Re: Fabrics

[Steve Homer <shomer@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Gene -- 

My work is portraits and nudes with studio flash. I use a backdrop 
sewn from heavy black denim (cotton) and it stays pretty black 
with Kodak infrared and an 87C opaque filter. And it's a lot 
cheaper than velvet! 

I work for a fairly contrasty negative, so if you're using a subtler
contrast range it might not work so well. But in general it's easier for
me to keep the backdrop dark when I print from my IR negatives than
when I print similar images exposed on TMAX. 

I'm not sure that the dye color has much effect on how much infrared
a fabric reflects. (I'm sure that one of our more scientifically 
oriented list members will correct this assumption if necessary!)
Regardless, if you're using a red filter, and recording visible
light, I would expect that, all things being equal, a fabric that 
looks lighter will render lighter. So I'd suggest you stay with 
black but switch materials.

- -- Steve Homer   shomer@xxxxxxxxxxxx

> Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 11:45:27 EDT
> From: EHollan100 <EHollan100@xxxxxxx>
> Subject: Fabrics
> 
> Regarding the recent topic of fabrics, this has been extremely frustrating for
> me for a number of years.  I bought a very expensive bolt of velvet, and used
> it for a fashion shoot and a still life shoot, only to find out it came out
> snowy white.  I thought for sure you could not find a deeper black to drop
> out.
> 
> I also bought a black cloth cape for a model for a cemetary shoot, again to
> discover it came out white.
> 
> Perhaps dark green or dark blue is the way to go.  Any other experiences out
> there?
> 
> Gene Hollander
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