Tips on Using Cotton Fabric as Backdrops

[fofazoju]

So I know plain ol' cotton fabric as a backdrop may not be the easiest to use, but for those of you who have used it, do you have any tips? I have a few newborns next week and want to try using some fabulous fabrics I found as backdrops.

I'm not talking muslin either, this is straight ol' cotton. I know it may (will) wrinkle but I really want to try it.

Any tips?? I was thinking of ironing it beforehand and then rolling it up like wrapping paper and having a portable steam cleaner on hand. How about hanging it? Just use clamps?

Thanks!!

[Brian Mullins]

The best is to iron it but, honestly, that takes forever and may not get all the wrinkles out.

Sidelighting the backdrop will show the wrinkles more. Light it separately from the foreground for more control. If it's white, nuke it and you will not have to worry about wrinkles.

[scootermcq]

Or ball it up.... It's like Amsterdam & Pot.... If you can't stop it, learn to embrace it.

Wrinkled to hell & back works too

[private]

For newborns, you do need to see a smooth backdrop. However polyester does not wrinkle - a ton. So, you have to iron the b/g b4 use, or you can simply use paper. BH photo has savage paper that comes in a ton of colors

[Biomech]

They let light through like a nutjob. I used some black bed sheets once and the day light just poured through :P

[Kit]

Either make a feature of the wrinkle effect (it's suppose to look like that!) or don't use it.