I need to shoot some large heavy automotive parts on a table. I have used plywood with white paint but the constant re-painting takes too long to dry (the client does not want to pay me to watch paint dry!) Is there a surface material that would be non-staining, durable and non-reflective that anyone can recommend?
Don't know how big the parts are but a white sheet of Formica on the plywood should work. When you said heavy I ruled out rolls of white (or any other color) as moving the parts around for the best angle would tear/smear the paper.
Spray the formica with a dull coat to kill the shine.
john_edwards wrote:
Don't know how big the parts are but a white sheet of Formica on the plywood should work. When you said heavy I ruled out rolls of white (or any other color) as moving the parts around for the best angle would tear/smear the paper.
Spray the formica with a dull coat to kill the shine.
Thanks, I was wondering if the formica would reflect the flash.
Frosted plexiglass is what first comes to mind. Build it on a light box: if you want shading from above, leave the light in the box off, but if you want to illuminate detail from underneath, you could fire a strobe in the box, or have a florescent mounted in the box.
Should be mostly durable, unless you scrape and engine block across it.
Good idea Hammy but I have to shoot these monsters and they are heavy! Because of the set-up the table is at 30 degrees. The shocks always want to slide off. In the past I have used putty to hold them but I'n thinking of a big magnet on the underside of the table. Just don't know if that's feasible.
I just used a dozen of these magnets to hold up some banners in a pavillion and they worked great.
I got the largest ones, which are only 5"x2"x2" and they are rated up to 225lbs holding strength. They may do the trick if you're only holding stuff on a slant.
Or you could magnets underneath, grabbing a metal bar (painted) that acts as a temporary/removable stop for the big boys?
Use Formica, flat white does the job and can be scrubbed clean if something drips. Available in 4'x8' sheets.
You said your set up table is at a 30 degree slant and if you are shooting on white you are probably close cutting the products anyway. So rather than try to stick the big items with magnets (that don't work on Aluminium) I'd rig a bar across the back cyc of the Formica clamped by two stands, one either side of the shooting table. Then wire the item to the bar with some thin wire or use heavy fishing line, pretty quick to PS it out in post.
They have aluminum bits but the cylinders are steel. I called an electromagnet company today. In order to hold the shock through even a thin sheet of formica it would take a powerful magnet that would cost several hundred dollars.
Paper is a hassle. The heavy parts tear it easily and the cost ads up when you have to use such a large area. Looking for a better alternative. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.
pappawheely wrote:
They have aluminum bits but the cylinders are steel. I called an electromagnet company today. In order to hold the shock through even a thin sheet of formica it would take a powerful magnet that would cost several hundred dollars.
Yup, magnetic force decreases by the inverse square of the distance between the magnet and what you want to hold. Unless you're in direct contact with the steel, you'll need a big magnet.
