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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Still life backgrounds at home?
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09/11/2010 02:36:47 PM · #1
Just wondering what people used to get perfectly lit white/black backgrounds at home with a low budget?
What to use as a background and what lights?

Thanks

Message edited by author 2010-09-11 14:37:36.
09/11/2010 03:02:02 PM · #2
Hi,
I'm just an amateur hobbyist, but the few "set up" shots I've tried, shooting a flash at a light colored background would "blow out" the background and you'd get a white background.

For black backgrounds, I've tried hanging a black sheet and tried to increase distance from subject to background; I believe the "inverse square law" could be applied here, in that less light falls on the background the farther away the background is.
That's pretty much how I got this background to be black on one of my attempts.

I'm sure others will offer great tips, but this is all I have for now...
09/11/2010 03:10:17 PM · #3
Ahh the magic of white poster-board (bent into a seamless type configuration) and black felt.

As the tourist said, point a light at the background if you want white, and if you're using the felt, try not to illuminate the background..

I find that if you tape the bottom of the poster-board to table, then tape the top to a wall, it works well.

Here are two examples.




ETA: If you're short on room (as I am) you can improvise by tying two strings through a couple of holes at the top of your poster-board, and then cutting notches out of the bottom so that you can secure the string to the poster-board's bottom, you can have a very easily setup background, just tie the string so it's bent to a 90 degree angle.

Also, 8 1/2 x 11 is fine for small subjects like the tourmaline crystal above

Message edited by author 2010-09-11 15:16:12.
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