white background photos

i have been trying to do the white background shots in a studio but i am allways getting shadows how do you set up for this kind of photo and what camera settings would you use??? the studio i am using has 3 flash heads and my camera is a 5D... any tips would be great

thanks Oscar

oscar. can you post some examples?

here is one it is not so shadowie but it is really grey??

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i seem to have shrunk all wrong let me try again

try this one

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Is one of your lights pointed right at the background? If so, it looks like it's just not positioned so it can light the background evenly...

yes i had two lights pointing on the background!! one on each side should i pull them further away?

Do you use a lightmeter?

Meter the background at a stop more than your subject. Make sure it meters consistently across the whole of the background.

If you meter your subject at f8 then the background should be metered around f11

The background should now be completely white.

HI Oscar
I have been trying out the white background thing too - please see this post - although basic it may help you

https://photography-on-the.net …php?p=4902508#p​ost4902508

regards

JOe90

Shadows from your subject are being cast by your main light. Increasing the distance between subject and background will help with that and placement and angle of the lights will also determine the size and position of the shadows created.

The white background is done by 1. Creating the most even light across the background possible, and 2. increasing the intensity of the background light so that it's 3 full stops reflective over the incident taking aperture for your subject. That will ensure a white (with detail) background without blown highlights.

Even lighting is very important and depending on the size of the background being lit you may have to use more than one light, or by pulling the background light further from the background but you must be careful in doing setups like this because it's very easy to have light from the background returning back into the subject area and making a mess out of your lighting and potentially introducing flare into the lens or giving you that halo effect and loss of detail around you subject. Again, increasing the distance between subject and background light and background will give you the isolation and control you need.

It's real easy to just increase the power of your light and fire away but knowing how much power you need to give you white with detail or without detail if desired is the key. There's a fine line between a blown out white background and one that has been driven into clipping.

If you need any help with metering or figuring this out just give a holler.

oh gosh i shall give it all a go ... i dont have a light meter... if i were to buy one what would you advise me to get???
thank you all for your help

You mean like this?

(Shadows are Post processed) (EXIF IN FILE)

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO

OSCAR DISS wrote in post #4905551
oh gosh i shall give it all a go ... i dont have a light meter... if i were to buy one what would you advise me to get???
thank you all for your help

Hi Oscar,

You can get something like a Sekonic L-308S. It's a fine meter without all the bells and whistles. If you want to take a step up from there yo can get the L-358, which is probably one of the most popular meters made.

hi all
just to add to what tmr said - I have the sekonic l-308s. simple to use and very effective.

Regards

joe90

Hi,

I am looking at getting a modern, digital light meter, too. Have seen lots of Sekonic L-558 going on ebay but the Sekonic web site doesn't list them... Does anyone know if it is worth going for the old model L-558 or is it better to pay more for the L-358 or even L-758?

Is my thinking right that going for the L-358 or L-558 is better than the L-308S in the long term as they do averaging of measurements which the L-308S doesn't? Any other features you would miss if you had to use a L-308S instead of the L-358 or higher model?

Robert, I see you have the L-758DR. Do you find you need the top of the range or was it a "just because you can" purchase?

To put it in other words, if I get the L-358 or L-558 will I wish I had gone the whole hog to the L-758 in a years time?

Thanks a lot in advance!

Best regards,

Anton