Velvet Backdrop

Our signature look. Sewn panels, steamed, no wrinkles, and a hairlight to make it a portrait shoot. A ~5-minute recipe for Hosts.

Standards

Wrinkles

Zero

Velvet shows every crease. Steam it standing.

Seams

Sewn

Sewn panels beat clamped panels every time. Clamps are for emergencies.

Hairlight

On, whenever the setup allows

Hairlights are what make it a pro portrait shoot. Hard to replicate.

Booth to backdrop

8 ft

Velvet panels, sewn together (the clamp method is the backup, not the plan)
Backdrop stand, or the 10 ft curved stand with the dual crossbar
Hairlight, small enough to stay out of the way, clamped to the crossbar
Steamer
Colors in rotation: white and crushed white, navy, red and green for the holidays

Unfold it the way it was folded
Velvet is transported folded a specific way so the nap doesn’t crush. Reverse the fold, don’t shake it out.
Hang it, then steam it
Clip it to the bar, let it hang, then steam top to bottom with the steamer close to the fabric.
Set the hairlight
Clamp it to the crossbar, aimed at the top of the head at the mark. Small enough that it never reads in the frame.
Key light and meter
Same as the booth recipe: proper angle, meter it, micro-adjust for skin tone. Velvet eats light. Expect to add power.
Test at the mark
One shot. Check for creases, hot spots, and the hairlight showing.
Fold it right at the end
Fold it the way it came. Wash and steam between events when it needs it.