Am I wasting my time and money?

[stwb]

I'm interested in taking some portraits with bright white background. No one in town sells white seamless paper so ordering online is fairly expensive when shipping costs are added on. Is there an alternative to white seamless? Can a guy use white foam board with similar results? Will the seams show? Should I just bite the bullet and get the paper?

Thanks.

[Rick A]

You dont sayhow large your project is. How about a white bed sheet? Maybe a 4'x8' sheet of rigid foam insulation painted white? I'm sure there are several other ways to achieve your purpose.
Rick

[archphoto]

How about a store in Calgary ? Don't they have anything ?
Otherwise ask McBains in Edmonton, spend some phone calls on it.

Good luck,
Peter

Addition: nothing in Regina ?

[jmcd]

Are you shooting b&w or color?

[Paul Goutiere]

White foamcore! 4ft. by 8ft sheets.....cheap, big, very white!

[jmcd]

I am thinking the benefit of seamless over the foam board is the flat,non-reflective surface of the seamless. Perhaps the foam board would work well, painted with a flat white paint.

[jnanian]

the background that avedon used was white fabric on 4 sides
and very easy to make ...
all you need is white cloth lathe and a staple gun

[BradS]

I have used a plain white bed sheet tacked to the ceiling in the garage. A strobe can be set up behind the sheet to make it really white...if desired.

[Q.G.]

That's the trick anyway: overexpose the white background by a stop or two (extra lights on the background only).
Seams, small marks, smudges, etc. will disappear.

[Anscojohn]

You dont sayhow large your project is. How about a white bed sheet? Maybe a 4'x8' sheet of rigid foam insulation painted white? I'm sure there are several other ways to achieve your purpose.
Rick

*****
Bed sheets "never" work because it is impossible to get them completely smooth. The creases, folds, and billows always seem to show, now matter how out of focus.