Shooting Head Shots? If you haven't tried these then you should.

Rudi wrote in post #6089298
Nice find, Robert!

I just bought a couple of Lastolite's collapsible, reversible 5'x6' backgrounds for my headshots and up to three-quarter length portraits on location. They are larger than these, and the muslin they use is a nice, heavy, crease-resistant fabric that really IS crease-resistant! (I know where to go for large muslin backgrounds now). They are pricier than these, but easy to transport and because they are larger than these, a little more versatile (IMO). Of course, you could buy five of these for one of the Lastolite backgrounds! (well, technically two since they are reversible ). Here's what I bought:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …lapsible_Backgr​ound_.html

and

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …lapsible_Backgr​ound_.html

Here is a test shot I took after I got them. My dog Harry in front of a grey mottled background (Washington I think it is), with a blue-gel thrown on it for effect.

And I wouldn't listen to Tim. There are plenty of good uses you can put a mottled coloured background to, it's not all about black and white...

Hi Rudi,

That's great that those backgrounds really are crease resistant. I was skeptical of that but it's nice to know it really works as advertised.

Harry looks to be a bit of a ham

a521 wrote in post #6089303
Robert, your example is amazing! Great shot, for a colored background!

Anyway.......do you know how these are shipped? I would like to pick up a light one and a dark one (don't tell Tim!!).

Tom

Hey Tom,

These panels are shipped in the manufacturers sandwiched corrugated cardboard and then it was slipped inside a B&H cardboard sandwich. The packing is a few inches larger than the actual dimensions of the panel.

TMR Design wrote in post #6089421
Hi Rudi,

That's great that those backgrounds really are crease resistant. I was skeptical of that but it's nice to know it really works as advertised.

So am I, but probably for a different reason. In the past I have bought "quality" muslin backgrounds that did not live up to the hype. I don't mind spending a bit of money if I know I will be getting a quality product. I know who I'll buy my next 10'x20' muslin background from...

TMR Design wrote in post #6089421
Harry looks to be a bit of a ham

Errrr... no comment! (He'll do anything for a treat!).

Rudi wrote in post #6089298
Nice find, Robert!

I just bought a couple of Lastolite's collapsible, reversible 5'x6' backgrounds for my headshots and up to three-quarter length portraits on location. They are larger than these, and the muslin they use is a nice, heavy, crease-resistant fabric that really IS crease-resistant! (I know where to go for large muslin backgrounds now). They are pricier than these, but easy to transport and because they are larger than these, a little more versatile (IMO). Of course, you could buy five of these for one of the Lastolite backgrounds! (well, technically two since they are reversible ). Here's what I bought:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …lapsible_Backgr​ound_.html

and

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …lapsible_Backgr​ound_.html

Here is a test shot I took after I got them. My dog Harry in front of a grey mottled background (Washington I think it is), with a blue-gel thrown on it for effect.

And I wouldn't listen to Tim. There are plenty of good uses you can put a mottled coloured background to, it's not all about black and white...

Nice background, Rudi, but a sensational dog! Harry looks like a sweetheart. What kind of dog is he? Maybe he could be pen pals with my TIbetan Terrier, Wilbur.

Oh, and you didn't really take that shot with a Canon G9 did you? Jeeze. Just proves that it's the photographer, not the camera that makes the picture. Well done!

Dave F.

Dave, I was too lazy to pull the 5D out of the bag and... well... the Skyports work just as well with the G9...

Harry is half Poodle, half Silky Terrier. I'm not sure which half is worse... LOL


P.S. I'd love to see some shots of Wilbur, if you have any.

TMR

nice shot and nice find. gonna look into this

and tim. alot us clients like that look. dont reaaly think its an 80's thing. when they thumb through some sample shots and say,,,oh i like that background,,what are you gonna do,,,tell them know

For anyone interested, these are samples of the panel at different exposures. I generally work backgrounds like this at exposures equal to or less than my taking aperture and my samples are at taking exposure, 1 stop less (smaller aperture) and 2 stops less.

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TMR Design wrote in post #6095384
For anyone interested, these are samples of the panel at different exposures. I generally work backgrounds like this at exposures equal to or less than my taking aperture and my samples are at taking exposure, 1 stop less (smaller aperture) and 2 stops less.

Robert, It would also be nice to have the background placed +2', +4', +6' behind the point of focus with the lens wide open, so that people could see 1) how well defined vs. blurred at different distances, and also see how much (if any) of the edge is visible at the distance--wilt

Great idea Wilt. I have a shoot this afternoon but I will put that together in the next few days.

