The days of the large, dedicated photography studio being the norm are numbered, with many professionals preferring alternatives or using smaller spaces within their homes. This opens a Pandora’s box of tripping hazards and cramped conditions as light and background stands sit sprawled across the floor. These stands aren’t designed for these spaces, nor are they advantageous for more permanent fixtures.
At B&H, we understand the struggles of making do with small spaces, and while we’ve expanded over the years, we know that’s not possible in every case. Space-saving tools do exist, from collapsible stools to wall mounted backdrop hangers, but these tools miss something major that photographers can benefit from: convenience. With this conundrum in mind, we found a solution that not only saves working photographers space, but also time. And that’s where the Impact Motorized Background Support System enters the chat.
One of the most cumbersome tools in the studio photographer’s arsenal has to be the traditional background stand. It’s lightweight but has a massive footprint comparatively. Lights can be mounted to boom arms and ceiling rigging, sure, but the backgrounds can get stuck. These stands, while solid, take time to set up, especially when you’re working a solo shoot. Additionally, the footprint of these stands for wider backdrops becomes a tripping hazard in small studio spaces. When you want to change backgrounds, you need to partially collapse the entire system. Don’t even get us started on storage.
The Impact Motorized Background Support System is a heavy-duty, wall-mounted background system aims to fix these issues, supporting up to four individual rolls of seamless paper at a time, allowing users to easily unroll and use their preferred color as needed with the use of an included wireless remote. With a 164’ range, this remote works in tight studios and beyond seamlessly. If you’re in a significantly smaller space, the system can be controlled via a tethered manual remote switch with a 7.2’ cord as well.
The Impact Motorized Background System comes with four modular crossbars to support 9’ rolls, such as Impact’s non-reflective seamless background paper. Plus, the system supports cloth backgrounds with a total load capacity 4 rolls, 15 lb each, for a total of 60 lb. Its robust construction also prevents the dreaded backdrop sag and keeps your paper backdrops taut to prolong the life of your paper backdrops.
Mounting is easy enough, especially considering that once it’s installed and you’ve picked your four favorite backgrounds, you’re ready to go. Simply mount the Motorized Housing and Crossbar Housings where the wall meets the ceiling with the included hardware. This will be hard mounted, so plan accordingly. Once set up, there are no wide bases to worry about and no constant fumbling with stands to level things out—just grab either the wireless or tethered remote and start shooting.
Photographers in the studio are no stranger to the struggles of storing and swapping out rolls of seamless paper. Now, with the help of the Impact Motorized System, we can leave your rolls on the stand for quick and easy use. Gone are the days of leaving our rolls stacked in the corner of the room where they got dinged and creased. That said, you may think that keeping your paper backgrounds affixed to the wall will result in them sagging. Not a problem. The metal crossbars keep our backdrops straight as an arrow and looking clean and pristine.
The motorized, wall-mounted background system from Impact is an exceptional method for not only simplifying your background setup, but a great way to save space in the studio. Even for larger spaces, this solution can further streamline your efficiency, allowing you to shoot more and set up less. It’s also the only mounting system of its kind available here at B&H, and one of the most affordable! To learn more about the Impact Motorized Background System, check out the detailed product page.
