In dentistry, black and white backgrounds are most commonly used as they are classic for portrait photography, but each has its own considerations.
Black Background
A black background is currently more popular than a white one, and for good reason. Portraits on a black background appear brighter and more vivid. The challenge with a black background lies in its lighting and the white balance set on the camera. Remember that a black background absorbs light, so to achieve good lighting, settings should be slightly brighter than usual, but be careful not to overexpose the patient’s face. For a black background, commonly used settings are f/18, ISO 100, shutter speed 1/125, and 1/2 on flash power. The white balance should be set slightly warmer than usual to avoid unwanted blue tones in the image.
Pay attention to the patient’s clothing color; if they are in white, the image can turn out quite cold. A white balance setting of around 5500K is recommended for a warmer and more visually appealing image. However, if you prefer a cooler light, you can lower the white balance setting.
Keep in mind that the temperature of the lighting and the temperature setting on the camera are different things. For instance, if your lighting is 3000K, it’s a warm light, but the same value on the camera represents a cool light. Flash units are usually cool, around 5000K, so setting 5000K on the camera will give you an almost perfect white balance.
White Background
Working with a white background is a bit easier, particularly regarding lighting. White reflects light, so you can slightly adjust your equipment settings: f/20, ISO 100, shutter speed 1/125, and 1/4 on flash power. However, consider the patient’s clothing. If they are in white or black, the image might still come out cool, which can be adjusted with the white balance. If they are in colored clothing, white can reflect these colors. For instance, pink, green, or blue reflect well off white. Therefore, maintaining a one-meter distance from the background to the patient and using an additional flash on the white background to keep the color clean is advisable.
Summary
Adjusting light intensity and position is crucial for consistent and professional dental photography. Whether using a black or white background, proper lighting settings and white balance adjustments are essential for achieving the best results. Don’t forget that photos of this type almost always need post-processing. You can read about photo editing programs in our other articles. The more you practice, the better your results will be.