Hi Robert
Those are cool. Golfnut asked about portable backgrounds. Photek sells 4x5 over runs of their backgrounds for about $35. They're velour and made to crumple up into a small bag. You can check'em out at photekusa.com. Just another option.

(OT) Love the shot of Harry.. I really needed a smile and it did it.

dave sparks wrote in post #6100924
Hi Robert
Those are cool. Golfnut asked about portable backgrounds. Photek sells 4x5 over runs of their backgrounds for about $35. They're velour and made to crumple up into a small bag. You can check'em out at photekusa.com. Just another option.

Sweet find. Earlier this week I went to a local fabric store and purchased a pice of black felt that is 72" wide and 3 yards long. Tested it out later that evening by taping it to a wall. To my surprise, it works great for low-key waist-up shots. I tested by sweet-talking my pregnant wife into being the model, keeping her 6 feet or more from the background. Using my two 580EX flashes (one to camera left very close to my wife as the key, with the other on the camera for fill), I was able to keep the background entirely black using the following settings:

ISO 100
f/8 to f/11
1/160 shutter speed
Flashes in ETTL and ratio mode, with homemade diffusers

I was even able to keep the living room lights on! For $10.50 after tax it is a very economical black background. I may pick up a white and gray version as well for experimentation purposes. Plus my Rosco Cinegel samples arrived from B&H today, so that gives some creative coloring options also.

If I don't get home too late tonight, and with my wife's permission, I may post a shot.

Regards.

Golf Nut wrote in post #6102335
Sweet find. Earlier this week I went to a local fabric store and purchased a pice of black felt that is 72" wide and 3 yards long. Tested it out later that evening by taping it to a wall. To my surprise, it works great for low-key waist-up shots. I tested by sweet-talking my pregnant wife into being the model, keeping her 6 feet or more from the background. Using my two 580EX flashes (one to camera left very close to my wife as the key, with the other on the camera for fill), I was able to keep the background entirely black using the following settings:

ISO 100
f/8 to f/11
1/160 shutter speed
Flashes in ETTL and ratio mode, with homemade diffusers

I was even able to keep the living room lights on! For $10.50 after tax it is a very economical black background. I may pick up a white and gray version as well for experimentation purposes. Plus my Rosco Cinegel samples arrived from B&H today, so that gives some creative coloring options also.

If I don't get home too late tonight, and with my wife's permission, I may post a shot.

Regards.

The 'secret' to any lighting on the background being dark is NOT the output level of the light! It is purely the distance relationship of light-to-subject vs. light-to-background.

If you treat distances (light-to-subject, light-to-background) like f/stops you can preserve the relative darkness merely by maintain a -2EV difference (or greater). So if light-to-subject is 2', light-to-background needs to be 4' or 5.5' to be -2EV or -3EV darker. Or
if light-to-subject is 4', light-to-background needs to be 8' or 11' to be -2EV or -3EV darker.

Rudi wrote in post #6089298
Nice find, Robert!

I just bought a couple of Lastolite's collapsible, reversible 5'x6' backgrounds for my headshots and up to three-quarter length portraits on location. They are larger than these, and the muslin they use is a nice, heavy, crease-resistant fabric that really IS crease-resistant! (I know where to go for large muslin backgrounds now). They are pricier than these, but easy to transport and because they are larger than these, a little more versatile (IMO). Of course, you could buy five of these for one of the Lastolite backgrounds! (well, technically two since they are reversible ). Here's what I bought:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …lapsible_Backgr​ound_.html

and

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …lapsible_Backgr​ound_.html

Here is a test shot I took after I got them. My dog Harry in front of a grey mottled background (Washington I think it is), with a blue-gel thrown on it for effect.

And I wouldn't listen to Tim. There are plenty of good uses you can put a mottled coloured background to, it's not all about black and white...

Hi Rudi,

I took a look at the Botero and Latolite collapsible 5 x 7 backgrounds and some of them are nice. I might consider getting 1 or 2 for location work.

They have a very different look to them than the Savage panels. I'm partial to the Savage but will take a closer look at the colors and pattern of the Lastolite the next time I'm at B&H.

TMR Design wrote in post #6106469
They have a very different look to them than the Savage panels. I'm partial to the Savage but will take a closer look at the colors and pattern of the Lastolite the next time I'm at B&H.

Robert, when you're there do me a favour and check out the Botero backgrounds too, and what you think of them compared to the Lastolite collapsibles. Botero backgrounds are described as translucent, and some of the negatives in the reviews are about that, but I'd like to hear what you think. Unfortunately, I don't have the option of just popping into B&H to have a look.