Backgrounds / Backdrops: Impressionist

Backgrounds, also called Backdrops, are one of the photographer's best friends. A good background adds immeasurable class, quality, and - most importantly for the struggling photographer - VALUE to our work! Whether your "studio" is in a corner of your your living room, your garage, or a fully outfitted professional photographic studio, makes no difference. In the final print, all anyone will see is your subject looking beautiful in front of a professional background!

With these fabulous backgrounds, your studio can be anything you can imagine; a garden, a forest path, anything at all. The photographer creates the mood, and creates the art by using many "secret" photographic tools! And no other photographic tool is as powerful or as impressive as the background (also called a backdrop)! Why are photogs so in love with their studios? BECAUSE (in our studios) WE CAN CONTROL EVERYTHING! In our studios, we can play God! We can make it daytime or evening or night; we can shoot 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We can CREATE anything we can imagine. And nothing is more powerful than the location where we choose to present our victims (um, er, our "subjects," that is:) to the world through our images. Look at the wonderful backgrounds below, and just imagine how much the judicious use of these marvelous photographic tools can be to our photography. Every one of these fabulous backdrops are available right now - just check my eBay auctions or my eBay store to choose the one best for your needs! See below for some photographic tips and advice.

Almost all backgrounds are available in these sizes: 6x9; 9x9; 9x15; 9x21 feet; and some are available at 12x18; 18x21 feet.

Classic Muslins | Impressionists | Old Masters #1 | Old Masters #2 | Scenics | Hot Spots | Muslins Contents

Here are some of the most useful and popular Muslin backgrounds in use by pros worldwide today; the masterfully-created, all hand made "Impressionist" backdrops! Unlike many of the "cookie-cutter" backdrops that are being passed-off on unsuspecting buyers online lately, every one of these fabulous muslins are hand-painted by talented artists in the Old Masters tradition (a real person, with a real brush custom paints each and every one of these quality backdrops). Consequently, please view this sample pictures above as a guide which will be very similar to - but not exactly the same - as the one you will own if you are fortunate enough to win an eBay auction, or purchase one from the Photographer's SupplyStation eBay store. Every one of these unique and beautiful muslins are an individual work of art in and of themselves; since a talented artist creates each one of these to your order, each will be similar, but subtly different. No one else in the world will have the exact same background as you will, because each one is created the old-fasioned way... with hard work, artistic talent born of years of practice, a passion for the the art, and tender, loving care. Your muslin will be created just for you. Consequently, please allow approximately one week for your muslin to be created (we do have a small number of certain popular designs in stock for immediate shipment; if you encounter an emergency situation; please call see herefor details if you have an immediate need). At Photographer's SupplyStation, we will sell no backdrop before it's time.... :) Be aware that this is a fully and professionally-finished backdrop, not just a piece of material slapped together in someone's back yard; it comes hemmed and finished on all 4 sides, with a professionally sewn crossbar pocket across the top. How good are our products? How satisfied are our customers? See what every other customer has to say about dealing with "PhotoSource3" on eBay, and Photographer's SupplyStation online; check my feedback! see here Most Scenic background/backdrops are available in the following sizes (all dimensions are in feet): 6x9; 9x9; 9x15; 9x21 feet.

We all know (er, well, we all should know) how a different background (also called a backdrop) can completely change the look, feel, tone, and atmosphere of a shot. That's why there are backgrounds! Hey, this isn't the forum for a photography lesson, but just as a "quckie" (no, not THAT kind of a quickie :) to give you an idea, look at the pictures below; both are the same girl. Only one has a blue background, and the other has a green backdrop. Look at her eyes. See? If you want to improve your pictures, you might consider different backgrounds. If a simple and basic solid color backdrop, like the example below, can make such a difference in your images, just think how much better one of these professionally-created backgrounds can improve your work (and your income).

Yeah, yeah, I can hear the purists already complaining about the lighting differences, but I ain't trying to make art here, nor is it a "lesson" but just an imperfect example, so keep quiet and make your own pictures; if you've got a better example, send it in, OK? If not, then buy one of these great packages and make better photographs!

