There is one tool in my studio toolbox that I would be hard pressed to give up: the plexiglass / perspex baseplate. I have one in white and one in black. Every photo I take starts with one of these flat reflective surfaces. I can add 3D printed accessories, recycled cardboard forms, rocks, plastic snow and greenery to add interest to this very flat surface. The more my work focuses on ideas, I find that I prefer this minimalist set up. You know what they say: less is more.

Of course a lovely sheet of plastic is also great for creating reflections. And I LOVE a good reflection!

The down and dirty

As I already mentioned I have two sheets that use, one white and one black. Every photo starts with choosing the one that best reflects the mood I want to capture in my photo. If my image will tend towards high key then I will opt for the white base. And if my image will be closer to a night image with low key lighting, then I will choose the black base.

With the addition of small props like greenery, trees, rocks other figures, I can break up the flatness of a machined piece of plastic. I’ve come to see these humble pieces of plastic as the Swiss army knife of my studio setup. They can be a dark forest, a spooky swamp, a river or a field of snow.

To give you some idea of the flexibility of these two simple base plates, I’ve taken two photos of roughly the same subject. I’ve changed the baseplate, background and accessories, but I’ve left the subject and the lighting the same.

Let’s see what that looks like when put into practice.

White vs black

In this first example I used a simple star field paper backdrop in conjunction with a large piece of black reflective plastic. The figures are placed in the center, suspended by a single piece of wire. I added a few LEGO ‘rocks’ infront and behind the figures to give a sense of place and depth as well as an otherworldly feel.

I used a Lensbaby Twist 60 lens because I wanted a sense of spin in the background to reinforce the idea of being ‘in-love’. You know that feeling of infatuation when the world isn’t quite straight.

Change the color, change the mood. Now that I have a white base I changed up the background to a generic bokeh background and replaced the boulders with flowering trees. The lighting is still the same (one key light high and to the right) but the effect is completly different. Because the base is light, it acts as a reflector for the single light, bringing the image into a ‘high key’ range.

Other examples

In this image I added plastic snow in mounds to create variation in the horizon line.
For this image I wanted to take full advantage of the reflection. I chose the blue sky background because blue pairs well with pink as well as the disconnect in emotions it would create.
If I want to make the plexi disappear in an organic fashion, I will use a handheld smoke machine. Its always a little tricky adding smoke to a low-key image because the light will change dramatically once the smoke is added.
Using an upside down black and white city scene for the background added just the right touch of texture to the white base plate.

Conclusion

I love using these simple plastic base plates as the foundation for an image. They are easy to store, clean and modify as needed. As I mentioned earlier, as my own tastes and style as changed, I find less is more. And I get the most creative boost with these simple and inexpensive baseplates. I can add a few rocks, greenery, plastic film or even gel to bring in even more texture and interest. Don’t be afraid to get creative and a little messy!

Of course, there are many creative bases that can be used to build up a scene with. I personally love the outer space felt Chris Whitlow described how to make here. And a well used cookie sheet can be put to all types of creative uses. I have a fondness for large sheets of grass to simulate rolling hills. Everyone has their favorite go-to starting point for building a scene. Of all the ones I’ve tried, the flat reflective surface of a sheet of plastic gives me the most flexibility as well as creative outcomes. If you’ve not added one to your studio bag of tricks, I highly recommend it!

Do you have a favorite base to use in your studio set-ups. Feel free to share your own idea of the perfect starting point in the comments below.

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