Blown out background?

[Chris71]

There are lots of portrait pics I've seen on this site where the background looks totally white. It looks as if there is no background at all, or it is blown out. Is this something that is done with lighting, or is it done in post processing?

I have posted an example. Beeej, I hope you don't mind me using your pic as the example.

Thanks

[PhotoScout]

My understanding is that the white background is behind the subject just far enough so that there is very little if any light fall off and that the lighting used covers the subject evenly so there are no shadows. Also, the whiteness of the background may be important. I tried using poster paper once and it had a dull, slightly off white look to it.

[mdmedicgod]

My understanding is that the white background is behind the subject just far enough so that there is very little if any light fall off and that the lighting used covers the subject evenly so there are no shadows. Also, the whiteness of the background may be important. I tried using poster paper once and it had a dull, slightly off white look to it.

I think u might be confused with getting a real black ground.
to blow the white BG out you need more light on the background then on your subject

[Big Mike]

That's it...put more light on your background than on your subject. If I remember correctly, you want at least three stops more than your average reading.

[MagicallyDelicious]

light your background

[Buggbairn]

Couldn't you also have your model far enough away from the Background that with your chosen aperture the background will be OOF thus losing any apparent detail ?

[Khaled]

I know that in addition to having the background overexposed, you could imporove your portrait by choosing the longest focal length your zoom lens could provide ( this will give you a nice bokeh "blurrying the background").

[FlashZebra]

To "blow out" the background.


Use a white or near white background.

Light the background with one or two flash units (it is a lot easier to get it even with two flash units, but if you are careful, you can do it with one).

Set the exposure on the background to be 1 to 2 stops greater than the exposure on your subject. If you have problems with getting the exposure even on the background gravitate toward the 2 extra stops of exposure on the background. If you can make the exposure across the background relatively even you can likely get away with just 1 extra stop of exposure on the background.

To efficently do this you may need to have several feet between your subject and your background.

With that Novatron 240 kit, you can only plug in three flash heads, so you may be stuck with having only 1 backdrop light. Do you have three heads, the kit Novatron 240 kit typically only comes with two.

Enjoy! Lon

[FlashZebra]

My understanding is that the white background is behind the subject just far enough so that there is very little if any light fall off and that the lighting used covers the subject evenly so there are no shadows. Also, the whiteness of the background may be important. I tried using poster paper once and it had a dull, slightly off white look to it.
This will do nothing to "blow out" the background.

Enjoy! Lon

[PhotoScout]

Thanks for correcting me. I don't know how I got those backwards.

My understanding is that the white background is behind the subject just far enough so that there is very little if any light fall off and that the lighting used covers the subject evenly so there are no shadows. Also, the whiteness of the background may be important. I tried using poster paper once and it had a dull, slightly off white look to it.

[FlashZebra]

Couldn't you also have your model far enough away from the Background that with your chosen aperture the background will be OOF thus losing any apparent detail ?
The original poster is not trying to loose detail in the background.

They are trying to push the exposure on the entire background beyond the ability for the digital sensor (or even film) to record detail. In other words, the white of the background will end will be clipped or have exposure values beyond pure white.

You can only do this by adding light to the background, and there must be more light on the background than on the subject.

It is a very appealing effect.

Enjoy! Lon

[Chris71]

Sorry guys, and gals. My example photo was removed due to copyright rules that I did not think about. I apologize if I offended anyone.

Thanks to everyone who has responded, I think I know what I need to do now. I do have two Britek strobes that I can use on the background in addition to the Novatron kit, I will see what I can do with those.

Thanks again

[cosworth]

Exposure comp is an easy way to do this. I turn mine down a 1/3 stop or 1/2 and then I bump up my fill flash. And using a polarizer helps too.

I read this thread just before going out on a caribbean sunset shoot. I'll post some examples that I took for you with exif. It might give some insight.

It will be a while, tonight is my busiest night and it might takes some time (hour) to get them up.

[cosworth]

http://www.jasonhollister.com/images/bad.jpg

http://www.jasonhollister.com/images/better.jpg

[FlashZebra]

Exposure comp is an easy way to do this. I turn mine down a 1/3 stop or 1/2 and then I bump up my fill flash. And using a polarizer helps too.

I read this thread just before going out on a caribbean sunset shoot. I'll post some examples that I took for you with exif. It might give some insight.

It will be a while, tonight is my busiest night and it might takes some time (hour) to get them up.
I think you are missing the point. The original poster wants to blow out the background, not mittigate a blown out background.

In other words he or she wants to go east, and you seem to be pointing west.

Enjoy! Lon

[MrWills]

Here is one of my wife. I have 3 AB 800's I have 1 30"x60" softbox on the right and 1 48" Brolly box to the left. Then i put the 3 one behind her pointing straight up at the backdrop. I have the background light about 2 f stops higher than my other 2 lights. I hope this helps you some and is the effect you are trying to get. There is no PS in this image at all. :)

[Chris71]

Yes, that is pretty much what I am trying to accomplish. Thanks Shawn.
Thanks to everyone else who has given their input here also.

[cosworth]

Correct.

[whiskaz]

An interesting article on achieving this with 1 light (and a panel). I've not given it a try, however.

http://www.swpp.co.uk/professional_imagemaker/one_light_portraits/one_light_portraits.htm

[mR_CaESaR]

http://www.jasonhollister.com/images/bad.jpg

http://www.jasonhollister.com/images/better.jpg

how did you do that? thats what i've been trying to accomplish lately, but i just can't get it.

[muscleflex]

just seen this - and i'm curious too! how was the sky changed?

[In2Photos]

how did you do that? thats what i've been trying to accomplish lately, but i just can't get it.

just seen this - and i'm curious too! how was the sky changed?

I looked at the EXIF and noticed that the settings are the same for both shots except the second has a -1/3 EC. As he mentioned earlier he usually uses a polarizer which will reduce light as well, by how much I am not sure. Basically what he did was expose for the background and use flash to compensate on the people. In Av mode, set your aperture, set some -EC, anywhere from -1/2 to -1 1/2 stops and use your flash, possibly with some -FEC, as fill light.

[sub]

In Av mode, set your aperture, set some -EC, anywhere from -1/2 to -1 1/2 stops and use your flash, possibly with some -FEC, as fill light.

I think +FEC on 2nd photo as main light, otherwise, the people and the whole picture will be underexposed.

[PhotosGuy]

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