| As a professional photographer and author of | | | | offered for sale on eBay and elsewhere. These |
| numerous photography related articles, I am frequently | | | | backdrops are one color only with no mottling, dyeing |
| asked about the differences between the various | | | | or other paint effects. Be particularly careful to avoid |
| types of backdrops and how to go about selecting | | | | buying muslin backdrops from disreputable sellers who |
| and purchasing a quality backdrop online without the | | | | are actually selling bed sheets to unwary buyers. |
| benefit of seeing it in person. | | | | So, how does one go about carefully selecting and |
| As any amateur or professional photographer will | | | | buying quality muslin backdrops from reputable sellers? |
| attest, backdrops represent a significant financial | | | | First and foremost, watch the feedback comments. If |
| investment, ranging in price from several hundred | | | | a seller has anything less than 100% positive feedback, |
| dollars each to only a few dollars. So, how can a | | | | scroll through several pages of feedback comments |
| buyer make a good investment in a quality backdrop | | | | and actually read any negative or neutral comments |
| that will stand up to studio usage and avoid making | | | | left by buyers. If you see one or more comments |
| costly mistakes by choosing poor quality backdrops | | | | from buyers that the backdrops they received were |
| that may seem to be attractive and reliable? | | | | not as pictured, not as represented, not as described, |
| I have worked with a variety of backdrops in my | | | | etc., it's in your best interest to avoid purchasing |
| studio and have purchased several backdrops on | | | | anything from that seller. Even sellers with feedback |
| eBay myself. I have also experienced my fair share of | | | | ratings in the high 90's have been known to mislead |
| disappointment and difficulty dealing with less than | | | | buyers in their listings. I personally fell victim to one such |
| scrupulous sellers who pass off cheaply made | | | | unscrupulous seller who very intentionally |
| backdrops as the genuine article. So, I thought I would | | | | misrepresented the backdrop I purchased as a |
| offer my expertise to help buyers select and purchase | | | | hand-painted backdrop when, in fact, it was a poorly |
| quality backdrops. | | | | airbrushed design and not at all as it was pictured. Pay |
| Backdrops come in a variety of different materials. | | | | very close attention to the photograph pictured in the |
| The sturdiest, and often most expensive, are the | | | | listing. I see the same photographs of backdrops pop |
| canvas backdrops. These backdrops are tough and | | | | up in listing after listing by different sellers. Clearly, these |
| should last many years with proper care. Muslin | | | | are not genuine photographs of the actual backdrop |
| backdrops, by far the most popular material used for | | | | offered for sale. Many clever, albeit dishonest, sellers |
| backdrops, are lighter and softer but also still quite | | | | will pack the photograph will people and/or objects to |
| durable if they are made of 100% cotton muslin. Finally, | | | | obscure the backdrop and make it harder for you to |
| there are sheer backdrops (sometimes referred to as | | | | see any backdrop detail. Or, worse yet, use a |
| fantasy cloth or drapes) that are very lightweight, | | | | photograph from another merchant's website. Time |
| somewhat translucent, and generally meant to be | | | | after time, buyers leave comments that the backdrop |
| draped over a person or object. These backdrops add | | | | is substantially different from the photograph in the |
| interest to a photo but are really not designed to serve | | | | listing. Some variance in colors or designs is normal due |
| as the only backdrop for a photo. Given that the vast | | | | to differences in computer monitors and differences in |
| majority of backdrops sold on eBay and elsewhere on | | | | the dyeing or hand-painting techniques used. However, |
| the Internet are made of muslin material, I will focus this | | | | vast color shifts and design differences are |
| guide on the various types of muslin backdrops. | | | | unacceptable and should not be tolerated. |
| Of key importance in selecting a quality muslin | | | | Never hesitate to ask the seller a question about the |
| backdrop is the method of painting or dyeing used to | | | | backdrop or the seller's shipping or other policies |
| create a finished product that can be used in a studio. | | | | BEFORE you bid. Reputable sellers will respond to |
| There are vast differences in the quality of these | | | | your questions fairly, honestly and promptly. If you |
