Fabric Photography Sweep

by Carleyy in Craft > Photography

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Fabric Photography Sweep

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Want to take pictures that look clean and professional.  Use this easy photo backdrop to enhance the quality of your photos.

We have a paper photo sweep in the office, but since I make a lot of my projects at home I wanted a space where I could take nice pictures.  This photography sweep is easy to set up and very affordable.  Unlike our photo sweep in the office (frenzy made a great instructable on it - see here), mine uses fabric instead of paper.  I figured this would be more affordable because when the sweep gets dirty I can just throw it in the wash.

Materials

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Fabric - 2 yards, I used cotton duct fabric, the best fabric to use are ones that don't wrinkle that much and are mat so there wont be too much reflection from a flash.  I bought black and white fabric so I can switch them out.  Buy any fabric that you want - solids and patters!
2 Cup Hooks
Dowel Rod - 4 feet
Drill

Prepare Fabric

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We need to make a casing in the fabric for the dowel. Fold one of the shorter edges of the fabric over about 1.5" (or a little larger than the thickness of the dowel).  Sew that edge down.

Set Up

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Measure the length of the edge you sewed down.   Add 4 inches to that - this is the distance the cup hooks will be spaced.  

Put markings on the wall where the hooks will be installed.  Make pilot holes at these markings.  Twist cup hooks into wall.  Put the dowel in the hooks to make sure its level.

Put dowel in fabric casing and mount on the wall.  Let the fabric drape over a flat surface (table) and place objects you want to photograph on the fabric.

PHOTO-SHOOT TIME!

When you are done using photo sweep, roll the fabric back up.