Black background

[xphongng]

I am new to the forum and new to photography. I have seen pictures taken with pure black and white backgrounds. I know for white backgrounds a light tent can be built. But what about a black background? What is the best method for creating a black background.?

[visper]

Hey, welcome to the forums.

The black background can be created basically one of two ways. Either by actually having a black background or, as I'm sure most photogs do it, light control. The key is to kill your ambient light. The way this is done is generally with a flash, though you could also use a very bright light. Depending on what you are lighting you might need to restrict how the light hits the subject, especially if using something other than a strobe. This is because most light sources would be very broad and cover alot of space which, will more likely than not, partially hit your background. To Restricting it is as easy as taking a piece of cardboard (something black is preferable but you can do it with cardboard too) and placing it as a barrier to stop light from spilling away from your subject.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leprech...7605632593009/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leprech...7605632593009/

Both of those are using that basic setup. The reflector on the other side of his glass is to illuminate both sides and give a nice even spectral highlight.

Examples of the photos taken with those setups are listed underneath.

[xphongng]

awesome..thanks for the help!

[kencaleno]

Black velvet-no reflections Ken

[emilav]

What about some Black Fabric?
- no texture (as much as possible)
- as black as possible
- no reflections
I'm still looking..

I once shot some flowers with something similar. If it's almost black you can boost the blacks in post-processing and you're golden. At least that's what I did :P

[arlon]

I tend to use black "fleece". It kind of like sweat shirt material. Not as reflective as velvet and a fraction of the cost. Got mine at walmart off the clearance rack for a few dollars. Get a couple of yards so you can set it way back behind the subject.

Shoot your picture at least 1 stop under exposed and use contrast to bring up the subjects exposure and push the back ground even darker.

Light control also works well. Use as small an aperture as you possibly can, as little flash as you can and get as close as you can (still expose a stop under as above). The flash will only carry a few feet. I have tons of examples of black backgrounds. Some subjects are easy to swap the black to white on in PS.

For whit backgrounds in macro mode I use that real thin foam that comes in sheets at hobby stores. Only problem is I haven't found it in very large sheets. It's excellent because it bends so smoothly. Also available in a jillion colors.


Flash with point/shoot camera (Canon A530) shot in the late evening, nothing but the backyard behind the flower. I'd call this pure light control.




Black fleece and light from the side so it doesn't expose the fleece, shot on the kitchen counter.



White foam in a cardboard box with flash.


The box:


Hope this was helpful to someone.

[xphongng]

for that last picture with the box and the white background..if i switched that with a black background would it be like those pictures you took with the flower and black background?

[arlon]

Yes, pretty much. Problem with black background is exposing it too much and getting gray. White just gets whiter, color shift in other back grounds isn't too obvious but too much light and the black will go gray.

Just be sure to keep your subject as far in front of the background as you can. Experiment! It's cheap.

[xphongng]

in that case, when i switch the black background should i still leave the white side panels white or should i change that to black too.

[arlon]

I left them white. I think it softens the light a little without reflecting too much on the background.