| backdrops, so it's very important to know what you | | | | never hear back from a seller, then there is a good |
| are buying. | | | | chance that the answer you seek is unfavorable for |
| Hand-painted backdrops are just that. They are | | | | you. In light of my few bad experiences with dishonest |
| painted by hand with brush. Hand-painted backdrops | | | | sellers, I have started asking more questions up front. |
| will be heavier due to the application of layers of paint | | | | Occasionally, the seller refuses to answer my |
| that are absorbed into the muslin material. Also, they | | | | questions entirely or offers vague, non-responsive |
| tend to be a bit more rigid until they have been handled | | | | answers. In such cases, I avoid those sellers and look |
| enough to make them supple. Hand-painted backdrops | | | | elsewhere for backdrops. BE SURE to ask the seller |
| are usually more expensive because of the time and | | | | outright if the backdrop is hand-painted by brush stroke |
| effort involved in creating them. Many of the finer | | | | if you are in doubt. |
| hand-painted backdrops I have seen or worked with | | | | The overall key here is research. Do your research |
| are truly masterful pieces of art. With very few | | | | BEFORE you buy. Try doing a Google search on the |
| exceptions, you should never machine wash a | | | | seller. Does the seller have a favorable report with the |
| hand-painted backdrop. Gentle spot washing is the | | | | Better Business Bureau? Watch out for sellers with |
| best method for dealing with spots or stains. | | | | exorbitant shipping rates. Also, watch out for sellers |
| There are a number of sellers on eBay, in particular, | | | | who have multiple accounts and are selling the same |
| who are listing backdrops for sale and representing | | | | or similar items using these multiple accounts. Actually |
| them as hand-painted when, in fact, they are merely | | | | read any negative feedback left by buyers and be |
| air-brushed. Air-brushed backdrops can be quite | | | | very wary of any seller who leaves retaliatory |
| beautiful and stunning in their color saturation and | | | | negative feedback. This is a bullying tactic used by a |
| detailed designs. However, air-brushing does not fully | | | | number of sellers on eBay to coerce buyers into |
| penetrate the muslin material. That's why it's very | | | | leaving positive or neutral feedback instead of honest |
| common to see feedback comments about the paint | | | | and appropriate negative feedback. After all, the |
| chipping or falling off of an air-brushed backdrop. | | | | purpose of the feedback system is to help buyers |
| What's more, depending on the type and quality of | | | | identify which sellers are honest and reputable. |
| paint used, air-brushed paint designs are likely to rub | | | | If all else fails and you end up purchasing a poor quality |
| off on people and clothing. Unless you want to wash | | | | backdrop from a sly seller, file a complaint with eBay |
| away most or all of your backdrop design, I would not | | | | and/or with PayPal. The only way to stop crooked |
| recommend machine washing an air-brushed backdrop | | | | sellers is to call attention to their tactics again and |
| either. Just normal use of these backdrops can cause | | | | again. |
| them to shed paint. | | | | Finally, remember that there are a number of great |
| I have been using dyed muslin backdrops in my studio | | | | sellers on eBay and elsewhere on the Internet who |
| for quite a while. I love to work with them, as they are | | | | value their customers and treat them with respect. |
| lighter than hand-painted backdrops and easier to | | | | Whenever possible, I buy from sellers like these, even |
| drape. Dyed Muslims come in a variety of interesting | | | | if they charge more for the same items. I would rather |
| and colorful designs. Some are tie-dyed with funky | | | | buy a more expensive item from a seller who delivers |
| colors, spirals and swirls. Others look much like the | | | | outstanding customer service and high quality products |
| acid-washed denims of the 80's. The high school | | | | than to settle for inexpensive products from less than |
| seniors I photograph seem to love them. These | | | | honest sellers with terrible customer service. |
| backdrops are versatile and often machine washable. | | | | I hope this guide will help you, my fellow photographers |
| The dyes used fully penetrate the muslin material and | | | | out there, to avoid making costly mistakes when |
| are generally much less likely to rub off on people and | | | | shopping for photography backdrops. This article is |
| their clothing. | | | | also featured on eBay. |
| Finally, there are a variety of solid muslin backdrops | | | | |