sb's, shooting flat paper on a white background

[louisekennedy]

I'm shooting what should be a simple set up, and I don't want to overcomplicate it.

 

I have to shoot some paper portfolio pieces, (business cards, brochures, cards etc) all of which are

uncoated stock, many of them have white as the stock color. I need to shoot them on a white background.

Some of the shots will be close up, but not all.

 

I don't want to get into a hugely complicated set up if I don't have to.

 

I have a savage white backdrop. Two SB800's and one SB600. D200. Probably a 60mm f2/8 , tripod

 

I have to shoot them at the client's office. Space is limited. So I plan to bring a couple of light stands,

drape the background over a small wall and onto a table. Turn all their lights off, so no interference from

halogens etc.

 

I know I want to have my background two stops brighter than the objects I am shooting to maintain a

white background, but since my objects are also have a fair bit of white in them, and I don't want those to

appear gray.

 

Anyone have any ideal settings I should set the sb800's to, or has anyone shot portfolio pieces before with

easy success?

 

(I've done a bit of searching before I posted, and of course came across the white background posts, but

nothing that talks about shooting flat paper on a white background, thus the post)

 

thank you!

[elliot1]

If you are skilled in Photoshop, I would expose for the objects and then remove the background in Photoshop. I had a similar shot I had to make about a week ago. I did this with one SB-800 and the diffuser dome angled straight up.

 

If you don't know how to use Photoshop or don't want to PP, I would bracket your shots and then pick the best exposure afterwards.<div></div>

[louisekennedy]

thanks Elliot. Removing background is not an ideal option as we're shooting about a 100

pieces and we want a little bit of dimension to some of the shots. I do have PS (CS3) though.

I'd rather try to get the image I want and save the post shoot PS editing only if I must.

 

i wonder if shooting continuous using the client's rudimentary smith victor kit might not be

an option as well.

[elliot1]

Louise, I do some sports portraits with a white backdrop. I expose for the subject and then, in Photoshop select the backround only and then lighten it in Photoshop using curves, 'softening the background using the brightness/contrast controls. I maintain the shadows slightly so the shot has dimension. Not sure if this would work with your needs as the objects may be very similar in color to the background.

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/6133956

[bwcombs]

As Elliott said, it is easier to shoot these exposing for the stock, then recomposing with

skew and drop shadows in PS.

 

But, if you have to shoot it...

 

Use one light source as your primary and perhaps a second source for very light fill. But

the key is to get some dimension to the pieces so the shadows define the edges. So, have

the various pieces at different levels to get this effect. You will have to stop down to keep

as much of the item in focus, unless you're after that soft, wide open shot.

 

Here is a sample of a shot from my portfolio. (It is created with original art then imported

into PS for composition.)<div></div>

[louisekennedy]

silly question, but how do you select the background only? Are you first masking the subject

then creating a new layer? Or are you going right into the image and selecting the

background only?

[bwcombs]

I might add, that the 60mm Micro is a good choice to shoot this, but a length I've had good

luck with is the 35mm f/2. It seems to flatten the subject without a lot of distortion, and has

a close focus capability as well.

[bwcombs]

I duplicate the layer, then do a quick mask of the image, inverse and delete. That gets rid of

the background, then you can add a new layer that becomes your background, any color you

want.<div></div>

[louisekennedy]

Brilliant, ! Thank you. And I'll play around with lenses. I don't have a 35 mm normal, but I'll

play around with my 24 and my 50 f1.4

[louisekennedy]

Brilliant, ! Thank you. And I'll play around with lenses. I don't have a 35 mm normal, but I'll

play around with my 24 and my 50 f1.4

[garry edwards]

I agree with your approach - get the shot right in camera, PS is a brilliant tool but very wasteful in terms of time when used unnecessarily.

 

*i wonder if shooting continuous using the client's rudimentary smith victor kit might not be an option as well.* Yes, this would work for your purpose but you will probably need to colour correct each shot individually, because you'll never get the same colour temperature twice running.

 

The easy approach is to light the background separately. Place the actual subjects on clear glass, as far away from the background as possible.

 

I would probably use one single flash head, fitted with a fairly large softbox placed to rake across the subject, define any texture that's there and create depth. If there isn't enough space for that at the client's offices then I would simply tell them that it can't be done there.

 

A hotshoe flash, either on camera or not, would not be my first choice