Technique: Which background should we use? That's a question with a million answers; the answer is: It depends. It depends upon what effect we're after, which mood we wish to create, how we choose to present our victim (um, er, our "subject," that is:) to the world. But there are a few basic guidelines we can follow. If our victim has striking blue eyes, for example (blue, brown, or whatever color, if their eyes are beautiful, use a similar color backdrop), but for this discussion, if our subject has beautiful blue eyes, consider a background with blue as a predominant color (just like this one!). If our victim has wonderful blond hair, consider using a backdrop with gold, tans, or light browns in it. If our subject is wearing a red blouse or dress, use a background with red. If our subject is wearing a green suit, consider a backdrop with green. It's our job - as photographers - to make our subjects (whether they're people in portrait pictures, or products, or buildings) look as good as we possibly can. And one of our most powerful and potent allies in this quest is the use of backgrounds! It's up to us to make our pictures make our subjects look as beautiful (or handsome, or striking, etc.) as we possibly can! Anybody with blue eyes, and everyone wearing something with blue in it will look wonderful in front of this fabulous background! The Portrait Session: If, for example, we're doing a portrait session, and we only have a blue background and a brown background to work with (hey, not all of us can afford to have dozens of different backgrounds when we're just starting out, y'know), what do we do? That's easy: tell our portrait client to bring two (or more) changes of clothes; in one set of clothes, wear something blue, and in the other set of clothes, bring something brown! This way, we get to make our clients look great using the backgrounds we already have! Also, tell them to bring one dressy outfit, and one casual outfit, so we can get images that show them urbane and sophisticated, and another set of images with them casual and comfortable. Oh yes, and this way we get to sell them twice the number of prints, too! One set for business and impressing folks, and one set showing that they're pretty darn attractive in jeans & cowboy boots, too (or whatever their particular casual attire may be). Tip 1: Ask the client what they enjoy doing; ask them about their hobbies, their passions, their interests. If they play the guitar, have them bring one along; if they love basketball, have them bring one to the session; if they just adore their dog or cat, bring them, too (more pictures, more poses, equal more SALES!). Tip 2: If they have a child, then tell them to bring the child along (unless it's strictly a business sitting, where children would be inappropriate), and bring a couple of sets of clothing for the child. too. Make some exposures (in addition to the standard single-subject portrait poses, of course) with the victim and the child, and some exposures of the child alone. Have the child in dressy clothes for some shots, and in play clothes for another set of shots (film is the cheapest part of your costs, so don't be afraid to use a lot). Then, be SURE to ask the subject to bring the child's grandparents (or uncles & aunts) along to view the prints - I guarantee you, 90% of the time, the grandparents will - at the very least - triple your sale! They just can't resist ordering pictures of their little darlings! A couple of 11 x 14s for the walls in the house (and for the office walls, too); a few 5 x 7s for their relatives, and some wallet-size prints, to carry with them! Remember, you're not only a photographer - you're also in business to make a living (quite a nice living, too, if you use your head)! See my other auctions for some more tips see here. Quickie Technique #3: Portraits - Set the camera at subject's eye level; focus on the eyes; light one side of the face brighter than the other (half in light to medium shadow); to hide wrinkles use umbrellas or softbox; to de-emphasize a large nose, raise camera level slightly and shoot full or 3/4 face; to de-emphasize a receding hairline, lower camera slightly or have subject raise head slightly. More "quickie technique" information will be included in other auction descriptions. Thank you for viewing this auction, and good luck! Tell me more about getting perfect exposure...see here

Please don't confuse this hand-made 100% muslin masterpiece with the cheap, poorly-made backdrops that are being sold online nowadays. This is a fabulous and original creation that will serve you well for decades, and will start improving your photography from the very first day it arrives at your doorstep! No matter where your "studio" may be, your portraits (and product photography as well) will glow with professionalism, and impress and amaze your subjects! It ain't magic, folks, it's just one more of the the secret weapons that make the pro's pictures so much better than ours: They have the right tools for the job! And now, so can you!

