Lighting a white backdrop

Photographing a model against a white backdrop is a topic that I have covered several times. There is a free lesson on the topic in the “School” section in my website. I have repeatedly discussed the need for using an accurate light meter for all of my photo shoots. The free article and my books detail how and why I use a meter. I used to point a spot light at the middle of the backdrop to light my seamless paper. I would place one on either side of the backdrop and set the combined exposure to read one stop over the f-stop set on my camera. This “working aperture” would be established by the combination of main and fill lights illuminating my model. The problem for me with this set-up had to do with the “spread” of these spotlights in a small studio. The corners of the backdrop would not be lit evenly and the falloff of light became very apparent when I shot a full-length image. I have several large sheets of silver coated foam core that I use as reflectors. The “reflectors” are actually sheets of “house wrap” that I purchased from a local lumber yard many years ago. House wrap is a material that is used to prepare a home for aluminum siding. You might have a hard time finding it in warmer climates, but you can try the major chain stores’ websites. The house wrap came as 2X4 foot sheets that came 12 to a corrugated set. I could cut off 4 sheets and have a 4X8 foot reflector!


The solution to my problem was simple enough: I simply set up two large reflectors at an angle to either side of my backdrop and aimed the spotlights into the silver cards. The light blasting back to the backdrop was now much broader and easily covered the paper from corner to corner. Black flags were then placed perpendicular to the silver cards to shield the light from hitting my camera lens. The following diagram shows the set-up. The images of my beautiful model Ashley Cara shows the results.


See “White on White” at www.dantzigphotography.com or pick up a copy of Lighting Techniques for Fashion and Glamour Photography for Film and Digital Photographers or Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers for more details on the technical aspects of this technique.