How can you get background pitch black like this?

[TonyUSA]

Hello,

How can you get background pitch black like the photo from link below?

Instagram post by Matt Hernandez • Oct 11, 2017 at 12:09pm UTC

Thank you,

 

[tirediron]

Use fill flash to raise the subject exposure. Start by metering your background and stopping down your exposure until the background is black (or black enough) and then use a strobe to illuminate the subject to the desired exposure.

 

[Vtec44]

One way to do it is higher shutter speed, dim background, and bright fill flash.

 

[Derrel]

I would not call it fill flash really, but rather flash-as-main-light source...

The flash lights the subject....the background, being farther behind the subject, gets a lot less light. Usually, competitive swimming meets realllllly frown on using speedlights or studio flash, but this particular shot looks like a high-powered flash-lighted exposure for the swimmer. And this might not be a competitive swim meet. Regardless: this looks like a flash shot to me.

 

[tirediron]

I would not call it fill flash really, but rather flash-as-main-light source......

Correct, as usual. My incorrect use of terminology.

 

[Derrel]

It's okay! But yeah....not, it's not okay...The pedantic me has awakened! LOL!

 

[tecboy]

It is the inverse-square law. The light gets dimmer when further away from the subject. At iso 100 tends to shut out the ambient light.

 

[TonyUSA]

Thank you, guys. At first, I though it was too dark to be true, maybe photoshopped, or even HSS.

 

[tecboy]

It could be photoshopped if you have the skill.

 

[rosh4u]

Increasing Shutter speed is one of the options available for getting background pitch black. Other than this, if you can manage it while capturing an image, editing is always an option which can help if you are skilled in it.

 

[pixmedic]

I would not call it fill flash really, but rather flash-as-main-light source......

Correct, as usual. My incorrect use of terminology.

well, kinda technically speaking....the light DID "fill" in the swimmer....so, fill flash. from a certain point of view.

 

[Designer]

Hello,

How can you get background pitch black like the photo from link below?

Instagram post by Matt Hernandez • Oct 11, 2017 at 12:09pm UTC

Thank you,

Hello!

Be sure to prevent the light from illuminating anything in the background. It appears in the example photograph that the photographer used a fairly narrow beam for the flash, aimed right at the swimmer. You can do this by shaping the beam to "telephoto" or use flags on the sides of the flash head. Also, the flash was positioned to one side, so any light overshooting the subject would not also illuminate the background.

(edit) Two flashes, positioned to either side.

 

[JonA_CT]

This has to be two flashes, right? One on either side?

 

[Designer]

This has to be two flashes, right? One on either side?

Yes.

 

[TCampbell]

This is two flashes - left & right (like kicker / rim lights). Notice the front of the swim cap is black - but sides of the same cap are well-lit. Also check the shadows in the shoulders... which wouldn't be there if the light was back at the camera. This shot was set up - not a candid taken during a swim meet, etc.

It was also almost certainly post-processed as well (nobody goes through all the bother to set up the lighting for a modeled shot and then doesn't adjust it to make sure their image is on-point). As I mouse over the background I am getting RGB values of 0,0,0. Natural blacks are seldom actually "0,0,0" ... which suggests the black point was adjusted to make sure the background was jet black.

It's a great shot ... well-executed.