White Background Portraits

[3n-Out]

Highkey? I was only talking about using the camera and each lens...

[carrbowl]

Originally Posted by brad

Ok.. I was cajoled into making a helpful statement here...

Let's look at the f11 thing...

At f11 (a fairly small aperture), you would have to put a LOT of light on your background to make it white (so that light could make it to the sensor/film plane). If you open the aperture up.. f8, f5.6, f4.5 (not saying any of those are what you should USE), then it doesn't take as much light to "blow it out" to be white.

Now, why do you want to put less light on the background? Quite simply, because you increase your chances of light spilling onto your subject... and this is a big problem when you have smaller space available where your subject has to be close to the background due to limitations of the shooting room.

f11 is probably the right aperture for the situation in the seminar you went to.... but there is no setting that is right for every situation. You have to understand how light quantity/quality and aperture work together with each other (as well as shutter speed and ISO)... a REALLY good book for this is "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson... I think its available as a link to Amazon in TPF's bookstore. If not, it should be.

"Get an apple, a white back ground - set up a minature studio. Take as many shots at different setting , ie.. ISO, Shutter speed, and fStops. See how that effects the image.

Then, after you learn that do the same thing but move further away from the apple - note the changes...

Now move the apple from the background and do the same... See how that effects the images.

Now move the lights, and do all the above... After 10,000 shots or more you will fully understand everything you need to answer your own question. I promise ya, that is the best way to learn all this. Practice, Practice, Practice.

Ohhh, and don't forget about white balance and light power too... you can throw that into the mix at the 20,000th shot... And repeat the above.

Once you do all that, you won't need to do much PP. Except to add pop..

Well that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it...

And just think, you are lucky because you don't have to pay $10,000 to process film you can just pop it on you computer and look at it. Lessons I wish I had years ago.

Oh I forgot - when your done with this simple exercise - repeat for every lens you own... once completed you will have reached master level."



Now there is some helpful useful advice for us that need to learn!!!!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!