BetterPhoto Q&A
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Caryn Suehowicz		How to avoid cast shadow on backdrops I'm new to portrait photography but really excited about learning as much as I can so I can make it a viable profession. I have been shooting portraits of family and friends in an effort to practice and learn and one of the most frustrating things I'm finding is a cast shadow on the backdrops I'm using. I've attempted to move the subjects further away from the backdrop which isn't helping enough. The light is coming from behind the camera or off to the side of the camera, which I feel I need to light the subject. I'm attempting to use just natural lighting, but is this going to be possible? How can I get rid of those shadows without artificial light AND with artificial light, since that'll be my next purchase? To love this question, log in above May 18, 2005

Christopher A. Vedros		There are three suggestions that are usually given to correct your problem, and you are already trying the first one. Moving the subjects so that they are a few feet from the backdrop usually helps some. The next is to raise the light source higher. This may be difficult with natural lighting, of course. Moving the light source higher will make the shadow fall lower on the backdrop, so the shadow will be hidden more by your subject. The third is to diffuse the light. This isn't usually necessary with natural light, but maybe in your case it is. If you have very bright sunlight coming in from a window, you could try hanging a sheer curtain in front of the window to diffuse & soften the light so that the shadows will be softer. These same basic principles also apply to artificial lighting. If you give us some more info on what your light source is, and how you are positioning your subject in relationship to it, we might be able to offer more suggestions. To love this comment, log in above May 18, 2005

John A. Lind		Depending some on how you use the lighting, diffusing it usually won't get rid of backdrop shadow entirely . . . but it won't be as obvious. Chris has already mentioned two of the best and classic methods . . . increase distance between subject and backdrop and raise the light source higher than the subject (or lower the subject). A Third Method (a little more sophisticated): Keep this in your "hip pocket" for when you get some lights . . . and work with getting some skill with key (main) and fill lighting first. I'm presuming flash or strobe or monolights . . . not hot lights. Some studios also use a background light . . . a small low powered strobe behind the subject to hide it . . . mounted low (sometimes on the floor) and aimed up at the background at a point around the subject's shoulders or a little higher. It washes out any shadows cast on the background from the key (main) and fill lights. If you've seen portraits with the area of background behind the subject's head and shoulders lighter than the rest . . . this is the usual method of doing that. Typically doesn't need much power and requires a little experimentation to figure out just how much you need in combination with your other lighting. I've tried it a few times with a tiny SP (Studio Systems) Midi Slave with GN of 45, powered by two AA cells and has a built-in optical slave (so that it fires when your other lights fire; eliminates need for cord). It recovers in a couple seconds for the next shot. Didn't look too bad although I need to play with it a bit more to get the aiming of it down solid. -- John Lind To love this comment, log in above May 18, 2005

Caryn Suehowicz		Thank you Chris and John for the assistance. I will try to diffuse the light and when we begin using artificial light, I will try raising the light higher than the subject and then move on to practicing with key and fill lighting and the back light suggested by John. To "shed some more light" on our particular problem, we have a large sliding glass door that has lots of light that comes in all day. Apparently the light is not diffused enough so we move around the subject trying to hide the shadow behind the subject but with children, that's sometimes difficult. There's no way to raise the light or lower the subject so a sheer might be the best solution. What about using reflectors? Is there anything we could do with those to help alleviate the shadow problems? To love this comment, log in above May 19, 2005

Karma Wilson		I know, I know! Use a black background! Brilliant, aren't I! Just kidding. Karma To love this comment, log in above May 19, 2005

Christopher A. Vedros		Caryn - It might be quite tricky to position a reflector to lighten the shadows, without having it in the picture. But of course, it never hurts to try. Give it a shot. To love this comment, log in above May 20, 2005

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