Q about white paper BGs

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sskoutas
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p.1 #1 · Q about white paper BGs

I am trying to "throw together" a quick studio for holiday images that are being requested of me. I am not a studio photographer, but I have had interest. Per suggestions from another thread that I started here, I have purchased a savage 9' BG stand and a roll of white 9' paper.

I've heard many suggest using plexiglass on the floor on top of the paper. There are two benefits that I can think of... it provides reflection and it can be cleaned far easier than the paper itself.

Now for the questions:
1.) The largest sheet of plexi that I could find at home depot was 6x4'. Seems to me I would want larger than that, no? What size do you use? Do you use multiple sheets of plexi? If yes, photoshop out the seams?
2.) and this is the primary question... how do you get the plexi to not show up in the photo? The examples I see here all have a beautiful, faint reflection. My plexi is showing up like, well, a sheet of plexi on top of my white floor.

Thanks for considering and commenting. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Nov 07, 2009 at 01:33 AM

alexanderjmarkow
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p.1 #2 · Q about white paper BGs

I'd recommend plain white tileboard. I've never heard of using plexiglass, and don't think it would help with getting the floor nice and white. Tileboard generally comes in 4x8, so its slightly larger. One or two sheets of tileboard is more than enough for shooting a decently sized group. And as for question number two, you should have an easy time getting the tileboard exposed white, and photoshopping the seams.

Zack Arias recommends white tileboard in his white seamless tutorial:
"Tile Board :: $11 per 4×8′ sheet at Home Depot. This stuff rocks. This is going to give you a nice white floor and a reflection under your subject. You need a few sheets of it. Check out the photo below to get the exact stock number. You can find it at Lowes as well. You’ll find these either in the area where they keep paneling or in the bath fixtures department as it is used to wall in showers and bathrooms. You want the pure white smooth kind. They have some that has a bit of a pebbled texture to it. Don’t bother with that stuff. It is brown on the back side which actually photographs beautifully as a background when thrown a bit out of focus. Its a floor! Its a background! Make the most out of what you have!"

http://www.zarias.com/?p=71

Nov 07, 2009 at 02:05 AM

sskoutas
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p.1 #3 · Q about white paper BGs

alexanderjmarkow wrote:
I'd recommend plain white tileboard. I've never heard of using plexiglass, and don't think it would help with getting the floor nice and white. Tileboard generally comes in 4x8, so its slightly larger. One or two sheets of tileboard is more than enough for shooting a decently sized group. And as for question number two, you should have an easy time getting the tileboard exposed white, and photoshopping the seams.

Zack Arias recommends white tileboard in his white seamless tutorial:
"Tile Board :: $11 per 4×8′ sheet at Home Depot. This stuff rocks. This is going to give you a nice white floor and a reflection under your subject. You need a few sheets of it. Check out the photo below to get the exact stock number. You can find it at Lowes as well. You’ll find these either in the area where they keep paneling or in the bath fixtures department as it is used to wall in showers and bathrooms. You want the pure white smooth kind. They have some that has a bit of a pebbled texture to it. Don’t bother with that stuff. It is brown on the back side which actually photographs beautifully as a background when thrown a bit out of focus. Its a floor! Its a background! Make the most out of what you have!"

http://www.zarias.com/?p=71

Thank you SO much for that link... it is exactly what I need to be reading.

Nov 07, 2009 at 02:39 AM

sskoutas
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p.1 #4 · Q about white paper BGs

Thanks again, Alexander. I've got a lot of people coming by this weekend for holiday images, and your link added a style to my offerings:

(when the kids are in bed, I've got to grab anything for a model!

)

Nov 13, 2009 at 03:52 AM


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