What's a good light absorbing background material...

[Nate Battles]

I am looking for blacker than black background material. A photographer I worked for had some sort of material that did not reflect any light and seemed to absorb most of the light that fell upon it. I've tried velvet, but it seems to reflect a lot of light. What should I use? Thanks.

[David A. Goldfarb]

If it's for a tabletop setup, you can get black flocking paper (sold mainly for telescope makers) from Edmund Scientific. I suspect this must be available in larger sheets for other purposes, but I don't have a source for it.

[davidb]

Black out cloth?

I've used velvet without any problems.

[katie cooke]

For a black-black-black backdrop? Black fleece works fairly well, or a slightly rough woven wool. They are less reflective that black jersey. Some black velvets are very reflective, particularly the silk or slightly-synthetic ones. All of them will show or reflect some light, at certain angles and brightness. Distance and lack of direct light, plus fleece or jersey seems to be the best combination I've found, and I use black backgrounds an awful lot.

[kmack]

Carbon Nano Tubes (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7190107.stm):)

See if you can find some black theater curtains, and a large space helps.

[vinny]

As black as it gets........Duveytyne aka commando cloth is the usual solution in the movie biz. I'd send you some but i've only got scraps. You can get rolls or by the yard or large sizes from 6x6 to 40x40 feet. It's got a fire retardant in it that you shouldn't get up your nose.
http://www.filmtools.com/duv54rolx50y.html

[lenser]

Black can be an entirely relative situation.

If you can find a copy of Dean Collin's chromazones info, you see how to actually use an ultra white paper background and have it photograph pure black (or black paper in pure white) in relation to your subject. Same with any colored papers or gelled lights on backgrounds to target and achieve specific zoned gradations of color or gray scale by varying the comparative brightness on the background to that of the subject.

I've always found black velvet to be terrific, but I make sure to Gobo all light off of it while being sure to properly light the subject. Keeping the background farther away from the subject and/or therefore the main lighting area, will also decrease any brightness values that might spill on the background.

Remember the rule that brightness decreases by the square of the distance from the source. (I think I said that right...Never liked math or physics much.)

Collin's info about lighting has the most scientific AND artistic teaching of technical and beauty lighting techniques that I've ever encountered. One hour of one of his seminars taught me more than the previous ten years of experience and workshops.

Sadly, he is gone, but some of his tapes and publications still show up on ebay.

Good Luck.

Tim

[Steven Barall]

There is black velour flocking paper which comes in rolls. Setshop.com sells it in rolls that are 52" wide and 24 feet long for $55.50 a roll. They also sell Duveytyne.

Good luck.

[Duane Polcou]

Ditto on the Duvetyne (setshop - NYC). It drapes beautifully, but be aware it has a "nap" to the surface which, although ideal for providing non-reflective properties, makes it merciless in picking up small matter (lint, hair, sawdust sized stuff).

If your incident metering of any ambient light at the cloth surface is 2 stops less than your key light it registers jet black (on the media I've used - Velvia and Nikon digital). On the attached image, just to register red light on the material (on the lower left and right corners) I had to blast the spots 3 stops above keylight. I think it's amazing stuff.

[Merg Ross]

Duane, do you think that the Duvetyne would stretch over a frame and be wrinkle free. It might just be the background I am looking for. Thanks.

[Hector.Navarro]

just place the background on zone 0.

[alec4444]

Black out cloth?

Another vote for this. It's used in stage theater. Somewhat expensive (look in theater & prop stores) but probably the best you can get. It's made to be used to create fully black areas in front of live audiences, so it would be tough to rival.

--A

[Tracy Storer]

Expensive Velvet. If on the cheap, black felt is commonly available in fabric shops.

[neil poulsen]

My local photo shop (Portland, Or.) has this black felt-like material that they sell off of about a 40" roll. It looks more like plastic than cloth. Of course, it's designed to absorb light.

[Ken Sinclair]

I am looking for blacker than black background material.

Nate,

When gainfully employed, I used black velvet as a background for many thousands of images on EPY and sheet B/W.

If I may, I strongly recommend that you get the more expensive type rather than the cheaper.

I have a 2 meter piece that I bought some 15 years ago to replace my somewhat dilapidated first' piece that I purchased around 1979. Both had numerous experiences through the washing machine and dryer.... a gentle steaming restores the 'nap' nicely.

Ken

[pierre salomon]

I second Ken, I you are going to buy it, get the best black velvet ( not cheap velvetine). Just keep the soft side folded in when you store it to avoid dust collection. Buy more than you may need so you do not have to sew 2 pieces later.

[Henry Ambrose]

I'm not Duane but yes it can do that.
Matthews makes many, many kinds of fabrics including black duvetyne to fit on butterfly frames up to sizes so big you need a huge crew to handle them. I have a couple of them in 8x8 foot size. They do have sewn seams but on a black duvetyne the seams won't show since it should be black in your photograph. As for wrinkles you might have to hang it a while but it should be OK.

Buying material from Setshop may be cheaper if you want to make your own. But you're in California so it might be cheaper to look around the movie industry suppliers.



Duane, do you think that the Duvetyne would stretch over a frame and be wrinkle free. It might just be the background I am looking for. Thanks.

[Merg Ross]

Henry, thank you. Good information.