BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Studio Techniques Using Digital Cameras

BetterPhoto Member		Shooting Object Against White Backround I am taking pictures of colorful fabric braids against a white backround, and the background always comes out gray instead of white. What am I doing wrong? To love this question, log in above February 07, 2007

W.		Hi Suzanne, Have a look at BetterPhoto's Forum library: http://www.betterphoto.com/searchResults.php?szTerm=white+on+white&schMod=QnA&limit2=all Have fun! To love this comment, log in above February 07, 2007

John H. Siskin		Hi Suzanne, White does not photograph as ultimate white. You need to light the background in order to get to white. But there is a problem with having a background that is too light: The edges of your subject may burn out. A good way to set up a white shooting table is to put a piece of clear Plexiglas on top of a couple sawhorses. Cover the Plexiglas with tracing paper and put a light below the table. You will need to control the light that you are using to expose your subject and the light below the table. Good Luck! John Siskin To love this comment, log in above February 07, 2007

Roy A. Meeks		Suzanne, Remeber the camera sees everything as 18% gray and even white will come back as gray. So white(correctly should be "gray") balance your camera using a Kodak grey card and then your white will come out closer to white. After all white is a color To love this comment, log in above February 14, 2007

Dennis C. Hirning		If you have a lot of white in your image, your camera meter will be fooled and and try to darken the white to gray like taking a picture with a lot of snow. You can use a gray card as Roy suggested to get the correct settings and then use these settings with the camera on manual. You could also set your exposure compensation to overexpose the image. This would lighten the gray background back toward white. To love this comment, log in above February 14, 2007

Michael D. Miller		Hi Suzanne, It also depends on what light you're using, like flash or other. I like to keep a gray card with me (WhiBal from www.Rawworkflow.com) and include it in a test photograph, under the same light that is falling on the background. After white balancing* the gray card in your editing software, the cast will change on the background and let it be white, assuming as the others said, it is lighted bright enough to be a real white. Three alternative methods: * one, click the white balance eyedropper onto the gray card in the picture and then copy the white balance settings only, from your test shot to your good shot(s) that were taken in the exact same light. two, put the gray card in a part of the composition (under the background lighting) where it can be cropped out, white balance to the gray card same as number one. Then crop the gray card out of your test shot. three, with the gray card in the same light as the background, manually meter the gray card only, with whatever settings you desire, then remove the gray card and take the picture(s). Michael Miller West Hartford, CT To love this comment, log in above February 14, 2007

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