Backgrounds for macro photography: Does anyone know where you can purchase background cards ( 5x7 8x10 ) etc. to use as a background for macro shots of flowers, bugs etc. ? I did find...

BillyM Loc: newburyport ma.

Does anyone know where you can purchase background cards ( 5x7 8x10 ) etc. to use as a background
for macro shots of flowers, bugs etc. ? I did find someone who would sell you the files and you had to print them out yourself ( my color printer is down ). Thank You

williejoha

Go to the fabric shop and buy what you need for literally pennies
WJH

chemsaf Loc: San Diego

Art supply stores office supply stores, Michael's

BWur

Any hobby shop has different color card stock (Micheals etc;)

BB4A

BillyM wrote:

Does anyone know where you can purchase background cards ( 5x7 8x10 ) etc. to use as a background
for macro shots of flowers, bugs etc. ? I did find someone who would sell you the files and you had to print them out yourself ( my color printer is down ). Thank You

I’ve rarely found the need for a background sheet or card, but here’s what I use. A color there for every opportunity; I use the sheets with a simple clip or track system from one of my many fishing accessories and voila! 😀

https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Basic-Crafts/Craft-Foam/Rainbow-Foam-Sheets---8-1-2%22-x-5-1-2%22/p/28647

I’m sure you could easily make your own foam sheet holder with a wire coat hanger and tape, if you don’t feel the need to get all the gear I use?

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

BillyM wrote:

Does anyone know where you can purchase background cards ( 5x7 8x10 ) etc. to use as a background
for macro shots of flowers, bugs etc. ? I did find someone who would sell you the files and you had to print them out yourself ( my color printer is down ). Thank You

Why would you need something other that solids for Macro photography? You tryin' to fake shots minus the photoshop via fake Bokeh backgrounds?

For-shame.

I do indoor / studio macro and close-ups all the time and I usually just use a white or black cloth or mat board. I've even use a black camera bag in a pinch at a class.

BillyM Loc: newburyport ma.

Thanks for all your input, I will explore my options.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

I sometimes use a yard of black velvet fabric.

BB4A

lamiaceae wrote:

Why would you need something other that solids for Macro photography? You tryin' to fake shots minus the photoshop via fake Bokeh backgrounds?

For-shame.

I do indoor / studio macro and close-ups all the time and I usually just use a white or black cloth or mat board. I've even use a black camera bag in a pinch at a class.

I’ve done a bit of product close ups and macro (e.g. small items for exploded views, etc.) in my time. I just found it useful to use those small foam sheets in a variety of colors, for those clients who wanted “color recognition” for their marketing purposes; it really helped for Pantone matching when they wanted to translate photographs to printed materials, show posters, etc.

picsman Loc: Scotland

Stewart Wood a macro photographer sells texture packs, you can see his youtube channel and how he uses them. His web site is https://www.stewartwood.com/product-category/texture-packs/

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

Youtube has lots of videos on these. One brilliant macro shooter uses ordinary things around the house. One that had good results was coloured plastic supermarket bags crumpled up. I can't find his video on this, it was a few years ago.

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

BillyM wrote:

Does anyone know where you can purchase background cards ( 5x7 8x10 ) etc. to use as a background
for macro shots of flowers, bugs etc. ? I did find someone who would sell you the files and you had to print them out yourself ( my color printer is down ). Thank You

Hobby Lobby sells colored mat boards that you can cut down to size. They may possibly do it for you in their store perhaps. They are less expensive than Michaels I have found.

John Maher Loc: Northern Virginia

BB4A wrote:

I’ve rarely found the need for a background sheet ... (show quote)

I glue these to poster board. One poster board will hold two colors on each side. Then cut apart for two sheets with a color on each side.

Silverrails

BillyM wrote:

Does anyone know where you can purchase background cards ( 5x7 8x10 ) etc. to use as a background
for macro shots of flowers, bugs etc. ? I did find someone who would sell you the files and you had to print them out yourself ( my color printer is down ). Thank You

Why require "Background Cards" for Macro Insects & Flowers?
Why would they not be better viewed in their natural enviroment?
If you go to a "Dollar Store", I am almost positive you could find a variety of Colored "Backgound Cards"
Also, try a Art Supply store too.
Even your local "Pharmacy" might carry want you need too.
When you achieve your goal, please post photos here of your project of Macro images of Bugs, Flowers, etc.
Best wishes on your Project, will look forward to viewing them here at UHH.

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

If you want something other than a solid color background, find an image (one of your photos or photograph an image out of a magazine or other publication), open the image in a photo editing application, and apply Gaussian or other blurring tools to get the look you want. Take the resulting image to Walgreens/Costco/Walmart or wherever and get the size print you need. Then mount it on foam core board or other stiff medium. Voila! A nice blurry background to eliminate those annoying background elements that are just not far enough out of your DOF to be blurred enough.

Or go here and download an image to use for the above exercise: https://unsplash.com/s/photos/abstract-photography

Stan