I have an idea for this challenge, but I need a black cloth for a backdrop. Any ideas on good fabrics to use? i.e. is velvet or plain cotton better, to show minimal lighting effects.
I have found that it doesn't really matter if you set the shot up just right. If your backdrop is going to be part of the photo, then it matters more... If you just need a dark background, you can use about anything. Set it up 6 or 7 feet away from your subject and blur it out with a larger aperture...
velvet will yield the blackest results. as will black flocking (a kind of felt). velvet is pretty expensive but velour can usually be had for reasonable prices.
Originally posted by aeli2468: I have an idea for this challenge, but I need a black cloth for a backdrop. Any ideas on good fabrics to use? i.e. is velvet or plain cotton better, to show minimal lighting effects.
If you just want a black background, I find you can even use dark blue. If you use the correct exposure and aperature, it will be black. Make sure you set it up as far away as you can from the subject, though.
What I'd really like to know is, how to get the white background?
* This message has been edited by the author on 4/16/2002 11:59:48 AM.
Originally posted by Reuben: What I'd really like to know is, how to get the white background?
Reuben, How big? You can buy rolls of seamless paper backgrounds from photography stores in widths of 5' and 9'. You can also buy white muslin from any good fabric store, also up to 10' in width.
White paper is a good idea. I tried some white cloth, but I always got shadows or something else. That stuff is easy to edit out, of course, but maybe not so easy with only global changes.
Originally posted by magnetic9999: Originally posted by Reuben: [i] What I'd really like to know is, how to get the white background?
Reuben, How big? You can buy rolls of seamless paper backgrounds from photography stores in widths of 5' and 9'. You can also buy white muslin from any good fabric store, also up to 10' in width.
when i shot my photo for the last challenge ('bottled'), i used a blank, full-screen internet explorer window on a 17" monitor to create a white, back-lit background.
in fact, i often use monitors as backgrounds. my flat-panel monitor at home offers a very nice flat black when it's turned off.
That's a great idea, it's easy to blow out something that's lit than something that's white. I wonder how well a light shining on the back of a white sheet would work for a larger subject.
I really like that idea. I finally have a use for all of my 19" monitors!
Originally posted by mci: when i shot my photo for the last challenge ('bottled'), i used a blank, full-screen internet explorer window on a 17" monitor to create a white, back-lit background.
in fact, i often use monitors as backgrounds. my flat-panel monitor at home offers a very nice flat black when it's turned off.
