What size backdrop?

[carrbowl]

Well it is that time of year again...dance photos need to be done. Last year I used the black backdrop from the church which gave me the luxury of having ample backdrop. But this year I don't want to use black, and I don't want white. So I'm looking at something in the middle, probably a grey. The biggest group I have to do, is probably in the 30-40 arena. Could I use the black on the floor and a grey for the back? What size do you think I would have to have? Open to suggestions...

[123canon]

do you have a wall where you could use rolled seamless and run it horizontal instead of vertical? i did this once, it was a b#$@h to put up (used gaffers tape and had some help) but it worked reallly well. just a thought....

[douge]

Dancers....
Makes me think theater? Well okay, that's were I see most dancer, is there a place, theater, that has a white, or off white background, or a large piece of unpainted canvas? Great idea about using black fo the floor. It will help. If you can use a theater and someone really knows their lighting have then flood the background with light. It will turn out white. In high key photos the background is 4 stops brighter than the subject. That how they get a high (white) background. You also measure the background with a reflective type light meter not an incident. Good luck.

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by douge

Dancers....
Makes me think theater? Well okay, that's were I see most dancer, is there a place, theater, that has a white, or off white background, or a large piece of unpainted canvas? Great idea about using black fo the floor. It will help. If you can use a theater and someone really knows their lighting have then flood the background with light. It will turn out white. In high key photos the background is 4 stops brighter than the subject. That how they get a high (white) background. You also measure the background with a reflective type light meter not an incident. Good luck.

I hate to disagree with such a helpful guy, but if you overexpose a white background by four stops you will end up with uncontrollable flare. If the background is actually white it only takes 1/2 stop more light than what you give to your subject. Four stops would make a black background about 18% gray and a 18% gray background almost white. And I always measure with an incident meter.

[CobyPhoto]

I agree with Don on the 4 stops above on the background! Way too much light and it is going right back onto the subjects. (White makes a nice relfector!) When I light High Key, I light the subject at f/8 and the background at oh my, f/8! (And I use an incident light reading too.) If you are lighting it at f/8 and exposing it at f/8 then you will have a white background. (You will need even light across the white to achieve this however.)

I have have seen countless photographers bring me photos and want to know why they are blown in high key and the problem is they flood too much light on the background and the background (white) acts just like a reflector and bounces it right back on the subjects.

CJ