Need more information? Care to see more pictures of the item(s)? Want to know your payment and shipping choices? Would you like to check out my eBay store? Wanna see what over 500 other eBay bidders think of the equipment and service? You're only a click away!

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Technique: The most important "secret" of good photography is the thought the photographer puts into a picture before s/he even considers what type of film to use! The point here is that we have to train ourselves to think before we shoot! What color is our subject? How can we make that color (or shade) stand out? By using an appropriate background, of course! Look at the example above, again and see how the simple choice of using even a simple, solid color background that matches our subject's eye color can improve our pictures. In the lovely picture to your left, notice how the blue-violet shadows to the right of the model's head accentuate her blue eyes. Notice, too how half the face is in a light shadow, adding depth and texture. We have to ask ourselves: What do we want to emphasize in our picture? How will we direct our viewers' eye to our subject? If it's an outdoors photograph, how will we separate our main subject from any other distracting elements in our photograph? At which angle should we shoot? Is it important to establish place in this photograph (i.e., is it important for the viewer to know where our subject is? Or do we want to hide the location)? If we're shooting people, what is our victim's least appealing feature (i.e., a large nose, a bald head, pot belly, lotsa wrinkles, etc.:)? How can we hide or de-emphasize it? What's our subject's most appealing feature (i.e., eyes, profile, smile, boobs - oops! sorry, I couldn't resist:) ? How can we emphasize the attractive aspects of our subjects? These are the questions photographers have to ask, before we shoot. THINK before you shoot! MAKE a photograph - don't "take" a snapshot! Review the "Tips" in the section above, again; take the time and thought to prepare your photo sessions long before your subject arrives! Learn to know what you want before you put film in your camera. Learn to "design" your pictures before you pick up your camera! Take a piece of paper and a pencil, and sketch out what you want in the picture you're considering; this will be a great help in the beginning, and after a few weeks or months of doing this, you'll start to do it all in your head, and won't need the pencil and paper any more. Is your subject a child? If so, have some colorful toys around. Is your victim a man? Have him bring a suit and some jeans to the session. Is your subject an attractive and shapely young woman? Ask her to bring a dressy outfit and a sexy outfit or a bikini. Is your subject older? Be sure to have an umbrella or softbox ready to hide the lines and wrinkles. Shooting outdoors? Avoid placing a subject in the bright sunlight (which causes squinting eyes and harsh shadows), and find some open shade to shoot in (overcast days are great for outdoor shoots). I promise you that a good photograph doesn't require the genius of an Einstein - it just takes a little thought and preparation (creativity and practice doesn't hurt either)! You don't have to study photography for 20 years, just train yourself to think before you shoot! Don't try to plan out 100 subjects all at once; think about one or two, and then use 10 rolls of film on just a few ideas. Shoot from different angles; shoot from different heights; shoot with different lighting angles; shoot with color film; shoot with black and white film; think, then shoot! Pretty soon, you'll wake up one day and realize that you've changed; you'll look at the world differently; you'll "see" things most people never even notice; one day, you'll realize that you've become something special; something different, but different in a most amazing and wonderful way; you will have become - a photographer! © 2001 Why, you may ask, do we need a 12, 15, or 21 foot long muslin background when we'll probably only need 7 - 8 feet behind our subjects? Even Shaq is under 8 feet tall, for goodness sake! Good question. The answer? Because, as a photographer, I know that sometimes we might want to curve a few feet of our background material onto the floor under our subjects. This allows us to make full-length shots of a (standing or sitting) subject, and have the background continue under their feet. Also, it allows us to curve the background material along the floor (also under our subjects) to eliminate the horizon line (e.g., the line where the wall or background meets the floor); it may sound a bit esoteric to you now, but as soon as you start using backgrounds, and discover all the neat stuff we can do with them, it'll become clear to you. Things like these are one of the reasons why you're better off acquiring your photographic equipment from a photographer, instead of from just someone trying to "sell" you photographic equipment, because a photographer knows why something is important (or NOT important) for you to have, and how you can use it to improve your photography. Of course, "you da boss," because it's your hard-earned money you're spending - so you decide what to buy, and from whom to buy it (however, since PhotoSource3 on eBay (of Photographer's SupplyStation) not only knows photography, is willing to help you, and also has the best prices; it's really a no-brainer:)! Tell me some more about backgrounds.... see here Quickie Technique #5: Exposure - All meters built into all cameras are "reflection" meters; they read the light reflected by our subjects AND everything else in our viewfinder! This often causes incorrect readings, and pictures that turn out looking like doo-doo. Instead of letting our camera's meter read the exposure from our whole frame, set your built-in meter to its "spot" setting. Then, center the most Important part of your subject (i.e., the face of a person, the flower petals of a flower, the coat of a dog, etc.) in your meter's spot circle and take your reading; then, when our viewfinder's spot circle is filled with our subject and NOT with the surroundings, lock in exposure (e.g., press the shutter button half-way down), re-compose the shot, and then press the shutter button all the way down and make the exposure! I think you'll be pleased with the results! More "quickie techniques" information will be included in my other auction descriptions. Thank you for viewing this auction, and may you have the very best of luck!

