10 Benefits of Colored Seamless Background Paper vs. Gels
September 17, 2021
RGB lights and photo/video gels are wonderful, innovative tools. They enable innumerable creative concepts, and can greatly enhance an image. Complementary colors used to cross-light a subject lends distinct mood and style, helping to convey emotion and further the “story” told by an image.
With the wide range of colors and capabilities achieved with colored lights and gels, it may seem tempting to use them for the background in place of colored . But here are some reasons why colored seamless paper can still often be the best choice:
1. Consistency
Every inch of Savage seamless background paper is the same beautiful, even, saturated color from corner to corner.
Seamless paper provides easy, even color saturation for full sweeps and large sets
The larger the area the more gelled lights are required to convey even, saturated color
2. Reliability
Seamless paper enables you to easily achieve the same look from one shoot to another without having to replicate exact equipment power/distance configurations.
3. Quick setup
Setup time when using a pre-colored paper background is much faster than attaching gels to light heads or adjusting them inside modifiers.
Read more: Using Gels Alongside Colored Seamless Paper To Create Cleaner Shots
4. Efficiency
Working in a tight space, or outdoors? Seamless paper looks just as beautifully saturated in any width and can even be used in natural or ambient light with no additional equipment.
Photos courtesy of Maxwell Pierre on Orange Seamless Paper
5. Beautiful shadows
Shooting with a colored paper backdrop enables you to create subtle, natural shadows on the backdrop when desired.
6. Tonality
You maintain complete tonal control using standard lighting techniques, without losing color quality.
7. Better control
No fighting to light your subject without washing out or interfering with background gels. Key and fill lights often add to background light and can wash out the color gels.
Without key light
With key light
8. Clean look
No worry about light spill that can contaminate colors and shadows on your subject. Seamless paper is much less likely to create color spill on your subject.
9. Energy
What’s more fun than stepping onto a fully decorated set? Vibrant colored backgrounds reinforce the mood for the photo shoot and help energize your model and team from the pre-planning stages and beyond!
Canary Seamless Paper
Primary Red Seamless Paper
10. Easy post processing
Seamless paper requires little if any background editing when post-processing images. No color hot-spots or unnatural banding to correct.
Break out those wonderful LED wands, ring lights, and gels for ultimate creativity with your subjects – but consider the benefits of colored seamless paper for the background to get the best overall results in your multi-color adventure!