I have access to a U-Haul on Saturday to pick up foamcore, tileboard or plexi for this so I’m hoping to hear some thoughts before that if at all possible.

The good thing about getting plexi although expensive is that I can get that cut to size, I think. I don’t think Home Depot will cut the tileboard but I can always ask. So, if the tileboard is cheaper and comes in 4×8, maybe I can get it professionally cut to 4×4. I have no doubt that if I try to cut it, I’ll mangle it. Thanks again.

Thanks for this informative entry and all your guidance. I’ve previously done full-length on white in studio with 4×8 V-flats to block light from the subject but I’ve never tried plexi or tile board on the floor to keep it looking white. I’m eager to try that so it will look just right.

Here’s my challenge – In several weeks I have to shoot full-length on white on location in a large conference center as well as full-body sitting in a chair against white. I’ve never had to drag this whole thing on-location before. The budget is for me and one assistant and we have to be able to use a couple of handcarts to bring things in. So I have to think carefully of only bringing what I need yet having everything I need. Luckily the white seamless will already be there.

The point is that I can’t drag 4×8 flats, big plexi or big tileboard through their offices (I’d need a truck!) so I’m trying to figure out a way to modify materials and/or the set-up so as to still get good results. I’d appreciate any suggestions.

To block the light from the subject I’m thinking to glue 3/16″ thick black to white foamcore in a size that I can clamp to stands (rather than use the 4×8 freestanding V-flats). Do you think that will block well enough? I could also use some Fotoflex PVC frames (see here: http://tinyurl.com/dywyr3) for this purpose although they do take up a lot of room in my stands bag.

I haven’t come up with a substitute for the floor part (plexi / tileboard) though. Can either be cut into smaller pieces and taped together with white tape once on location? I’m thinking I’d rather Photoshop some seams on the floor and have it look right as opposed to having the whole floor area look grey. Also, I am concerned with spending all kinds of money just to end up with a lot of pieces I can’t use for much else. The tileboard is cheaper so that may be the way to go but perhaps you or another reader can advise how to cut it without wreaking it or ending up with all raggedy-ugly edges as the white surface doesn’t go all the way through.

Well, sorry for the long post. I’d sure appreciate your input or that of any of your proficient readers. Thanks.

First, if your ceiling-mounted lights are very close to the backdrop, it’s going to be hard to get even lighting across the whole backdrop. You can probably prove this to yourself by checking all around the backdrop with a light meter.

In the end, though, the key is to light the background and the subject separately. If you’re trying to light the background with ceiling lights at the camera position, say, you’ve got to ensure that they don’t light your subject. Once you have background and subject light separated, and you’ve lit the background evenly, then it’s just a matter of adjusting the overall lighting levels as described in the post.

Hope that helps…

You might temporarily try removing your V-flats, or at least moving them further to the sides, and see if that makes a difference.

First, try moving your eye up and down, while watching the floor. You want to make sure the light from the background is really reflecting off the floor, up to the camera position.

And second, I mentioned using a platform; you might try this. I’ve found it much easier, and more reliable, to have the model on a platform when shooting this sort of a setup; it eliminates the need to try to perfectly light your background all the way to the floor.