Question white seamless and clear Plexiglass on floor

[Yaamon]

Hi I have shot using my 4 strobe setup using white seamless paper for the flooring and background.

I'm pretty sure I have read that a few people have used a clear Plexiglass on the floor to give the extra glossy look.

For those who have is there any reflection from the strobe on the flooring?

I thinking of going to Lowes or home depot and buy a 4x8 sheet a clear plexiglass.

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Canon 5D II, 7D & Nikon D7000

 

[Michael Firstlight]

Generally no, but you will find that clear plexiglass at that size costs a fortune - instead use a 4x8 sheet of gloss smooth white shower wallboard - something like $10 a sheet.

Regards,
Mike

 

[Stuart Allen]

It may also be called Tileboard and is the cost-effective way to go.
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Stuart Allen
http://www.flickr.com/photos/srallen/
http://www.srallen.com/

 

[Surefire Photo]

http://www.zarias.com/white-seamless-tutorial-part-1-gear-space/

This link may help. The tile board is quite cheap, easy to clean, and reflective when properly lit. I'm sure many others here have ideas if you are looking for more reflective surfaces, but I would personally avoid plexi. As stated above, it is very expensive at any reasonably big size and is also hard to keep clean & spotless enough to use in a white seamless shot without a ton of post.

 

[Yaamon]

Thanks guys before I got my back drop and white seamless paper setup I went to my local lowes and bough 4 sheets of 4x8 white tile board and it came out well.

I was surprised that they all fit in my wife honda van without removing the center seats, just had to fold down the rear ones and fold the middle seats forward.

I now have them stored in the basement, in case my daughter needs another shoot with her friends.

I wanted to get a glossy and slight reflection on the floor with a plexiglass or wonder should I buy a white plexiglass.

Here are some examples from the white tile boards. I shot this with 2 speed lights on the back ground and 2 strobes as main and fill. I now have 4 strobes. Here is a example of the flooring.



The girl on camera right got too close to the back ground flashes.





I can see some mistakes in the shots so next time I did better on a family shoot.
--
Canon 5D II, 7D & Nikon D7000

 

[Lawrence Keeney]

I have been using the 4' x 8' x 1/4" sheet of clear Plexiglas for about 8 years now.

Seeing my studio is in my living room, the floor is carpeted which doesn't work well with seamless paper. I bought the Plexiglas to place under the seamless paper where the subjects will be walking. If I want a reflected image, I just place the Plexiglas to top of the seamless paper.

I personally like the clear Plexiglas because it works with any color seamless paper, not only white.
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http://www.blackcanyonsystems.com
--
Lawrence

 

[Yaamon]

I just looked on your site very nice.

Question the full length photo of the lady in the blue dress is the plexiglass on top of the white seamless floor. I can see the slight gloss and reflection.

I like that look.

Thanks
--
Canon 5D II, 7D & Nikon D7000

 

[Lawrence Keeney]

This image was taken about 3 years ago, but I am about 99% sure this was taken with the Plexiglas on top of the white seamless paper.

I say this because I never use a light bright enough behind the model to produce a shadow like this in front of the model. It has to be a reflections, and the paper alone does not show a reflection.

I just looked on your site very nice.

Question the full length photo of the lady in the blue dress is the plexiglass on top of the white seamless floor. I can see the slight gloss and reflection.

I like that look.

Thanks
--
Canon 5D II, 7D & Nikon D7000

--
http://www.blackcanyonsystems.com

--
Lawrence

 

[James Pernol]

My 4x8 sheet of plexiglass cost $10 bucks at Home Depot, not a fortune.
--
The light is all around us, it's how we use that makes a portrait.

 

[Michael Firstlight]

Clear, see-through 48" x 96" plexiglass? If so, please post the Home Depot link to that product here as I looked for it when I bought my white 4x8 foot white tile board - what you say was non-existent. Much smaller clear plexiglass was very expensive - not $10. I won't believe it till you show me - as proof here is my link to what Home Depot sells and charges for a sheet of 48" x 96" plexiglass:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202038067/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

The cheapest I could find was on eBay - not local:

http://compare.ebay.com/like/200306609784?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&rvr_id=200521716806&crlp=1_263602_309572&UA=WXF%3F&GUID=a0a7226812d0a0e203952f05ff634382&itemid=200306609784&ff4=263602_309572

Show your Home Depot link and I will owe you a big thank you.

Regards
Mike

 

[Lawrence Keeney]

If you are going to have people standing on the Plexiglas, you are going to have to look at the thickness as well as the length and width.

As an example the Plexiglas I use is 1/4" thick because I am using it on top of a carpet. I don't think it is safe using anything thinner on a carpet or on a surface that is not hard and completely flat.
--
http://www.blackcanyonsystems.com

--
Lawrence

 

[GraniteShoppe]

Your group photo turned out very well in my opinion. Not an easy task with all those divas in such a small space. Kudos.

 

[Yaamon]

Your group photo turned out very well in my opinion. Not an easy task with all those divas in such a small space. Kudos.

Thanks, having 6 girls on a 8x8 was tight at times. I think next time I would need to buy 2 more white boards to make it a 12x12.

This was all done in my living room.

I forgot that I have a good friend that works for a sign(plastic) distributor and can get me a discount.

Acrylite® FF Clear Acrylicwhich and Lexan Polycarbonate it's stronger than plexiglass and wont scratch as easy.

The cost would be less than 40-50% of what home depot or lowes or what they would retail for.
--
Canon 5D II, 7D & Nikon D7000

 

[James Pernol]

Clear, see-through 48" x 96" plexiglass? If so, please post the Home Depot link to that product here as I looked for it when I bought my white 4x8 foot white tile board - what you say was non-existent. Much smaller clear plexiglass was very expensive - not $10. I won't believe it till you show me - as proof here is my link to what Home Depot sells and charges for a sheet of 48" x 96" plexiglass:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202038067/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

The cheapest I could find was on eBay - not local:

http://compare.ebay.com/like/200306609784?var=lv

Show your Home Depot link and I will owe you a big thank you.

Regards
Mike

Here are my links from Home Depot, but I bought mine in store in DE. I did check your link Mike and yours is much tougher than the one that I got but they both do just about the same.

http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Materials-Plexiglass/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbrdg/R-202038046/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Materials-Plexiglass/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbrdg/R-202038047/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
--
The light is all around us, it's how we use that makes a portrait.

 

[Michael Firstlight]

Thanks! 3 foot by 6 foot for $50 is good; I want one for use on top of black. For 4x8 foot on white I think I'll stick with the low cost white tile board.

Regards,
Mike

 

[CharlieDIY]

Thanks! 3 foot by 6 foot for $50 is good; I want one for use on top of black. For 4x8 foot on white I think I'll stick with the low cost white tile board.

It's probably good to remember that basic acrylic and Lexan are very different materials. I don't know about now, but in the past Lexan was used to form the shell of crash helmets. It is also bullet resistant in some thicknesses.

--
Charlie Self
http://www.charlieselfonline.com

 

[Michael Firstlight]

Great, I'll use Lexan for the times when I shoot myself in the foot in the studio or in one of these forum posts

Thanks again,
Mike