Need better black backdrop

I've been struggling with getting a perfectly black background with black seamless paper. My subject is 7 feet from the backdrop. I've got my lights fairly close to my subject so I can set the aperature high (small). And I bought some brolly boxes (poor man's softbox) for my fill and main so I have more control over lighting spill. And it still seems like I'm having problems with some reflection on the backdrop. Perhaps it's a problem that would be solved by using a black fabric backdrop?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Have any of you had problems with black seamless paper? Any recommendations on where to get a black fabric backdrop?

The attached image is F18 at 1/125.

Thanks,
Amy

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Well, I've never used paper. I use muslin. I have a black and a white at the moment. I don't use my black anymore, so if you were so inclined, you could purchase mine from me. It's 10'10"x15'. I paid $149 for mine from ebay from a company called "jandkgroup''. It's a Botero. It's been used twice. I'd be willing to let it go for say $120 shipped. Just in case. Oh, and it's cotton. Nicely done.


Back to your photo, I can't honestly tell what the problem is. However, I can't recall ever using such a small aperture for a portrait. I use a larger one as to blur out the background a bit so that you're not noticing the grain of the fabric. Also, you have to be careful, even with black, so as not to let light in from the back, or it can have a very displeasing effect.

you could use level adjustments in PS to finish the job. I used inputs of 44/1.72/255 and then masked off the dark areas on the pants to keep them from going totally black.

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Two things come to mind...3 really. First is the aperture...I'd bet you are well focussed on the texture or grain of the backdrop and thus picking up some of the light "caught" in the texture.

2d, perhaps the background was too lit...I have had this happen.

3d, perhaps your exposure is too high for the amount of black in the image...your meter may be trying to turn it 18% gray.

Or...I may know nothing. Good luck!

That's an awesome shot, by the way. No help with your question, I just couldn't resist the compliment.

John

First of all, nice photo. I'm no expert but I have a black backdrop and was having problems until someone told me to make sure the background is at least one stop darker than the light on your subject. when I tried this the background went completely black.

Thanks for the offer. But I think I need a 10'x20' because I specialize in photographing small children being themselves which means they move around a lot.

My backdrop is against the wall so I think I'm ok as far as light coming through. And yes, that is extremely small aperture. I was trying to blacken the background - I read about it somewhere on the internet. I usually shoot around F11 or F13 with my other backdrops. My subjects move around a lot so I need good depth of field. When I have a little baby I open up the aperture for a nicer look.

That looks good! I haven't messed much with the middle slider on the levels chart - guess I should. Thanks!

I should check. I'll meter it next time I set it up. I assumed it wasn't lit at all because I've got the Brolly boxes and I thought the light fall off would be sufficient not to light the drop at that exposure. I'll also try it at a F11 and see if it is any better.

Thanks everyone!
Amy

A brolly, spreads out light like any umbrella will. To control where you light falls you need grids or barn doors or some other way to control the light leaving the front of the light modifier. So yes, you are still getting past your subject, which is falling on your background. At 7 feet back you aren't getting a lot, but even black paper is a bit more reflective than muslin and you could be getting a bit of bounce back from your lights. Rather than decrease your stop, you might open up 2 stops and reduce the power of your lights. That will drop the amount of light hitting the background a bit more.

If you want good, but cheap black muslin, you can get 9' 10" wide by $12.90 a yard here: http://www.chicagocanv​as.com/theaterfab.htm

I have some 20' long and it works very well. It's made from thread that is dyed black before it's sewed together, so it's black all the way through. It's also washable and dryable... just take it out and hang it on your background stand a little before it's completely dry and there won't be any wrinkles.

Also, pretty good picture to boot.

Mike

Can I put the grid inside the Brolly Box? Do you recommend any size grid? I've never used a grid before.

If you want good, but cheap black muslin, you can get 9' 10" wide by $12.90 a yard here: http://www.chicagocanv​as.com/theaterfab.htm

Awesome! Thanks!
Amy

How close is close? If the lights are closer to the subject than 7 feet, the background should be at least 2 stops darker than the subject and that should blacken the background for you sufficiently. However, if the problem is reflective glare from the background paper, than that's a different story. You may need to shift the position of the lights around to get rid of the reflection. If not, as you said, you might need to switch to a cloth background.

Yeah, that's what I had read - If I had my lights close to my subjects then my background would be black. My main and fill lights (for the black backdrop) are within 3 feet of my subject, and neither one of them is facing the backdrop (each are at 45 degrees).

Amy

The reflection seem to be coming from an overhead light, not the ones on the side. Does that make sense? You aren't using any overhead lights, are you?

I have some dim ambient lights above my studio floor but I never thought they would affect anything. I do have reflection at it's worst right where the seamless paper bends to go up. I've attached another image that shows it clearly.

Thanks,
Amy

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Yep, I understand. That's why when I got my white one, I went with a 10x24' one. I have 4 nephews, and another on the way.

Look at it this way. If the light is 5.6 feet from the subject, it will be 1 stop darker on a backdrop at 8', 2 stops at 11', 3 stops at 16'. See how it works? Same as f-stops.