Barn doors on background lights?

[Pultzar]

My studio is a little smaller than I would like and I'm having problems with the background lights spilling onto my subject. They are placed behind the subject's plane, but I think that since they are angled so that their beams cross the background it is causing some light to go directly onto my subject.

Would barn doors be an effective solution? This is what I'm considering:
http://www.paulcbuff.com/lmbd4.php

Another thought is that if the doors aren't large enough to be effective, I could velcro larger panels to them.

 

[Suntan]

It can definitely help.

I would suggest giving it a try before putting down $50 on a set of barndoors. For a one time test, some cutout cardboard and tape will work just fine to simulate those barndoors and mask off the stray light. If it solves your problem, then buying the more flexible and robust barndoors from PCB may be money well spent.

-Suntan

 

[Pultzar]

Thanks!

 

[Hugowolf]

Generally, barndoors aren’t very effective. You would be much better off using flags, which could simply be black formcore, or black collapsible ‘reflectors’ on stands.

The most effective doors I have come across have been from Lowel:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/31768-REG/Lowel_O1_20_Complete_4_Leaf_Barndoor.html

I don’t know how they would work on Buff lights, but some lighting manufactures, Profoto for example, make a reflector especially designed to mount them. They are special because the doors are expandable.

There is also the shovel reflector:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/242336-REG/Hensel_156_Backlight_Reflector_for_Hensel.html

The Buff equivalent isn’t very effective, but you might find one that fits a Balcar mount from someone else.

But flagging is easier, cheaper, and more effective.

Brian A

 

[Sailor Blue]

Barndoors will help but flags are better.

Buy 4'x8' sheets of high density white foam. Use white and/or black gaffer's tape to hinge two of them together to make a free standing "V". Paint the back of the two sheets black with texture paint.

You now have some of the best reflectors and flags you can have.

An smaller alternative is to buy light weight hollow hinged closet doors that are already free standing "V's". Paint the inside white and the outside black with flat or texture paint.

 

[Ho72]

Zach Arias uses two sets of cheap, free-standing folding closet doors to shield his subject from bg light spill. See second photo in link:

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

 

[Guillermo Shashte]

Generally, barndoors aren’t very effective. You would be much better off using flags, which could simply be black formcore, or black collapsible ‘reflectors’ on stands.

Because most of them (including those sold by Paul Buff) are poorly designed.

The most effective doors I have come across have been from Lowel:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/31768-REG/Lowel_O1_20_Complete_4_Leaf_Barndoor.html

Agree. Some people have managed to adapt them:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=262748&page=5

But flagging is easier, cheaper, and more effective.

Problem is that in a small studio they take too much space.
--
GS

 

[Guillermo Shashte]

That will give you an idea about a poorly designed barn doors like Paul Buff's. Check Hugowolf's post below for the Lowel barndoors:
http://www.lowel.com/edu/light_controls/barndoors.html
--
GS

 

[Stuart Allen]

I use these as well, occasionally you have light spill in-between the hinge, guess I need to tape that up.
--
Stuart Allen
http://www.stuartallenphoto.com/
http://500px.com/StuartAllen/