Reviews

Photography product reviews by Woodstock, IL portrait photographer Ryan Klos. Experienced writer and reviewer.

Review | Calumet On-Site Portable Background System

Sometimes you need a backdrop that’s ultra-portable and sets up and tears down in an instant. Especially when doing corporate type shooting where time is limited. And while setting up two stands and threading a crossbar through a muslin doesn’t take all that long, faster alternatives exist.

One of those alternatives is Calumet Photographic’s On-Site Portable Background System. It’s designed to set up quickly and pack up small for easy travel. Fully assembled it measures 8 x 8′ and requires a single stand. Using an X-frame fitted into reinforced, double-stitched pockets at each corner of the muslin, the On-Site does indeed set up quickly, even with one person.

The overall quality of the entire system is very good. The stand, like the rest of Calumet’s stands, is good quality—strong and light weight.

The X-frame, which keeps the background taut, is made up of eight slip-in sections and is easily assembled. Each leg of the X is comprised of two pieces that easily slip together.

At the center of the X is a round hub where each leg is inserted. If anything gave me pause, it was this piece. But after using it I learned to trust its adjustable screws on either side to stabilize the unit on the stand. The muslins are also decent quality, but bear in mind that all 10 of the available patterns do not darken near the edges as many other professional muslins.

Available muslins for the On-Site come in 10 different colors, all of which are sold separately at calumetphoto.com.

Setting it Up
You’ll need plenty of room to set this system up—a cramped conference room won’t cut it. You’ll need at least 8 x 8′ of floor space since you have to put it together on the floor, according to the instructions.

Assembling it on the floor doesn’t make it ideal for all situations, like if you’re shooting in a warehouse or other dirty location, but if you have the space to lay it down, it’s simple. Just spread the muslin out (face down), assemble the X-frame, insert each arrow end into the reinforced pockets, then slip the opposite end of each leg into the hub. The X-frame will bow up as pressure is added making it taut.

Then, simply lift the whole thing and drop the hub onto the stand. Finally, adjust the stand’s height to make sure the bottom corners of the background are resting on the ground. That’s it. Seriously simple.

Pros

Set-up is quick and simple with one person.
8 x 8′ is plenty […]

Review | Drop it Modern Backdrops

The search for uniquely patterned backdrops is always on, especially for studio shooters. And while there’s no shortage of backdrops available from innumerable manufacturers, it’s easier to find mediocre backdrops than excellent. Drop it Modern specializes in the excellent category. (The image above features the Swanky pattern.)

Since May 2008, Drop it Modern has specialized in high-quality textured backgrounds. They make some of the most unique patterns and designs that I’ve found, and they work especially for senior portraits and children photos.

First Impression
From the moment I received my Drop it Modern backdrops, I was impressed. I’m talking from the moment the man in brown dropped them off. Each one arrived in its own Drop it Modern branded box.

But opening them made it even more clear that Drop it Modern takes pride in their products. Each backdrop was tied with a branded ribbon, and then wrapped in branded tissue paper. Classy, right?

Unmatched Quality
Presentation aside, I was blown away with the quality of these backdrops. It was clear from the moment I handled these that they weren’t your typical printed muslins. Drop it Modern backdrops are a heavy ground fabric with flocked velvet patterns. Whats ground fabric? Heavy duty weave that makes for a weighty and near wrinkle-free material. Add to it flocked velvet and you’ve got a highly durable backdrop that photographs beautifully. Velvet, by nature, is non-reflective—it soaks up light—which means it appears rich and saturated in photos.

Not only are Drop it Modern’s backdrops durable, they’re easy to care for. When I asked owner/creator Breanne Schaap about care and maintenance, she said, “In my studio I have seen it all—babies have accidents, shoes stomp all over it and get it dirty, etc. I just take it to the local dry cleaners—tell them that the velvets are flocked, and I get it back as good as new.”

One of a Kind
All of Drop it Modern’s designs are unique to Drop it Modern, so you won’t find these patterns anywhere else. They are the result of a collaborative effort between Schaap and her printmaker. She sketches a pattern she’s envisioning, and then works with her printmaker to make it a reality.

Not only are Drop it Modern backgrounds unique only to Drop it Modern, but they’re seasonal as well. That means they produce a limited number, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. That also means it’s easier to differentiate yourself from other photographers because not everyone will have the same backdrops.

Known best by their damask patterns, which offer a great modern-retro look and feel, they also have other patterns:

Review | X-Equals Creative Production Presets for Lightroom

If you’re using Lightroom you’re probably using presets in the develop module to speed up your processing. If you’re not, you need to. Presets are not only a huge time-saver, but also a great way to preview creative possibilities for your images.

You can make and save your own presets, which I recommend doing, especially once you establish your own unique style, but you don’t have to make your own. You can download presets from lots of different websites—some for free, some you need to pay for. Beware, free presets don’t always mean good presets.

I suggest downloading from reliable sources that have dedicated some time to making killer presets you know you’ll use. One such source I’ve downloaded from is X-Equals.

After downloading their Creative Production Presets, I discovered they take the dedication thing to an entirely new level. In this preset pack, X-Equals teamed up with LifeInDigitalFilm to create some of the best and most useful presets I’ve used to date.

Before I get to some examples, take a look at what’s included in the pack: 75+ presets in four categories.

Creative Holga Emulations
Creative Presets
Film Emulations
Monochrome Toolkit

Here are some examples of a handful of my favorites from the set.

While you may not use every single preset, there’s bound to be a favorite or two, or 20. I’ve got several favorites just in the Monochrome Toolkit. Don’t be afraid to use the presets as a starting point for your own creative processing. Click a preset and then continue tweaking in the develop module to create your own unique look. Once you nail it, be sure to save it as your own custom preset.

That’s a total of 75+ presets—very good and useful presets, mind you, for only $14.99. Head over to X-Equals today to buy ’em and you’ll get 10% off your entire purchase by using the code DEALS4ME at checkout. This deal is only good for a short time, so snap to.

If you’re hesitant, download the free sample presets at X-Equals and try them first. They have a few freebies available here (scroll down a bit).

Head over X-Equals to buy now »

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