics-I just took the stuff out of the boxes, made quick reference shots for someone. 

 

The mfg. of both items is Fovitec. It would be pretty easy to make the seamless setup, but it was worth the indulgence for me not to have to run around for the materials and then construct it. I don't care for the tents/boxes, so this design is just perfect. I'll probably set it up on my dining room table; that room has a lot of natural ight, which is nice if I want to incorporate that, and miniblinds to shut it out if I don't. 

post-63409-0-01321300-1487798686_thumb.jpg

post-63409-0-40146900-1487798695_thumb.jpg

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