Grey backgrounds - advice?

Blasted

Blasted

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I have been looking at doing a little home portraiture work and am interested in a grey back ground. I like the effects and the shades that can be achieved (from looking at other peoples pictures that is). White doesn’t really do it for me.

Do you have any experience of grey backgrounds? What should I be looking for, what type of materials and techniques should I be looking to use?

I currently have a Lencarta background support system but realistically won’t be able to use it at its full 3m width. I’m a bit unsure about material backgournds, if they don’t hang straight it’s going to be full of creases, where as vinyl and paper won’t but can’t be folded up for storage.

The plan is to initially to get one 300w elite pro with a 70x100 softbox, I also have a reflector which I would be getting a stand for, then later getting a second light.

Thanks for any input you can give.
 
Paper is by far the best choice for grey backgrounds.
If you have plenty of lighting power, get a fairly dark shade.

In terms of technique, you can light the background with literally anything except a shoot through umbrella, but beauty dishes, softboxes and standard reflectors fitted with honeycombs are probably the most versatile tools. Get yourself some lighting gels in primary colours (I don't bother with subtle colours, if you want a subtle, pastel shade then just overexpose [and if you want a deeply saturated colour just underexpose] so there's no real point in subtlety)
 
Blasted said:
Thanks,

I would have thought vinyl would have been prefered over paper :thinking:

I never really considered gels on grey, again something new for me.
Click to expand...
Most vinyl is either textured or shiny, not in itself a problem with blown white backgrounds but a real problem if it's being lit in a precise way.
 
Thanks again Gary,

Having never used a paper background Im a little curious to how long can they last for, do you have to tear off for each use or if looked after can they be rolled back up?
 
They are easily damaged, but if you handle them with care then yes, they can be rolled up after use.
 
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