While I always try to get my images as close to perfect as I can in-camera, there are times where I may use Photoshop to refine or add some final finishing touches to get the perfect black background. I tend not to use umbrellas because although they produce soft light and are a popular choice for portrait photography lighting, they do result in a lot of light spilling around the studio and onto the background. If, on the other hand, I want a lighter, softer look to the image, then larger modifiers are preferable. This might include using smaller modifiers, such as reflectors with grids or snoots, small softboxes, or even a beauty dish. I demonstrate how to achieve different feelings in an image simply by changing the lighting on the subject in my ‘How to use photography lighting to convey emotion’ live show.įor more moody, dramatic images, I’ll use a lighting setup that creates deep, dark shadows. The next step is to think about what mood I want in the image. I’ll often use a dark grey wall as my background - I have a mobile wall in the studio, or I simply paint the studio walls dark grey - as this allows me the most control over how dark or light I want the background. You’ll find a number of examples of portraits on black backgrounds on both my portfolio and in our portrait photography course, but key to any successful black background portrait are the points I’ve discussed above. I also find that these materials require more retouching than the other options. Paper rolls and pop up backgrounds are also an option, though these can cause some difficulty with light reflectance if you’re working in a small space. With these, you’ll have to work with your subject some distance from the background to avoid your lighting having an impact, and you’ll need to make sure to choose a matte paint to avoid unnecessary reflections or highlights. While most black fabrics will work just fine, velvet is the best for absorbing the light, which means you can position your subject quite close to the background without worrying that your lights will have an effect.Īnother common photography background that I often use, especially for product photography, is MDF boards, which I paint black or dark grey (you can make a grey background black simply by working slightly further away from the backdrop, as I’ll explain later). When it comes to the best material for black backgrounds, velvet is by far the best choice.
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