Will a Light Gray Cloth Backdrop Take Gelled Color Well?

[tom_thumbnail]

<p>Can a cloth backdrop in a light gray color be effectively colored to almost any color with gelled lights? </p>

<p>I know light gray paper takes colors from gelled lights well. </p>

<p>Intuitively, I suspect cloth will absorb more light than paper and might not reflect and therefore show colors as well, but I was wondering if anybody's tried it and how it worked out.</p>

<p>I was also considering the possibility of painting the cloth. And maybe adding some mottling, like a Master's look. </p>

[john_a5]

<p>It is the color of the surface and its reflectance (matte or shiny) not the material--except as to how it affects the reflectance of the surface.</p>

<p>Light, neutral surfaces are difficult to light with color gels for two reasons. First, they just reflect a lot of the light that hits them and thus to get a deep color, you can't hit them with a lot of light or they become just a pastel or tint of the gel color. This means being able to really control both the power of the light you are using to control them but also keep other sources off them. This is often very difficult because of the proximity of the main lights to the background such that spill or bounce don't hit the surface you are lighting with the color. Having made my living essentially with gelled lights with still life and people for many years in the 90's, I never used a light, neutral background. Even for red or green, I often used a saturated yellow background unless I didn't want subtle modulation, then I might use the primary that matched the gel.</p>

<p>So, yes it will work, but you will have your work cut out for you keeping it where you want it to be.</p>

[studio460]

<p>Tom said:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Can a cloth backdrop in a light gray color be effectively colored to almost any color with gelled lights?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yes!</p>

<p>Just keep any white light off the backdrop, using fabric grids, honeycombs, flags, etc., on your keys, and you can paint it any color you like. A mottled-gray, muslin backdrop is one of the easiest backdrop colors to paint with gelled lights. The darker the gray, the better. I always tell our art department, "make it darker!" I can make Duvetyne photograph white, but I can't make a light-colored background look "dark" (well, not easily anyway). Lighter backgrounds are more difficult to keep your spray from reading.</p>

[studio460]

<p>Tom said:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Can a cloth backdrop in a <em>light</em> gray color . . .</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Ah . . . I didn't notice the word, "light." In that case, <em>no!</em> Light-colored backdrops are difficult to keep your white light spray off of. <em>Dark</em>-colored, gray backdrops are easy as pie to gel.</p>

[henryp]

<p>IMO yes, if you dial back the power of your backlight a bit. The amount of light on the background relative to your shooting aperture will do much to determine your end result. <a href="http://www.deancollins.com/">Dean Collins</a> used to do lectures which were illustrated with images with black backgrounds that he showed had been shot with white backdrops. <br /><br />You cannot simply swap out a dark grey background, pop in a light grey one and expect the same results from the same back light and gel. But the answer to the question, "Can a cloth backdrop in a light gray color be effectively colored to almost any color with gelled lights?" is yes, with a little attention to detail.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

[gerald_kraus]

<p>If your gels cover the light source and no white light can get through and spill on the background. Just remember, that the lighter the color of the background, the less light you will need.</p>