how would you get a black background effect?

[zandman]

how do you do it like making the background black.
what's the technique to get this effect except using photoshop.
for example, taking a macro shot like a flower and the background would be black? i can't explain it clear enough..
thanks.

 

[Moglex]

The easiest way is to take the shot using flash with the subject as far away from any background as possible. Using a black backdrop will mean the subject can be nearer the background without it (in this case the backdrop) becoming visible.

 

[Overread]

A black or dark background is very important to helping get this effect - I agree with the flash comments - you need light on your subject else the shot will be all dark.
Once you have the shot it really helps if you were shooting in RAW mode - as in RAW editing you can adjust the exposure, contrast and blacks (definatly boost these first) to help attain the black background.

Its called - lowkey shooting (or low-key) if you want to search more -- the opposite - high key - is where you have a white background

 

[K_Pugh]

Yup i can third that notion - flash makes it much much easier, you can get away without a black background if you direct the light properly.

 

[Overread]

Some great examples from Poppy 67 - go through both threads where she outlines the basic process used:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130442
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=129339

 

[JerryPH]

If you understand how it is done with flashes, you can take a pure white wall and make pitch black.

Light does have a depth of field that can be easily exploited.

http://jerryphpics.blogspot.com/2008/03/3-dof-of-light.html

 

[nynfortoo]

If you understand how it is done with flashes, I can take a pure white wall and make pitch black.

Just leave the lens cap on, Jerry. You don't have to faff around with flashes then.

 

[JerryPH]

Just leave the lens cap on, Jerry. You don't have to faff around with flashes then.

LMAOOO...hahaha... err... how do you faff?

 

[nynfortoo]

LMAOOO...hahaha... err... how do you faff?

You mess around, but use a British accent

 

[Moglex]

If you understand how it is done with flashes, you can take a pure white wall and make pitch black.

Indeed, you just neeed increase the (distance to wall) to (distance to subject) ratio (where the distances are the distances of the light source).

 

[JerryPH]

Indeed, you just neeed increase the (distance to wall) to (distance to subject) ratio (where the distances are the distances of the light source).

:thumbup: It's all about the light ratio. It only takes about 4, maybe 5 stops of light difference to blacken a white wall completely.

 

[Moglex]

Quite, so putting some numbers to it, if your flash has a guide number of 11 ft and you were taking a shot of a subject at 1 foot, using f11, you would need a five stop difference to black out the background. That would mean the background should have an indicated exposure of f2 and to get that exposure with a guide number of 11 would require a distance of five and a half feet.

Obviously that calculation assumes similar reflectivity of background and subject.

 

[zandman]

Some great examples from Poppy 67 - go through both threads where she outlines the basic process used:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130442
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=129339

that's exactly what i'm talking about, but he/she photoshoped it..
so when taking outdoor photos in the middle of the day, it won't be so possible to get that effect if it's too bright?

and on the flash, would the built-in flash on the camera work pretty good on this kind of photos? i have an external flash but i don't really use it a lot because i'm a big fan of "available light" but i'm willing to learn to use it properly to get a photo like that one.

thanks.

 

[Moglex]

that's exactly what i'm talking about, but he/she photoshoped it..
so when taking outdoor photos in the middle of the day, it won't be so possible to get that effect if it's too bright?

Not really possible, no.

(Although if your flash was powerful enough and the background far enough away it would still work.)

and on the flash, would the built-in flash on the camera work pretty good on this kind of photos? i have an external flash but i don't really use it a lot because i'm a big fan of "available light" but i'm willing to learn to use it properly to get a photo like that one.

At least from the POV of darkening the background the on camera flash is perfectly satisfactory (Assuming it's powerful enough to get the subject sufficiently illuminated).

 

[NateS]

Not really possible, no.

(Although if your flash was powerful enough and the background far enough away it would still work.)



At least from the POV of darkening the background the on camera flash is perfectly satisfactory (Assuming it's powerful enough to get the subject sufficiently illuminated).

This makes no sense. You state that it's not possible and then give an example of a way that it is possible. It's nowhere near not possible on a bright sunny day and it's extremely easy when you get the hang of it.

THis picture is high noon with no overcast and very very bright out. Settings were 1/250th shutter speed, F/14 with the flash on the subject. The black background is actually my green lawn. With 1/500th shutter speed I could have made the background completely black (that's not the look I wanted though).

It's really simple, meter the shot so that it is horribly underexposed.....even snap a shot and see if it's basically black. Then kick on the flash and use the flash to light the subject and you'll end up with a black background as long as the background is a good 3-4 feet away or more.