Background Question?

[David Whatley]

I am going to be converting a space for shooting in. The space is 15X27 with 14' ceilings. One one side I have a 12'wideX6' window. The window faces east, but is shaded most times.
Here is my question. I would like to paint one wall and the floor black or white and use that as one of my backgrounds. I know that if I use white that I will be reflecting a lot of light.
I just get tired of dealing with both paper and muslin and wondered if anyone had ever done this, and if so, How did it work out for you?
TIA
David

[bondarnes]

David, in my studios I had a permanent high key sweep. It was made from a 10X22 roll of inexpensive linoleum. It was attached (back side facing out) at the 10' ceiling and glued to the wall and floor. I re-enforced the curve with tempered masonite, but I have seen it done without this. Where it was attached to the wall I painted it flat white and where it was on the floor I painted it semi-gloss white. I mopped it weekly and about every three months would repaint the floor portion.

[David Whatley]

Thanks Don, I assume that a person could do the same thing with painting it black? Do you think it needs to be glued.
What type paint did you use? Flat interwall paint? Flat exterior?

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by David Whatley

Thanks Don, I assume that a person could do the same thing with painting it black? Do you think it needs to be glued.
What type paint did you use? Flat interwall paint? Flat exterior?

I would think you could go black. The paint would need to be really flat black to avoid any reflections. If you don't glue it, I think it would be shifting around on you. Linoleum can be creased and torn fairly easily. It would probably depend on how heavily it is used. Mine was glued to the concrete floor so in essence it became the floor. I had my muslin track on this wall also. I used interior latex. I almost went with an epoxy paint for the floor. I usually bought whatever was on sale.

[klynam]

As a young art director in Tulsa years ago, I used to work with a very talented photographer (can't remember his name) that had the only cyclorama in Tulsa and probably one of the few true cyc's (full 1/2 capsule) in the Southwest that could handle large vehicles. Anyway, I went in for a shoot one day and he had a section of the cyc painted 18% gray. I asked him why. He said it took gel colors better than white but could be easily blown out to white with lights. Since then, I don't know that I've ever seen studio photographer using 18% gray background but that always stuck with me...

[janikphoto]

JC Penney used to use linoleum rolls all the time. They'd have a custom paint color mixed up, and paint the back side of the roll to use as a backdrop - similar to what Don has suggested. They can be painted and repainted without much issue. Plus, you can find a really cheap clearance roll from somewhere, since you don't care what the top side looks like!

[Dobick]

When I was taking classes at Tech - the photo studio had a black side and a white side. Both had single wall sweeps, and they were laid with 1' squares of hard industrial tile. that would cost a crap load more than the linoleum, but over time would last much much longer I would think. No idea how they built the sweeps.