EOS 450D white background still comes out grey

[stan_k1]

<p>Hi guys,<br>

I am new to this forum and to my new Canon EOS 450D.<br>

Shooting some pictures of the chairs on the white background, was playing with white balance and others but the background still came out grey.<br>

<img src="http://www.konferencnestolicky.sk/en/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=9" alt="" /><br>

I somehow managed to change something an this happened:<br>

<img src="http://www.konferencnestolicky.sk/en/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=8" alt="" /><br>

And it made nice white background for the <a href="http://www.konferencnestolicky.sk/en">chair</a>:<br>

<img src="http://www.konferencnestolicky.sk/en/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=7" alt="" /></p>

<p>After a while it came back to grey background and can't change it back.<br>

Please help me how to do it.<br>

Thank you a lot.</p><div></div>

[paul_k1664875007]

<p>For starters, judging by the backrest, you're using different chairs, with different colors of upholstry, in the 1st and 2nd picture<br>

This causes an extra problem, since it make it harder to correctly judge the difference between them</p>

<p>But from the histograms in the 'technical overview' picture I get the impression that the 2nd picture is considerably over exposed (as shown by the histogram which peaks at the edge of the right side).<br>

Also the light on the white background in the 2nd picture obviously is quite overexposed as is shown by the spill that over exposes the edge of the seat of the chair.</p>

<p>Don't know your lighting set up, but to get a subject properly lit, and the background white, you'll have to separately light the background, and the subject, as discussed here http://www.photo.net/photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum/00Ih9u</p>

<p> </p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>And you need to use Manual exposure mode. The camera will always try to make the most dominant thing in the scene middle gray, unless you tell it elsewise.</p>

 

[fotografz]

<p>What lighting are you using?</p>

<p>Stuff like this requires the background be lit separately without spilling onto the product to much, and a broad directional key light and secondary fill to enhance the product itself. So, ideally the product needs to be away from the background enough to avoid spill and the background lights powerful enough to reach specular exposure levels and produce the absence of any tone. </p>

<p>However, even if you had sophisticated lighting, when shooting larger 3D items and lighting them to show details, texture or patterns, you will end up with shadows on the white background around and/or below the subject. </p>

<p>The 1st image you showed would be easy to brighten the grey background using the curves adjustment in Photoshop <strong>IF</strong> you avoid specular highlights on the product itself. The back metal and curves of the legs are to hot and should be lit to avoid that. Sometimes product shooters use dulling spray to knock back the specularity of metal reflections (which requires you keep it off the fabric). The better way is to light your chairs so you avoid the hot reflections.</p>

<p>Here's your shot using curves to eliminate the grey background (Image > Adjustments > Curves) and … once I got it reasonably eliminated I used Image > Adjustments > Selective Color > White to remove the remainder. </p>

<p> </p><div></div>

[pete_s.]

<p>You guys are complicating things. This is just a metering/exposure problem just like Charles said above. Or actually more like a lack of understanding of metering and exposure.</p>

<p>Stan, read the camera manual. Get a good book on exposure.</p>

<p>Forget about the chair for now and just try to figure out how to make a black background look black and a white background look white.</p>

<p>You need to know how exposure works and the difference between Manual exposure mode, Shutter priority, Aperture priority and Program mode. Especially important is how to use manual mode. Also the difference between evaluative, spot metering and center weighted metering in the camera and how exposure compensation works.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>My guess is that you hit the Custom-Exposure button by mistake and it was set to overexpose by 1-2 stops. </p>

[stan_k1]

<p>Thank you guys very very much. Didn't expect so many answers and tips from you all. I very appreciate it, will let you know when I try it on Tuesday - when I come back from work how did your suggesttions work out. Again, thanks to each one of you very much.</p>