background light setup

I have a three light flash system, one for main light, fill light and background light. The question I have is the backgroungd light. I use the background light which is placed on the floor 2 feet from backdrop lighted with a gel filter sheet to change color of background. The problem I have is that when shooting the whole person standing it's hard to cover the background light. Sometimes it gets in the picture. Is there a easier way I can place the background light somewhere else? I tried hanging it on the ceiling, but the light coming from the top does not light the backdrop as well. The background has a 11 inch reflector on it and I attach the lighting filter with velcro. Is there any other equipment I can use to make this work better? Any suggestions will be helpful. Thanks

Two feet from the background sounds awful close to me. I can't imagine that it lights up anything more than a concentrated four foot circle. Try moving it back closer to the subject just out of the frame. You may not get an even coverage on the background. Some times it helps to have two BG lights, one on each side.

I have a 11 inch reflector on the background light which spreads it out a little. I was thinking about getting another light. maybe someone else has more ideas.

I use a 7" reflector, usually with grid to narrow the beam. I use a backlight stand http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …EG&addedTroughT​ype=search
although you can make a stand from 2x4's and a 5/8" dowel.

I use one background light for close-ups, head and shoulders and ½ length poses. For ¾ length and full length poses I move that light out and turn on two other lights, with umbrellas that criss-cross across the background. All 3 are Photogenic Powerlights. For the single one I have a small Photogenic background reflector on it and have it placed about 4 feet away. It is low and angled up.

D. Craig Flory PPA Certified, Cr.Photog., ASP
loryphotog@mindspring.​com