Seamless backdrop and lighting

[Des]

I don't have any fancy or expensive photographic equipment just a very basic Samsung digital camera, a sheet of white card and a light. I place the 500mm x 730mm white card on my bench and allow it to run up the back creating a smooth curved surface. I use plastic clamps to hold the card to my bench. The photos show how simple and very inexpensive it is to make a photo backdrop for taking photos of my models and the photo results are usually pretty good.

Des.







The resulting photos show nothing more than the image I am wanting to portray, there is no seam in the backdrop and no clutter in the photo, the person viewing the photo can concentrate solely on the model.

[drdave]

I use a roll of lining paper as mine  then the kids use it for drawing.

[Des]

Same great results Dave, no seams, it makes for a very attractive photo 

Des.

[FokkerFodder]

Thanks Des - I will try this out next time I take some pics.

cheers
FF

[Gisbod]

What lighting do you use Des?

Guy

[Des]

Guy, the only lighting I use is a bench mounted fully adjustable arm circular fluorescent light. The circular fluorescent tube is Tri-Phospher, 215mm, 22w, 1350lm, colour temperature 8000K Day Light, it is rated as long life 10,000hrs.

Being on a fully adjustable arm means I can position the light in any position, the head also swivels so I can angle the light so it shines under the model if need be. When taking the photos above I had the light approx 12 inches above the model and slightly forward, this seems to work well for me.

Des.

[Gisbod]

Well it certainly has the desired effect.

I think I need to get a daylight spectrum light..

Thanks

[Des]

Using the white card has the added effect of reflecting the light back up to the undersurfaces of the model. If you have a look at my Snipe photos you will see that even though the light was directly above the model the underside of the wings are quite clear and detail can be seen.

Des.

[Ernie]

Good tips, Des and Dave. Thanks for the help!

Cheers,
Ernie

[Jacek]

 Sometimes I use blue background...



...or black:



model is more visible (higher contrast)

[stefanbuss]

I normally use blue or light grey as background colours, as black seems to be too dominant (details get lost), and white seems to be too bright with the lightning setup i use.

The only real disadvantage of using such kind of roll is the limitation regarding size (think about positioning a 1:32 Gotha in such a way that you still have the background you intended to have, and not to show your medelling room...

Stefan

[FOKKERJ]

Thank You Des for the tips!

quote author=stefanbuss link=topic=2453.msg39694#msg39694 date=1381396691]
I normally use blue or light grey as background colours, as black seems to be too dominant (details get lost), and white seems to be too bright with the lightning setup i use.

The only real disadvantage of using such kind of roll is the limitation regarding size (think about positioning a 1:32 Gotha in such a way that you still have the background you intended to have, and not to show your medelling room...

Stefan
[/quote]

Hi Stefan,

I did not know that a 1/32" Gotha would fit into a house! 

I have read several times that Photographers prefer using Light Grey as a background. 

As seen above, White, Light Blue, Black, & Light Gray all work well here.

Best Wishes, Jay

[Chris Johnson]

I have the same basic setup with Des in my basement workshop. Simple, but effective.



I use blue, white, or black bristol board backgrounds depending on the colour scheme of the model. Where I differ though, is that I have the matte side 'up'. I've been looking for a light gray sheet with no luck though yet. For larger models such as the Bif, I use two sheets, one behind the other with the seam running sideways. It usually disappears in the background with judicious use of camera angle.

Cheers,

Chris

[FOKKERJ]

Hi Chris,

Any good Art Supply Store should carry Light Gray sheets for pastel painting.

Cheers, Jay

[eclarson]

Before I started contributing to Airfix Model World magazine I was content with snapshots taken with a little 4 megapixel Olympus using the built in flash for illumination.   When I bought the Olympus I just wanted a small camera, for casual model photography, with good macro capability and manual overrides so I could control the depth-of-field and it filled those requirements nicely.

When I accepted an offer to do projects for AMW, the first thing I had to do was upgrade the lighting.  AMW requires all in-process photos to be shot with a blue background and completed models with a white background.   For all but the largest models my backdrops are blue or white poster board available at any craft store.   I also have larger sheets of photo backdrop paper but as they are flimsier and more awkward to set up then the poster boards I only use them when needed.

Due to lack of space, my Pace paint booth doubles as a photo booth with the pair of internal lights providing overhead and background lighting.  On either side are cheap clamp-on work lights with an additional pair of photo lamps used as necessary.  All lights use 100-150 watt equivalent 6500K "daylight" CFL bulbs.

My first article, published in May, 2011, was on the Eduard OEFFAG Albatros and all photos were taken with my trusty little Olympus!  I've since upgraded to a Sony Alpha A33 DSLR for my magazine projects but still use the Olympus for casual shots.

Here's my rig in action.  The first is from several years ago and shows some WIP shots being taken of the cowlings from a Revell 1/72 Fw 200 Condor.  This is with an old tripod and hard-wired remote shutter release.



Jump ahead to last year and I've got a better tripod with an optional extension tube and a wireless shutter release which is a huge improvement over the old wired one!  Here, I'm taking an overhead shot of a completed Tarangus 1/48 Saab Lansen.



Cheers,
Eric