Black Backgrounds: I do quite a bit of flower photography adding black backgrounds. I sometimes add them in photoshop but also sometimes use a black piece of matboard behind the...

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

I do quite a bit of flower photography adding black backgrounds. I sometimes add them in photoshop but also sometimes use a black piece of matboard behind the subject. I would like to hear about other techniques from those who enjoy this type of photography.

Japanese Anemone

Siberian Iris

Cabbage Butterfly on Dahlia

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I find that black velvet will greate a "black hole" as far as lighting goes. If matte board is used, I don't always get black. Nice flower shots BTW, love the last one.

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

GoofyNewfie wrote:

I find that black velvet will greate a "black hole" as far as lighting goes. If matte board is used, I don't always get black. Nice flower shots BTW, love the last one.

Never tried black velvet. I will give that a shot. I always shoot in RAW and when I use black mat board I adjust the black in ACR.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

JPinTenn wrote:

I do quite a bit of flower photography adding black backgrounds. I sometimes add them in photoshop but also sometimes use a black piece of matboard behind the subject. I would like to hear about other techniques from those who enjoy this type of photography.

me too - but i don't ever use artificial backgrounds. Putting black will make a flowers coloration and apparent saturation appear more vivid.

Carrying black velvet out into the field is gonna get messy.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

looks like what you're doing works well.
I just put that out there for those who have the problem I encounter occasionally. If you can keep the light off of the black matte board it should be close to black.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

docrob wrote:

quote=JPinTenn I do quite a bit of flower photog... (show quote)

Without a doubt!
I was thinking in terms of indoor use.
Too bad capes are out of fashion these days.
They would come in handy for this kind of thing.

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

GoofyNewfie wrote:

looks like what you're doing works well.
I just put that out there for those who have the problem I encounter occasionally. If you can keep the light off of the black matte board it should be close to black.

When I use black mat board I use a large umbrella to block bright light. That works really well but some adjustment is still required in ACR.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

JPinTenn wrote:

I do quite a bit of flower photography adding black backgrounds. I sometimes add them in photoshop but also sometimes use a black piece of matboard behind the subject. I would like to hear about other techniques from those who enjoy this type of photography.

Pleasing sharp vivid photos. Thanks for sharing JPinTenn. 8-)

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

JPinTenn wrote:

I do quite a bit of flower photography adding black backgrounds. I sometimes add them in photoshop but also sometimes use a black piece of matboard behind the subject. I would like to hear about other techniques from those who enjoy this type of photography.

Beautiful stuff!

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

JPinTenn wrote:

I do quite a bit of flower photography adding black backgrounds. I sometimes add them in photoshop but also sometimes use a black piece of matboard behind the subject. I would like to hear about other techniques from those who enjoy this type of photography.

Like all your flowers, but #3 is my favorite. Thanks for sharing. It is unusual seeing a white butterfly and it really pops on that pink flower.

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

Felt also works good and adds a little texture with no reflection . As mentioned, Velvet just absorbs the light striking it

Wanda Krack Loc: Tennessee, USA

JPinTenn, nice flowers! The first one is my favorite. I also use colors behind flowers sometimes, especially something like iris, that can stand alone. I have used all colors (poster boards), but white is probably my favorite. When hiking, I have used the cover to my reflector/diffuser (black or white, gold or silver). I find when shooting individual blossoms it sometimes helps to have a background different than the surroundings. Another place I have used 'artificial' backgrounds is in greenhouses. Nurseries are wonderful places to shoot blooming flowers in the early spring time. But, it doesn't bode well with me to have a busy background, and sometimes even clutter, when the blossom is so beautiful. Green houses are wonderful places to catch flowers in good, diffused lighting. So, when I go to the greenhouse to take pictures, I make sure I have something that I can stand up behind the flower, and usually have both black and white, and will use. depending on the color of the blossom and what's behind it. I take either poster board or the tri-fold board and change out the color with fabric. Dark green velvet also works well as a background for wild flowers when hiking. But, since I carry my medium sized diffuser with me when hiking, it's always there to use if needed.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Nice photos.

Here is how I create a black background even in bright sunlight!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEhaWtcdWdc

thefunxtr Loc: Atlanta

JPinTenn wrote:

I do quite a bit of flower photography adding black backgrounds. I sometimes add them in photoshop but also sometimes use a black piece of matboard behind the subject. I would like to hear about other techniques from those who enjoy this type of photography.

Hi JP ... I once took a set of about 20 pics of lilies in bright sunshine. Two out of the set had a perfectly black background (no velvet, flash, etc. used) even though very similar settings were used for all exposures. I REALLY wish I could figure out what "accidentally" happened so I could reproduce the effect without having to carry extra stuff. With your permission, I would like to post a couple of pics for comparison to see if anyone has any thoughts on how this happened.

jimberton Loc: Michigan's Upper Peninsula

rpavich wrote:

Nice photos.

Here is how I create a black background even in bright sunlight!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEhaWtcdWdc

that is one of my favorite videos!!! he is awesome!!!