Getting the Gray Out

[JillJ]

I am using a Canon Rebel EOS with the standard kit lens. I am trying to take some product photos using an EZ Light cube and 3 table top lights equipped with Longstar full spectrum daylight compact fluorescent bulbs (30W/2100 lumens). The backdrop in the attached photo is a piece of bright white vinyl flashing. I have put the flash exp comp up 2-3 stops and the WB is set to auto right now. Although the picture isn't too bad and I know there will always be some post production editing to be done, I'm having a hard time with the background being grayish-green. Any tips on how I can fix this would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Jill

 

[KmH]

The background is under exposed because of light fall off (Inverse square law), making it gray.

You need the background separately lit at least a full stop brighter than your product if you want to get it right in the camera.

You can adjust the background of that shot by using image editing software.

Consider hiring a professional product photographer to make the image. Your sales will be better.

 

[SrBiscuit]

is the correct term a kicker light? or am i off here?

*edit* yeah thats the wrong term i think.

kmh is right...gotta light the bg separately.

 

[JillJ]

Thank you for your comments. Can you give me a brief idea of how to separately light the bg?

 

[SrBiscuit]

you would need a lightsource between the subjects and the BG...so maybe move them forward a bit so you have room to add the light behind them (off to the side out of frame). i would imagine you dont want the background light to appear on the subjects themselves.

im sure someone more knowledgable will be along shortly to confirm or correct my suggestion.

 

[xjoewhitex]

Ive also been having this same problem with my white box, doing it somewhat as a project. Ive corrected somewhat by adjusting the Ev up a stop, but I know that wasn't the correct way of doing it. So light the background a stop higher than the product?

 

[Big Mike]

I am using a Canon Rebel EOS with the standard kit lens. I am trying to take some product photos using an EZ Light cube and 3 table top lights equipped with Longstar full spectrum daylight compact fluorescent bulbs (30W/2100 lumens). The backdrop in the attached photo is a piece of bright white vinyl flashing. I have put the flash exp comp up 2-3 stops and the WB is set to auto right now. Although the picture isn't too bad and I know there will always be some post production editing to be done, I'm having a hard time with the background being grayish-green. Any tips on how I can fix this would be most appreciated.

If you are using those CF lights, why are you adjusting the Flash exposure compensation?

If anything, you should be adjusting the regular EC (exposure compensation) up, because the white background & light colored subject will cause the meter to underexpose.

And yes, Keith is right. To get the background white, you need to get more light onto it...probably without getting more light on the subject. To do this, try moving the bottles a little farther away from the back, then aiming a light at just the backdrop. +

 

[DirtyDFeckers]

I am using a Canon Rebel EOS with the standard kit lens. I am trying to take some product photos using an EZ Light cube and 3 table top lights equipped with Longstar full spectrum daylight compact fluorescent bulbs (30W/2100 lumens). The backdrop in the attached photo is a piece of bright white vinyl flashing. I have put the flash exp comp up 2-3 stops and the WB is set to auto right now. Although the picture isn't too bad and I know there will always be some post production editing to be done, I'm having a hard time with the background being grayish-green. Any tips on how I can fix this would be most appreciated.

If you are using those CF lights, why are you adjusting the Flash exposure compensation?

If anything, you should be adjusting the regular EC (exposure compensation) up, because the white background & light colored subject will cause the meter to underexpose.

And yes, Keith is right. To get the background white, you need to get more light onto it...probably without getting more light on the subject. To do this, try moving the bottles a little farther away from the back, then aiming a light at just the backdrop. +

^^^^^ what he said..

 

[kundalini]

To avoid potential color cast from the products, I would also flag your background lights.

 

[JillJ]

I think I will have to use a matte white background, at least behind the products because lighting the backdrop causes too much reflection from the lights even with the fabric of the light tent. I don't care if the background is not pure white, I just don't want that dingy gray cast to it.

I will try what has been suggested and then update with my progress. Thanks!

 

[Big Mike]

I think I will have to use a matte white background, at least behind the products because lighting the backdrop causes too much reflection from the lights even with the fabric of the light tent

Where you see the reflection of the light source, that is because of the 'direct reflection' properties of the material. So yes, something that has more 'diffuse reflection' than direct, will certainly help...but most things have at least some direct reflective properties.
Keep in mind that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. So if you don't want the lights to show up as reflections on the background, you need to move them so that they are outside the 'family of angles' for your camera position. In other words, imagine that your backdrop is a mirror and put your face where the camera is (look through the camera). If you can see the lights in the mirror, then their reflection will be in the photo. But as you move them farther away from the camera, they will eventually get outside the family of angles, and thus, you can get rid of the direct reflection.

On the flip side, rather than get the lights outside of the family of angles, you could try to fill the family of angles with the light source, that way the whole background is a direct reflection. This is basically what the light tent tries to do, but if your lights outside the tent are too close (or tight) then you end up with smaller light sources. Try moving your lights farther away from the tent, so that they light up the whole side/top of the tent.