by Joann Brosnan

Created on: December 22, 2007

DO-IT-YOURSELF GIFT FOR YOUR FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHER
Christmas is breathing down your neck, your checkbook balance is hovering perilously near red ink, and the most important person you would like to gift, lives only for photography (and you, not necessarily in that order). If you've spent hours browsing photographic catalogs, shops and websites, you know there's nothing your photographer doesn't have that you could possibly pay for. This is not the time to panic. A very small amount of do-it-yourself effort (no talent required), a couple of metal closet-shelf brackets, wood screws or wall-anchors, a closet pole and a role of photographers heavy-duty, seamless background paper are what you need.

The first step is to choose a section of wall for the new studio space. If your luck is good, you'll be able to find wall-studs conveniently placed, about 5 feet apart. Otherwise, you'll need to use anchor bolts into the wall surface.

Now, let's go shopping. A roll of basic seamless background paper (usually just called "seamless") is available from photographers' supply stores check your yellow pages. If you want to order it online, I've provided a couple of links, but any search engine will turn up more choices. For a basic set-up, purchase a 53" wide x 36" long roll of light grey paper there are wider rolls and a rainbow of colors, but you're going for basic and grey works with any lighting or subject.

Next stop, your local hardware or home store for a pair of combination shelf and closet rod brackets, 1 1/2 inch wood screws (if you'll be able to drive them into studs) or wall anchors to attach the brackets to the wall surface, a 1" wood closet pole (cut to 64 inches long), a pair of 1 3/8 inch wood closet pole sockets and two 1/2 inch wood screws.

Back home, you can take the easy way out and wrap the whole thing in Christmas paper and include instructions or you can take a couple of hours and set up the new studio space yourself. It's easy, I promise.

First, measure up from the floor or down from the ceiling to be sure your roll will hang straight. The top of the brackets should sit about 6 feet high.

Second, fasten brackets to the wall 5 feet apart.

Next, slip the wooden pole sockets over the ends of the pole and fasten with wood glue and, through the holes in the sockets, with the 1 1/2 inch wood screws. This will prevent the pole from creeping off the hanger when paper is dispensed.

The final step is to slide the roll of paper onto the pole and sit the pole on the bracket hooks, with the paper end coming over the top. To use, simply pull down the seamless to make a smooth backdrop.

You now have a very useable and basic studio backdrop for photography and you've only spent between twenty and forty dollars.

http://photography-lighting.com/paper-backgr ounds.html
http://alzodigital.com/online_store/select ion_backgrounds.htm?gclid=CLiIlZylkpACFQ8nawod7xujAA

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