1 backdrop, 3 looks.

[ronlane]

I finally ordered my first backdrop. It is a white 6.5' x 10' and I found it on sale. I went with the white because I knew I could make it three colors depending on the lighting (or lack thereof) that I used on it.

Here is an example of each. I used my Canon 5D mk III, Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro. Lighting is a 38" Octa with a grid on camera right. A reflector camera left for fill. 24" softbox camera left as a hair light. Then I used a speed light for the background on two of the three. Post processing with LR and Luminar 4.

1) No background light.

2) Speedlight at minimum power or really close to it.

3) Speedlight power somewhere close to 1/8th power to make the background white. Yes the edges are grey because of the post crop vignetting.

 

[tirediron]

Nice! Excellent demonstration on just what you can do by controlling light.

 

[ronlane]

Nice! Excellent demonstration on just what you can do by controlling light.

Thanks John.

 

[Derrel]

White is quite versatile, as you so capably demonstrated here.

 

[smoke665]

The power of reflective light. I've been using Dean Collins Chromazones for awhile now, but I use an 18% gray background, raising the reflective reading to +2-1/3 stops above the subject gives me pure white. Lowering the reflective reading of the background to -4-1/3 stops below the subject gives me pure black. Adding gels to the lights gives me unlimited hues. The other advantage of the gray is it's easier to replace the background in Ps using Overlay blend. If you're interested a handy chart to get your readings. Dean Collins Chromo Chart.pdf

 

[ronlane]

White is quite versatile, as you so capably demonstrated here.

Thanks Derrel

The power of reflective light. I've been using Dean Collins Chromazones for awhile now, but I use an 18% gray background, raising the reflective reading to +2-1/3 stops above the subject gives me pure white. Lowering the reflective reading of the background to -4-1/3 stops below the subject gives me pure black. Adding gels to the lights gives me unlimited hues. The other advantage of the gray is it's easier to replace the background in Ps using Overlay blend. If you're interested a handy chart to get your readings. Dean Collins Chromo Chart.pdf

Smoke, it is my understanding that if you could have only one background that the 18% gray is the way to go but as I mentioned, I got this one on sale and couldn't pass it up. I don't have a need to have a bunch of backdrops and not a lot of places to store them.

 

[Derrel]

Thunder gray is my go-to seamless paper color...but it is nice to also have white and black...and a stack of gels!

 

[Soocom1]

This is what i am learning...

I like what you did.

 

[smoke665]

Smoke, it is my understanding that if you could have only one background that the 18% gray is the way to go but as I mentioned, I got this one on sale and couldn't pass it up. I don't have a need to have a bunch of backdrops and not a lot of places to store them.

Unfortunately I've accumulated a bunch of backdrops. White will do for a lot of applications, but to get a true black with ambient light in my limited space studio is difficult. I have a 4 roller chain drive ceiling mounted rack that I keep the most used ones on White, Black, Gray, Tan. Those that I don't use often I store rolled on a core, in a rack on the wall. John had a good idea awhile back about rolling them on a core, and storing in PVC sewer pipe with caps. Actually if I was going to be limited to only a couple backgrounds, I'd go with seamless paper. No wrinkles, nice surface, when it gets dirty tear it off and throw that part away, plus it stores rolled up in the shipping carton.

 

[ronlane]

@Derrel, I remembered you posting on one of my macro threads wondering about the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro working for portraits.

Well see above for three examples. I think it will be just fine to use.

 

[adamhiram]

Very nice, don’t forget to take care of those wrinkles on the left!

I agree, a medium gray is definitely the most versatile to work with, and the one I use most (I use Fashion Gray), often with colored gels. I eventually picked up black and white rolls of seamless to make solid black and white backgrounds easier, but certainly not necessary. I like the 53” wide rolls of Savage seamless, as they are wide enough for half-body portraits with 1-2 people, and store vertically very easily. Also very affordable if you can find a way around shipping costs.

 

[Derrel]

Good job pulling white down to black.