Getting white-on-white right can be tricky. In this live photography workshop, now available to watch as a replay, Karl identifies the main challenges and demonstrates simple techniques for overcoming them. He begins by explaining ‘pure white’ and how it is identified in the RGB decimal code. This magic number becomes crucial later as he works to separate white subject from white background. He also discusses matt and gloss surfaces and the different ways they reflect light. As he lights a white jacket on a mannequin, Karl shows how to use flags to prevent background light spilling onto the subject. Lighting the jacket itself, he shows the dangers of over-exposure, and how to use flagging and feathering to get the right lighting ratio to make the subject stand out from the background. Moving on to a white teacup and saucer, the challenges of shooting a glossy product become clear. Karl explains how image-forming reflections work and why they cause the edges of glossy products to become indistinguishable from. Then he demonstrates an ingeniously simple DIY fix.
