Flipping the Background...

White background black and a black background white...

I saw a post on here not too long ago that was someone giving lighting instructions to another person. The teacher was getting the student to take two photos of a manikin with the lighting on the subject exactly the same. He further instructed that one had to have a white background turned black, and the other have a black background turned white.

I don't remember him going into specifics on how to accomplish this, but I am wanting to know the concepts of doing this.

Anyone have any thoughts, links, examples?

For those particular requirements..

White -> Black - Increase distance between subject to background significantly

Black -> White - Put a strobe on the background and blow it out.. Watch out for reflected light, the further you can get your subject from the background and strobe, the less the reflected light will impact your subject lighting.

Basically this is just the inverse square law being demonstrated.

A bright enough amount of light on the background (relative to the amount of light put on the subject) will overexpose (make 'white') any background. The background needs to be metered at about +3EV brighter than the subject.

A low enough amount of light on the background (relative to the amount of light put on the subject) will underexpose (make 'black') any background. The background needs to be metered at about -3EV darker than the subject.

Gray card shot as metered

Same white background - different looks

More of his white seamless tutorials