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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> isolating black backgrounds
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Showing posts 1 - 19 of 19, (reverse)
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 07/26/2007 03:47:37 PM · #1
hey guys, i'm still extremely novice but learning constantly.

after shooting more and more, i'm finally starting to get into portraits. I've seen a lot of examples where the background is completely black, successfully isolating the subject.

example,

i've been playing around with attempting something similar, but i can't isolate myself (self portraits) from the background. my light seems to flood over my background as well, making a textured dark gray that i've been unable to photoshop out (messes with the midtones in my face). what am i doing incorrectly?

here's my typical setup so far.



it seems that no matter how parallel my light is to the backdrop, the overall ambience of it is just enough to mess up the effect i'm trying to achieve.
 07/26/2007 03:50:54 PM · #2
Use barn doors, or something to block the fall off light.
07/26/2007 03:57:04 PM · #3
Another tip, move the background further back. Subject might be sitting too close to the background.
 07/26/2007 03:57:33 PM · #4
Move your subject farther away from the back drop
 07/26/2007 03:58:11 PM · #5
1) use black velvet, it absorbs lots of light.
2) move further from the b/g
3) isolate the light from the b/g with barndoors or flags
4) Angle the light to keep it from the b/g.
5) Use levels in PS to finish the job.
 07/26/2007 04:00:43 PM · #6
what is the distance between your subject and your background?

Try putting your subject 6 to 8 feet away from the background.

acck...I type too slow!

Message edited by author 2007-07-26 16:01:16.
 07/26/2007 04:17:11 PM · #7
i didn't expect so many replies so quickly. thank you, i appreciate the feedback. i'm going to try some of the techniques later today, i think my problem is that my background was only like 2 feet behind me, so i'm going to move it further back, and work from there.

THANK YOU
 07/26/2007 04:28:05 PM · #8
somone have examples of these barn doors people keep mentioning?

Message edited by author 2007-07-26 16:28:12.
 07/26/2007 04:36:50 PM · #9
Barn doors

The leafs can be opened and closed to direct light away from where you don't want it. They come in two and four leaf varieties.
 07/26/2007 04:40:32 PM · #10
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
Barn doors

The leafs can be opened and closed to direct light away from where you don't want it. They come in two and four leaf varieties.


thanks. don't suppose they make one for me super huge softbox though:(

07/26/2007 04:42:32 PM · #11
Originally posted by Elvis_L:

thanks. don't suppose they make one for me super huge softbox though:(



Nope, think you need to get some suger huge black reflectors (flags) for that. Or just spray paint some cardboard flat black ;-)
 07/26/2007 04:44:32 PM · #12
Use anything you can find to stop the spill. Doesn't have to be a barn door. I have used reflectors at times. You can use poster boards, or flags, or whatever. You just want to block the ambient light. And from the looks of that window, you might consider putting a blanket over it or, over the back half as to stop that ambient spill from happening.
07/26/2007 04:45:14 PM · #13
Originally posted by Elvis_L:
don't suppose they make one for me super huge softbox though:(


You mean that thing on the right or the window? ;)
 07/26/2007 04:58:45 PM · #14
Originally posted by littlegett:
Use anything you can find to stop the spill. Doesn't have to be a barn door. I have used reflectors at times. You can use poster boards, or flags, or whatever. You just want to block the ambient light. And from the looks of that window, you might consider putting a blanket over it or, over the back half as to stop that ambient spill from happening.


thanks for the ideas. BTW the window is covered durring shooting or i can jsut crank up the ab 800s to over power it:P
 07/26/2007 05:55:23 PM · #15
Originally posted by Elvis_L:


thanks for the ideas. BTW the window is covered durring shooting or i can jsut crank up the ab 800s to over power it:P


The problem isn't overpowering the ambient light, it is getting rid of it all together so you have a nice clean black background L()L

At Least thats what I thought? 6-;
 07/26/2007 06:01:30 PM · #16
Originally posted by littlegett:
Originally posted by Elvis_L:


thanks for the ideas. BTW the window is covered durring shooting or i can jsut crank up the ab 800s to over power it:P


The problem isn't overpowering the ambient light, it is getting rid of it all together so you have a nice clean black background L()L

At Least thats what I thought? 6-;


Yeah, definitely don't want to be adding MORE light to get black backgrounds. The more light you put out the more spill from reflected light you have to deal with. Black is better suited for low-power shooting.

In a perfect world you entire "set" would be surrounded with black (including the ceiling)
07/26/2007 06:05:14 PM · #17
I've learned a lot from this thread, Thanks for posting and replying all. :)
07/26/2007 06:08:39 PM · #18
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
Originally posted by littlegett:
Originally posted by Elvis_L:


thanks for the ideas. BTW the window is covered durring shooting or i can jsut crank up the ab 800s to over power it:P


The problem isn't overpowering the ambient light, it is getting rid of it all together so you have a nice clean black background L()L

At Least thats what I thought? 6-;


Yeah, definitely don't want to be adding MORE light to get black backgrounds. The more light you put out the more spill from reflected light you have to deal with. Black is better suited for low-power shooting.

In a perfect world you entire "set" would be surrounded with black (including the ceiling)


I was joking about overpowering it.
 07/26/2007 06:10:44 PM · #19
Originally posted by SbR06:
hey guys, i'm still extremely novice but learning constantly.

after shooting more and more, i'm finally starting to get into portraits. I've seen a lot of examples where the background is completely black, successfully isolating the subject.

example,

i've been playing around with attempting something similar, but i can't isolate myself (self portraits) from the background. my light seems to flood over my background as well, making a textured dark gray that i've been unable to photoshop out (messes with the midtones in my face). what am i doing incorrectly?

it seems that no matter how parallel my light is to the backdrop, the overall ambience of it is just enough to mess up the effect i'm trying to achieve.

You might find this useful to read, Strobist: Lighting 102 - Distance
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