getting true white in product photography

[bournemouthmike]

Hi, I've been struggling to get a true white background whilst doing some product photography. I'm using 2 tungsten lights with some white card for the background. I'm shooting with a Canon 70d. My problem is the white background is slightly off white, I've set my white balance in camera to tungston. Any suggestions? I thought about using an off camera flash to blow out the background but I'd need gels for that I think. Any help would be great!

 

[The_Traveler]

use a grey card (or a truly white piece of paper) to set a custom white balance.

why not post an example that you have issues with.

 

[gsgary]

Your lights are not powerful enough

 

[photoguy99]

Is it the color or the value (or both) that you are dissatisfied with?

 

[bournemouthmike]

Thanks for the suggestions, I guess it would be the colour I'm dissatisfied with. Its still very slightly grey/cream when it has to be white to go onto a website. I think I may have to try setting a custom white balance maybe but not tried this before

 

[JoeW]

Your lights are not powerful enough

This!

With enough light, I can make a black backdrop appear white (or at least a lite gray). If you're getting yellow or grey than you need more light. And if you're worried about washing out the colors on your product, you blast the backdrop with light.

 

[bournemouthmike]

Thanks, I think you were right about the lights. I've moved the one lighting the background closer and I think it's done the job. I also set the camera up to a pc andmanaged to set a white balance through the Canon software. Quite pleased with myself! At the moment I'm using some borrowed interfit tungsten3200 continuous lights, I'd like to get a starter set for myself - do you think continuous would be the way to go or am I bettet to get some studio flashlights? I'll mainly be doing portrait and product photography. I'm guessing flash? Thanks.

 

[sk66]

Strobes, way more power/capability.
Constant lights are nice in that they are WYSWIG, but beyond that they are almost nothing but "negatives." They're fine for some static product work where the heat from them isn't an issue.

 

[Scatterbrained]

Your lights are not powerful enough

This!

With enough light, I can make a black backdrop appear white (or at least a lite gray). If you're getting yellow or grey than you need more light. And if you're worried about washing out the colors on your product, you blast the backdrop with light.

Not quite. Just "blasting the backdrop with light" will likely give too much light, creating issues with both light wrap on the subject as well as internal flare that leads to a loss of contrast in the image. Using the reflective meter in the camera (assuming the OP doesn't have a light meter) you want the background to meter 2 1/2 stops over. This will render pure white. Provide enough room between the background and the subject to prevent the background from lighting the subject, and flag off areas of the background that don't show up in the image (optional, mostly a benefit with transparent objects). This will provide a crisp white background while allowing you to light the subject entirely separately.
If it's not possible to achieve a white background in camera, it's quite easy to do in post as well. You can use luminosity masks to extract the subject and it's shadow from the background, then you can drop them on a pure white background. Granted it's better to use the pen tool to clip the subject and just use the luminosity mask to get the shadow.

 

[bournemouthmike]

Thanks for your suggestions, I've got some better flash lights now and that's helped a lot. What do you think of this image? Its a paintent shoe so there's quite a bit of shine, too much shine?

 

[gsgary]

Thanks, I think you were right about the lights. I've moved the one lighting the background closer and I think it's done the job. I also set the camera up to a pc andmanaged to set a white balance through the Canon software. Quite pleased with myself! At the moment I'm using some borrowed interfit tungsten3200 continuous lights, I'd like to get a starter set for myself - do you think continuous would be the way to go or am I bettet to get some studio flashlights? I'll mainly be doing portrait and product photography. I'm guessing flash? Thanks.

Take a look here very very good lights for the price
Lencarta Professional Studio Lighting Equipment & Studio Flash Kit UK

 

[gsgary]

View attachment 72839
Thanks for your suggestions, I've got some better flash lights now and that's helped a lot. What do you think of this image? Its a paintent shoe so there's quite a bit of shine, too much shine?

You need to get the book Light Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting (Book) by Fil Hunter, et al. (2011): Waterstones.com