Painting a studio

[cyrus]

So I want to use a rather large and bare wall as a background. Naturally I want it to be white. I could just go and purchase white paint but it seems to me that the true "whiteness" of my studio wall would depend on the lighting conditions and the color cast of the lights illuminating it. How would I adjust for that when deciding what color to paint the wall? Is it just "the whiter the better"?

PS I didn't know which forum this question belonged in. There is a "Location and Travel" forum which is dedicated to locations outdoors, but not a "Studio Photography" forum?

[Daniel Stone]

well,

watch this video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsbGJoX8KsA

and you can decide which color to paint it. Basically, you can make a white wall black, and a black wall white. It just depends on how much light power you have at your disposal :).

-Dan

[lenser]

For pure white, "over-" light the background until a REFLECTIVE reading gives you two stops more than an INCIDENT reading of the subject. This is true of either a flash meter or an ambient meter reading.

It is also true, regardless of the original color of the background. To paraphrase what Daniel says, you can turn black into white by using this formula although it will take much more power to achieve the two stop difference and any fall off toward the edges will go much darker.

For best and most even coverage, the background lights should be in umbrellas, preferably white. While twolights (one on each side) at about subject height will do, four (two high and two low) will give a much more even light over the full background out to the corners.

[cjbroadbent]

...Naturally I want it to be white...
Think twice about that. A shaded gray would work in counterpoint to your personal way of lighting. Clean white was for when knock-outs were done by hand.

[Peter De Smidt]

+1 on the light gray.

[cyrus]

It just depends on how much light power you have at your disposal :).

-Dan

Thanks
The reason why I wanted to paint it white is because I don't have a lot of power at my disposal.

[sully75]

I'd go black. You can put white wherever you want light to be with cheap foamcore, but you'll have more control over where that is. A totally white room would define your lighting style.

[Mark Woods]

18% gray. Much more versatile.

[Greg Blank]

Some of these preferencial answers kind of aside the point in my opin. I would not paint the wall other than white or very light grey. I have a regular front room of my house devoted to my studio, it has a lot of warm wood that casts reds and yellows into the mix. You can white balance or filter an over all cast out or if you understand how, & Photoshop can remove said casts a tool that can be used as well. I personally go with large rolls of seamless to be able to change the background. Always turn off room lighting and only use the strobes or set related props to contribute or use ambient and go with filters or white balancing. I agree with the Dean Collins vid.

Here are a couple of shots I did fairly recently in said room, maybe not the most dramatic but well liked by the customers.

http://www.gbphotoworks.com/events.html

[Ari]

I used to use seamless paper all the time, and when I had no money for more than one roll, I would always buy white.
White can become any shade of gray, black or white with a little bit of lighting, careful control, and deliberate placement of your subject in relation to position of lighting and background.
White would be my choice as the most versatile of options, and if you're painting, go with a dull matte paint, 2-3 coats.

[Brian K]

So I want to use a rather large and bare wall as a background. Naturally I want it to be white. I could just go and purchase white paint but it seems to me that the true "whiteness" of my studio wall would depend on the lighting conditions and the color cast of the lights illuminating it. How would I adjust for that when deciding what color to paint the wall? Is it just "the whiter the better"?

PS I didn't know which forum this question belonged in. There is a "Location and Travel" forum which is dedicated to locations outdoors, but not a "Studio Photography" forum?


Cyrus the color is a personal choice. If you feel that most often you will be shooting on a white background then go white. The paint itself however if you want to insure the smoothest and cleanest white then use ceiling paint. While it is the most fragile of painted surfaces it's also the flattest flat and will hide most errant textures or imperfections in your wall.

Also if you plan to shoot often on white and don't want the background to create a soft edge around your subjects then consider hanging black fabric or black foamcore panels just out of frame but as close to your subject as you can and slightly behind them. This will create a clean sharp edge between the subject and the background.

[Peter De Smidt]

Light gray is more versatile than white. It's true that you can make a background any color depending on lighting and exposure, but in a modest sized room, there will always be spill. It's very easy for a white background to get blown out, which sometimes you want, but other times you don't. A light gray background is easy to make white by raising the light level on it, and it's easier to make it looking darker than a white background in a limited space studio. It also tends to make more saturated colors if you gel the lights hitting it, for the same reason that many high end movie projection screens are a light gray.