Manufacturer: Lastolite
Model: Collapsible Velvet Background
Price: £110
www.lastolite.com

Home studios are a great idea, but many of us are limited in space and haven’t the room for background poles and Colorama paper backgrounds.

However the 5×6 foot Lastolite black velvet background is the ideal solution, allowing a quick and easy background that can stand against a wall and easily be folded away when not in use.

Like other Lastolite products, such as its range of reflectors and other backgrounds, the black velvet background uses a flexible steel hoop around the edge to provide rigidity when opened and folds down using a double twist movement for carriage and storage.

The black velvet provides a deep, rich black thanks to the fabric’s light-absorbing qualities, while the steel hoop provides enough torque to keep the fabric crease-free.

Around the rim are fabric ties that can be attached to poles – especially useful if you want to shoot outdoors when it could be stabilised by tying it to a tree or post in windy conditions – but the background can just as easily be propped against a wall. It’s a little small for full-length portraits but seated and three-quarter-length portraits are achievable. It could even be used as a backdrop to a still-life.

Verdict:
Overall this is a useful accessory for home and location portraits and just works. It’s fun watching the uninitiated trying to collapse it.

Pros:
Excellent light absorbence, foldaway design, portable

Cons:
Can be tricky to collapse

What Digital Camera Score: 90%