Flowers Against A Dark Background: Need a suggestion. My wife's orchids are blooming again and I would like to get some shots of them with a dark background. The blossoms are a pale...

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Need a suggestion. My wife's orchids are blooming again and I would like to get some shots of them with a dark background. The blossoms are a pale creamy yellow with purple centers. The only limitation is 1 flash. There are 6 blossoms open and 2 still in the bud stage.

Searcher Loc: Kent, England

I use a matt black card about 24" x 36" behind the plants, this usually changes to a dark grey which is easy to select and change to solid black in PP.

The result is the flowers and foliage colours are as shot and there are no shadows even with a single diffused flash.

Have to take care that shadows are not cast from flowers in front to flowers behind.

pdsdville Loc: Midlothian, Tx

I agree with Searcher. You can buy black foamcore for a stiff background. You can also place something like a kleenex over the flash to soften it.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

I've used crushed black velvet before with good success.

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

They used to say 'that is why photographers always wore black jackets' they make great backgrounds and keep you warm.

Also try using morning or afternoon sunlight as a side light. Set up next to the window or door and if it is too strong draw the curtains a little or move the set up a little. Also use several WB settings to see which draws out the colours better.

If all you have is the camera flash play with standard lamps and white reflective paper - WB to tungsten !!!or not if LED...if you have a stand alone flash try minimum settings and reach as it may 'bleach' the colours if too strong.

Take your time because you will both enjoy the results - her for growing it and you for capturing it.....not often that happens with a picture. Be sure to allow her to suggest things too...happy wife = happy life.

Have fun

blackest Loc: Ireland

nicksr1125 wrote:

Need a suggestion. My wife's orchids are blooming again and I would like to get some shots of them with a dark background. The blossoms are a pale creamy yellow with purple centers. The only limitation is 1 flash. There are 6 blossoms open and 2 still in the bud stage.

You might be able to use flash, closer it is to the subject the shorter the fall of distance. Trouble is you will probably need to soften the light with a softbox or through an umbrella depends really on how far your background is. if flash is 1 foot from subject then the background should be 2 stops down a foot behind it.

You need to be overcoming the ambient light maybe do it at night...

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

nicksr1125 wrote:

Need a suggestion. My wife's orchids are blooming again and I would like to get some shots of them with a dark background. The blossoms are a pale creamy yellow with purple centers. The only limitation is 1 flash. There are 6 blossoms open and 2 still in the bud stage.

Another way to get a dark background, but with some detail, is to just shoot flowers in sunlight with an area which is in the shade in the background. With a fill flash, you can make the shadow area even a little darker.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

My shoot from the hip when the un-planned (non-planned) event happens is with a Sony HX50v. I can shoot a flower with trash in the background during a hurricane and get sharp photos with minimal trash showing. Since the ISO is low and the shutter speed fast with constricted lens (tight f stop) time of day has little or no effect. With no flash you would find an almost black photo. i.e. Photo is not affected by the surroundings nor environmental conditions.

1/400 sec, f-8, ISO 80, shot focus, and on board flash.

Flash intensity is regulated in two ways distance and muting thru fresh** Toilet Paper containing aloe vera. The ad says the aloe vera softens guess it works with flash!
** unless sepia effect is desired. :lol: :oops: :thumbup:

If there is a lot of green in the photo as in flowers on shrub or trees, then I mute that green with post processing. In my case Topaz Clarity. Or you may chose a dark gray and utilize color replace tool in the edit program.

Orchid Flower, Flash, f-8, 1/500, ISO 80

(Download)

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

nicksr1125 wrote:

Need a suggestion. My wife's orchids are blooming again and I would like to get some shots of them with a dark background. The blossoms are a pale creamy yellow with purple centers. The only limitation is 1 flash. There are 6 blossoms open and 2 still in the bud stage.

Not familiar with your equipment but I use high speed sync to accomplish this by increasing the shutter speed.

mickeybob Loc: Harrisville, NH

You could use a shallow depth of field, and use a different color background, use your tripod and forget about flash, or maybe create backlight. be a bit creative, make it a soft picture and the orchid will punch out. black is pretty standard, but sometimes a bit harsh on such a delicate subject. check out the art of flower photography!

wingclui44 Loc: CT USA

nicksr1125 wrote:

Need a suggestion. My wife's orchids are blooming again and I would like to get some shots of them with a dark background. The blossoms are a pale creamy yellow with purple centers. The only limitation is 1 flash. There are 6 blossoms open and 2 still in the bud stage.

I shoot outdoor flower always in cloudy day, no Sun light and with defused flash. Set the aperture at f11 or f16 to get good DOF, and with max. syn. shutter speed to get the dark back ground. PP in Photo Shop to make the back ground darker as I want.

(Download)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

nicksr1125 wrote:

Need a suggestion. My wife's orchids are blooming again and I would like to get some shots of them with a dark background. The blossoms are a pale creamy yellow with purple centers. The only limitation is 1 flash. There are 6 blossoms open and 2 still in the bud stage.

Black background -

http://digital-photography-school.com/get-an-invisible-black-background-to-your-portraits-shooting-anywhere-video/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Photograph-a-Black-Background/
http://www.adorama.com/alc/0014344/article/Get-Absolute-Black-Background-for-Portraits
http://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/7762/what-do-i-need-to-get-photos-with-a-unifom-black-background-not-with-post
http://petapixel.com/2013/06/01/quick-and-easy-trick-for-adding-a-black-background-to-your-shots-anywhere/
http://www.apogeephoto.com/may2004/jaltengarten5_2004.shtml

fuminous Loc: Luling, LA... for now...

Not exactly what your asking but, just as information- I have used a five gallon bucket with the bottom cut out, a port-hole in the side and inside spray painted flat black. Don't paint the port-hole side and you'll get some reflected fill light. This allows natural light from the top (or can be tilted for directional light), keeps stray branches and such out of the way and also eliminates that occasionally troublesome bit of wind. It's portable, easy and cheap, too. I never tried using a flash with the setup but you might have to put your flash inside the bucket...

nicksr1125 wrote:

Need a suggestion. My wife's orchids are blooming again and I would like to get some shots of them with a dark background. The blossoms are a pale creamy yellow with purple centers. The only limitation is 1 flash. There are 6 blossoms open and 2 still in the bud stage.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Thanks for all the suggestions. Fortunately, orchid blossoms last a long time so, I'll be able to try some of these. Will post when I have something that looks decent or need more suggestions. BTW, the only PP software I have is Picasa. I tend to be old school. If I don't get it right in the camera and can't fix it by cropping or minor adjustments, it gets filed in the learning experience file.

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

Fill flash, 250 sutter speed, 50 ISO, any aperture. In sun this will usually get you a black background.

I like to create the black background as I take the image as it means less PP.