using gels on seamless

Coeng, I'm curious, have you put a "live" subject in front of this setup yet? Personally, I think you're getting plenty of coverage with the gel, but, as was stated, you either need to get the subject closer to the main lights or the lights closer to the table. I really feel like you're over-thinking this thing....

Of course, if one light won't do, use two.....

pcj wrote in post #15525046
Coeng - as shown in my example, speedlites can make very saturated colors on backdrops - but in your examples, you have to control your front lights better.

Several options have been presented - from pulling them out further from the set, to bringing them in closer and dropping the power, and what I do in small shooting conditions - flags / grids / softboxes.

They should all achieve the same / similar results for your needs.

I'm going to swap out the key/fill light mods I am using now and try a pair of 16x22 softboxes I have. I have no grids for them, but if that's the answer, I'll buy them. Will post shots tonight.

pcj wrote in post #15525046
Coeng - as shown in my example, speedlites can make very saturated colors on backdrops - but in your examples, you have to control your front lights better.

I forget, which example was yours?

I am really glad for your persistence in getting this figured out. It's been great to read along.

I like the seamless backgrounds. I don't like the textured ones . . . there is a fine line between textures that seem updated and ones that seem dated. The really really nice textured ones can be pretty expensive.

I do hope you'll share some of the portraits when you get it figured out!

coeng wrote in post #15524856
Based on a thread you started a long time ago, it seems like it actually can be better, I just have to figure out the right way to set my lights up.

Here are some examples I pulled from that thread.

https://photography-on-the.net …php?p=4429196&p​ostcount=1
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost​.php?p=5053241&postcou​nt=105
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost​.php?p=14335802&postco​unt=170
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost​.php?p=14049983&postco​unt=149
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost​.php?p=14386777&postco​unt=212

In most of those examples, including my fairly tight portraits in post #1, you'll notice some vignetting. None of them shows an evenly colored nine-foot wide backdrop.

Given your working space and your equipment, I think your most practical options are as follows:
1) Use a Speedlite with a soup can snoot, on a short stand behind the subject. Some experimentation will be required to create a colored area of your desired size. The advantage to this method is you have every color in the Roscolux swatchbook at your disposal.
2) Use a strobe with snoot or grid (a wider grid than the one you have), mounted from the ceiling like you have it. You'll have fewer worries about power, recycle time and battery life, and you have a pretty good selection of colors already.

coeng wrote in post #15525169
I forget, which example was yours?

The dancer (two shots) back a page - thats a gridded softbox. The grid makes life simpler, but as long as you can control the spill on the backdrop, you don't *need* them.