Study in Black AND Black & White

[elsaspet]

I love the look of Black Velvet backdrops but I have been warned, and have found them to be extremely hard to light.
Using my german shepard Elsa as a model, here is the finished project of today's learning assignment. I am still not happy with the lighting and would like suggestions on how to better light the subject.
Although I also have a color version of this project, I chose to go with the black and white version. Elsa's white patches are mixed with black and gray making her coat against the black backdrop a tad bit weird. I will be happy to provide a color version should you need it to help critique the lighting.
Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

 

[mentos_007]

hmmm I don't know what was your intention... to completely "eliminate" the background and make it invisible? If so you did perfectly! But if you wanted to show a little bit of texture the or show that it is a real velvet hmm... I am not sure if you noticed but on the right side a bit of velvet is visible... looks as if there was a stronger light...

btw... you have a wonderful dog! my is not so happy when posing!

 

[GrAsS]

why need a dSLR? forget it i wont even go there as an anti digitalist..

anyway the background isnt really invisible i can clearly see a dropshadow of you (verry nice) german shepard.

But the picture is nice anyway

 

[steve817]

I think it may be your monitor Grass. I'm looking at it on a duel monitor setup. I can see it on one but can't on the other.

Cindy are you trying to separate the dog from the background a little more possibly?

 

[GrAsS]

yes i know its my monitor im a fanactic photoshopper so i set my screens up to so i can see the slightest difference in images

 

[KevinR]

I think in this case, some kind of hair light would make the edges of your dog a little more detailed.

 

[Alison]

I think in this case, some kind of hair light would make the edges of your dog a little more detailed.

I agree! I often run into the same issues when shooting a wedding (black tux/black background) and if you can just get a little skim light it will help separate the dog from the backgound.

 

[elsaspet]

Hi you guys,

Thanks. Yes, I'm trying to have a soft light behind her, so that she doesn't look like she's floating in mid-air, but at the same time not so much that the cloth gets that gray look. Any suggestions?

I tried about every set up I could think of, but on this one, I had a light positioned on her flank side, bounced off an umbrella behind her and on the cloth. When I tried it through the umbrella, it looked like a spotlight behind her. Should I just try to light her and forget about the backdrop? Dang, I wish I could figure this out. I spent two days on this setup to no avail.
Any suggestions?

 

[bEZartan]

[font=&quot]im not an expert on lighting or anything, but maybe you could try to put the light in back of the backdrop to see what different effects you can achieve...or have it facing away from the backdrop onto a flat wall so you get a bounce off the wall onto the back of the backdrop....it might help, or not, worth a try [/font]