novice...needs help with white background

[CastleCreations]

I have a regular old digital camera, and I'm trying to achieve that seemless floor wall look. I believe it's called high key. I have a white piece of vinyl and I put a large sheet of plexi over the floor and sometimes it looks great, and other times it comes out gray.
I'm trying to find out what kind of light set up I should use, and if anyone knows anyone specifically that I should check out, feel free to pm me.
I think I know what needs be lit, but I'm unsure of what kind of lights to buy. Thanks in advance for any help...Lisa

 

[fitzperry]

Most likely all of the white in the scene is causing your camera to underexpose the image. A digital camera's light meter assumes that every scene averages out to a medium gray, so it thinks that all that white is brightly lit gray and dials down the exposure accordingly. If your camera has exposure compensation, try setting it at +1.5 to +2, see how it looks (check the histogram) and adjust further from there if necessary.

Can't help you much with the lighting but someone will probably be along who can.

 

[DVC Jen]

I haven't been able to get it totally seamless with cloning or using the healing tool in photoshop.

here is my first high key attempt - there was a seam between the plexi and the white sheet i used behind it - but like I said - it was an easy fix with photoshop.

I am just now noticing a few spots I missed fixing in photoshop. I would post some of my more recent high key work - but it is not my kid in the photo nor is it a close friend of one of my kids whom I have a model release for- so I don't feel comfortable doing that - but this will give you the general idea of what i am talking about

 

[Miss Kelly]

Hey Jen, do you know the trick to seeing all of those spots you missed? I use Levels. You have a lot of grey still on the backdrop. I usually dodge those areas if I don't get it right SOOC.

 

[CastleCreations]

I haven't been able to get it totally seamless with cloning or using the healing tool in photoshop.

here is my first high key attempt - there was a seam between the plexi and the white sheet i used behind it - but like I said - it was an easy fix with photoshop.

I am just now noticing a few spots I missed fixing in photoshop. I would post some of my more recent high key work - but it is not my kid in the photo nor is it a close friend of one of my kids whom I have a model release for- so I don't feel comfortable doing that - but this will give you the general idea of what i am talking about

What kind of lighting do you use? I think it's a great attempt...I'm ashamed to even show mine...LOL