Posted by Jeff Wiebe on April 14, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Hi all,
I've decided that I'd like to give some flora & macro shooting a go. I've purchased my first dedicated macro lens and am just playing with it to get a feel for it.
My question is in reference to the lovely black BGs that some shooters utilize for flora. Is this an effect that is acheived through PP, or is this something that is set up during the shoot. Any tips would be helpful. Thanks!
Posted by Brad Mangas on April 14, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Hi Jeff, I would like to refer you to a post in the CSNP regional forum by Dominic Rossetti on 04/02/2008.
Just scroll down a bit until you find Dominic's name and that date. He does wonderful work, does exactly what you are asking about and give details on how he accomplishes his results.
Hope this is helpful.
Take care.
Jeff: There are a number of ways you can get the black BG effect in the field as well as accomplishing it in PS. I often shoot flowers in a front lit situation with a natural dark BG like a shaded wall or dark leaves. Often the dynamic range is great enough that if the flower is exposed properly the BG will be sufficiently underexposed as to register as pure black on the sensor. You can also carry a small matte black card or some black velvet cloth to place behind the subject. You want to use a material that has little or no gloss so you won't be fightng bright reflections. I have a munber of lillies along a brick wall of our house that I'll shoot like this in order to eliminate the bricks. You might e-mail Michael Lowe as well as he uses this technique very successfully. >=))>
I used to be a fan of black backgrounds Jeff and I went about it by using a dark background card and sometime a black curtain. Must keep it clean though. Then in software it was easy to use the magic wand tool with a fine feather to highlight the dark areas and then just cut it to a solid black. I now much prefer a natural background look. Funny how we change.
I think if a few more were using an elliptical grad using two colours, I could get into more.
All the best Jeff and thats only one way.
Danny.
Posted by Nathan Lovas on April 14, 2008 at 11:27 PM
I find it a bit easier to get a black BG when you are using artificial light...you can set a middle of the road to small aperture (f/11 -f/32), combined with a fast shutter speed, and expose for the flash/artificial light hitting the flower...if if you don't have a strongly light BG to begin with you will usually get a Black or very dark BG. Also, shooting at night with a flash is a nice way....a black or dark cloth placed behind the flower (matte finish...no shiny stuff as a general rule), even in daylight will help...there are a number of techniques....a lot of it depends on what sort of light you want to light your subject with...Have fun...Nate
I guess I haven't outgrown black backgrounds because I often carry one in my pack. I have two pieces of coroplast (like corrugated cardboard except plastic) hinged together. One side has a sheet of black flocked paper (Edmund Scientifics) taped to it. I also carry a third sheet to use as a roof to diffuse light from above. With this I make dead black backgrounds for those little flowers growing in the cluttered forest floor. Some object to the un-naturalness of it, but I don't worry much.
Yeah but you see Pete, this is well done and really appeals and gets back to what personally I like to see. Not a completely black background. This is sharp and so very well done. For those looking at this, thats what it should be all about..........IMO.
All the best and superb example there Pete, very well done and good lesson M8t.
Danny.
Posted by Johan Geyser on April 16, 2008 at 5:06 AM
This is very nice. Very sharp also - did you have to do any sharpening in PS after the shot?
Regards,
Johan
I don't want to hijack the thread to a discussion of my photograph. I just wanted to show an example of my blackground set up. Incidently the background IS dead black, The out of focus green is a forground object, purposely placed in the frame by a crafty photographer enjoying a roll in the leaf litter.
Sharpening? Of course, it is a digital capture and they all have to be sharpened. I guess looking at this now I might consider it a bit oversharpened. I worked this up a few years ago. Fortunately, I still have the raw file and could redo it. Then again, this is a 6mp file and they all look terrible compared to the 10 mps from the D200.......
Discussion
8 repliesHi all,
I've decided that I'd like to give some flora & macro shooting a go. I've purchased my first dedicated macro lens and am just playing with it to get a feel for it.
My question is in reference to the lovely black BGs that some shooters utilize for flora. Is this an effect that is acheived through PP, or is this something that is set up during the shoot. Any tips would be helpful. Thanks!
Just scroll down a bit until you find Dominic's name and that date. He does wonderful work, does exactly what you are asking about and give details on how he accomplishes his results.
Hope this is helpful.
Take care.
Brad
I think if a few more were using an elliptical grad using two colours, I could get into more.
All the best Jeff and thats only one way.
Danny.
Pete D.
All the best and superb example there Pete, very well done and good lesson M8t.
Danny.
Regards,
Johan
Sharpening? Of course, it is a digital capture and they all have to be sharpened. I guess looking at this now I might consider it a bit oversharpened. I worked this up a few years ago. Fortunately, I still have the raw file and could redo it. Then again, this is a 6mp file and they all look terrible compared to the 10 mps from the D200.......
Pete D.