From whom should you buy your photographic equipment? Hey, it's your hard-earned money, so you should buy from anybody you darn well like! However, one of the advantages of buying from another photographer is that, unlike "salesmen," who just want to "sell" things to you, a photographer will know what you need, and what you don't need; a photographer will know why you'll need something, and why you won't need something; a photographer will have actually used the equipment being sold, and will be able to offer advice based on real-life experience. Of course, the facts that photographers (like us) are usually much better-looking, a lot smarter, definitely kinder, and unquestionably much more creative than other folks, doesn't hurt either, does it? ;-) Unlike the others who try to cover up their own photographic illiteracy with not-so-vague warnings cautioning you against buying from anyone else (but them, that is:), I won't stoop to such reprehensible behavior; I guess I'm just not greedy enough to do such things. In addition, I trust you to be smart enough to make up your very own mind, without my self-serving advice, telling you who you should and shouldn't patronize. Sure, I'm in business to sell photographic equipment, but I'd rather lose a few sales than insult my customers' intelligence with admonitions like: "Buy from me! Don't buy from the other guy!" So go ahead and check out what's available, compare prices, quality, and customer service philosophies see here; see who you think will provide more help and support. Then, check out the feedback profiles see here; go look to see what the other "photographic experts" were selling a few months ago (that'll be a revelation:). Next visit the web sites, of your potential suppliers (especially those who claim to be photographers with "100 years experience," and see how much they really know about photography). Then, in addition to the usual, logical, informed, procedures for making your purchasing decisions, check with the old standby that's almost always right, your gut feelings. Check things out; make up your own mind. Then, without doubt, you'll come to the right conclusion. [However, - just in the interest of saving you time and trouble ;-) the conclusion you'll surely come to is that "PhotoSource3" on eBay (who is also the beloved founder and talented creator of MyPhotoHome.com and Photographer'sSupplyStation.com) is "Da Man" from whom to buy your photographic goodies! =:-) ] Thank you for being kind enough to view this auction (I hope you realize that my humor is meant to be fun, and is intended with good will), may you have the best of luck, and don't forget, as always, no matter who you choose to honor with your photographic purchases, take (or better yet, "make") lots of great pictures! And remember, you can't get good - unless you get started.

Need more information about these muslins? Care to see more pictures of the item(s)? Want to know your payment and shipping choices? Would you like to check out my eBay store? Wanna see what over 500 other eBay bidders think of the equipment and service? You're only a click away!

Tell me more about this equipment | Contact info Payment & Shipping options | E-mail Me | See my Feedback profile See ALL my eBay auctions! | See my eBay Store

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© 2001 RMorgan/Adam Publishing Co./Wryter/Photographer's SupplyStation All Wrights Wreserved Worldwide! So there! ;-)