Photography Backdrop

[WaterlooMarc]

Going to finally try to take a decent picture beyond showing my cluttered workbench and pink insulated walls. I thought somebody here once put together a pretty detailed post about their photo set up but of course I can't find it.

Without rehashing everything what size back drop do you think is big enough? Is there a standard like 2' wider than what you intend to shoot or anything like that?

I know there are plenty of photography forum but they seem...passionate. I'm not wanting to start a new hobby I just want to pick up a few things to enhance my woodworking.

Thanks!

[Chuck Nickerson]

The thread on this topic I recall was posted by Richard D.

[Wild Turkey]

I prefer outside in "open shade" (no direct sunlight, like under a big tree) using "fill flash" on my camera.

White sheets work well as a backdrop in that situation, but the wind can make it a challenge.

Two big tricks that help -- mount the piece (if possible) so it is a couple of feet from the sheet and use a longer lens to avoid "barrel distortion" ( where edges are curved or not parallel).

If you have manual controls choose the smallest f/stop you can.

For bigger pieces I like the "painting with light" trick but that requires space and darkness so it's not often useful.

Using a longer focal length lens is the one thing I wish more people would consider. It sure helps keep sides straight.

[WaterlooMarc]

I tried searching again using RichardD as the user but it didn't return anything. Then again I haven't been able to use the search function here since about 2004!

[cputnam]

If you are going to be taking pictures of small boxes and such then you want a light box. For chests, tables, chairs, etc. I'm going to suggest a couple of old bed sheets in white or a light gray (no patterns). You can also use 1/4" maple ply. You are looking for a light, non-reflective surface. Ideally, you can either put a flash or strong light on the backdrop and use a fast lens wide open to get the depth-of-field that you want. Make sure there is plenty of light from all angles (no shadows on your piece.)

A light box is a 5 sided box that allows you to light your subject from all sides. If you have strong enough lights you can just make the frame and staple paper to the various surfaces. That also gives you an option to "color" the piece favorably.

You want the backdrop bright enough to "disappear" in the pic but not so bright that it affects exposure. Whatever you use as backdrop and bottom need to be neutral enough as to not compete with your piece. Don't use the flash built into your camera.

[joe1086]

I remember Richard D.'s photography post also, but could not find it either. Did find this one though: WN link

Has some good info...

[MichaelMouse]

Your question is complicated, but the backgrounds need not be.  http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips...macro.html  has a bunch of stuff on the relationship of angle of view, which, with size of the piece, is going to determine what you can get away with.  

Which is sometimes very little.




Or, my personal favorite is to go extremely far, bring the object very close, and let the bokeh do the background.  Any reasonable search on "macro" photography will give you a huge number of articles.   A trip to Menards to buy four clip floods and some daylight temperature LED bulbs would be the first thing I'd do.  Start moving them in and out, up and down like the macro articles, and you'll find a way to isolate, even if it's just by lighting.

Cheating, but once you get the proper lighting, most photo packages have a way to drop, obscure or add color/texture background.  Corel and Photoshop do.

At any rate, try here. http://www.woodturningonline.com/Turning...p?catid=20  Think the guy you want was Neal Addy, down at the bottom.

[chips ahoy]

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You are right MM, Neal Addy is the one who did the tutorial.

Mel

[handi]

When I started, I used a standard bedsheet. I hung it from poles as needed.

Then I built a 'studio corner' with nicely built walls. I hung old tools as my background. Looks woodworking, but not too cluttered.

[arw01]

Few years back picked up a wool blanket from harbor freight to use as a gray background, was like $5.00 and doubles as a car blanket most of it's life.

Also have since picked up a couple of black ones in kits from Costco for the car, but mostly use a sheet of baltic birch plywood if I want to shoot anything that is not very large in size, bounce flash off the ceiling can help too with a fill card to flip some light forward to help fill overhangs.

It's so massively easier with digital cameras vs film I learned photography with as you get to see you screwed it up for free and not $9.95 for 36 developed and printed photos.