Most of the work done in my studio is art nude or headshots, but my issue sometimes
is lighting a white or other color seamless paper background evenly, for 3/4
or full body shots. My studio is 18'x24' which gets the job done, but for this
task, I find it much easier in a larger space to create more distance and use
flags to avoid spilling on the subject. What techniques and modifiers do you
suggest to accomplish this in the space I have? Thank you for a great and helpful
thread! Well using softboxes for a background is an ideal way to go as the can be directed inward from both sides crossed center so the light feathers and produces a soft even controlled light source across the entire background with little spill outside the area, and a small card attached to the side toward the subject and extending the side of the box longer can create a flag that keeps the spill almost nonexistent on the subject.
Next best would be umbrellas feathered as well, but the nature of umbrellas is harder to control and even feathering is harder to effectively control as they are inherently uncontrolled sources.
That said you can use them than place flags between them and the subject, this
is a workable approach but not so easy in small studios and is only suggested
if softboxes are not easy to come by or usable. Another approach that is workable (see diagram below) and has been used as a last resort and often as a easy approach in larger spaces is the direct head or bare reflector aimed at two flat on either side of the background bouncing all the light unto the background itself. Almost as if you were going to shoot the lights at the subject from behind as rim lights but than placed two white cards angled to block the light from the subject and redirect all the bounce toward the background. This is best achieved with v flats (in large studios these are often 4x8 foot tall taped sheets of foamcore white/black, but you can use 3x4 sheets as well)
