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Invisible Black Background: Flowers · 12:02 PM

My K-7 arrived yesterday and I was reading earlier in the day about how to create the 'invisible black background' even in daylight just by using a high sync speed and off camera flash. It had been a while since I had played with my off-camera flashes, so I went for a walk around my apartment complex for a few minutes between classes to see what I could do

I was using a cheap ($25 ebay) Sigma 28mm Macro all-manual lens that I also just got, so I had to set focus, hold the flash off with one hand, and slowly move the camera forward/backward to get focus before shooting.

After some light PP, here are the two I kept:

**Dice** · 04-03-2012, 12:04 PM

Great technique and images! Wonderful texture and colors.

GeoJerry · 04-03-2012, 12:25 PM

Really like these a lot, especially #2. I can see how you could have got the dark effect in #1, with maybe a more distant background, but how did you do it in #2? It's as if your flash only illuminated a volume the size of a basketball. Looks really cool. Did you get that effect in PP?

alstauffer · 04-03-2012, 12:30 PM

Originally posted by Dice

Great technique and images! Wonderful texture and colors.

Thank you!

Originally posted by GeoJerry

Really like these a lot, especially #2. I can see how you could have got the dark effect in #1, with maybe a more distant background, but how did you do it in #2? It's as if your flash only illuminated a volume the size of a basketball. Looks really cool. Did you get that effect in PP?

Thanks, Jerry! For number 1, the background was actually fairly close, I wasn't sure it would work; a brick wall to another apartment unit abut a foot and a half behind the flower. I held the flash so that my hand blocked light from straying too far towards the building.

For number 2, I admittedly 'cheated' and used some PP to shrink the lighted area, but I used index cards taped on the flash head to form the beam so it wasn't too too far off of the truth, haha. Once I get home I will upload the original to show how much I took out in post.

Den · 04-03-2012, 12:36 PM

Nice. Isn't digital just grand. Although the old darkroom was fun too.

**Cee Cee** · 04-03-2012, 02:56 PM

both really nice shots, interesting technique, something for me to think about! TFS.

cheers

**eaglem** · 04-03-2012, 03:36 PM

Both images turned out extremely good and the contrasts are excellent.

slowpez · 04-04-2012, 12:30 PM

Like both. Lovely colors and the invisible black background is perfect.

loco · 04-04-2012, 06:49 PM

These are both fantastic, Allen! Great job! I particularly love the second shot. Great technique with fantastic results.

alstauffer · 04-04-2012, 07:05 PM

As requested, here's the original:

I guess I did more PP than I thought

Originally posted by Den

Nice. Isn't digital just grand. Although the old darkroom was fun too.

Digital's great! Unfortunately I've only developed pictures once, and they didn't turn out so great,

I am only recently into photography, so I mostly skipped film.

Originally posted by Cee Cee

both really nice shots, interesting technique, something for me to think about! TFS.

cheers

Thank you! After reading about it I wasn't so sure I would be able to do it, but it was pretty easy once I got out there and tried it.

Originally posted by eaglem

Both images turned out extremely good and the contrasts are excellent.

Thanks

Originally posted by slowpez

Like both. Lovely colors and the invisible black background is perfect.

Thank you

Originally posted by loco

These are both fantastic, Allen! Great job! I particularly love the second shot. Great technique with fantastic results.

Thanks again Lori! I can't wait to give this technique a shot on the cats; if they'll sit still long enough, that is, haha.

alstauffer
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04-03-2012, 12:04 PM	#2
Dice Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Emeryville, CA Posts: 1,122	Great technique and images! Wonderful texture and colors.

04-03-2012, 12:25 PM	#3
GeoJerry Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,158	Really like these a lot, especially #2. I can see how you could have got the dark effect in #1, with maybe a more distant background, but how did you do it in #2? It's as if your flash only illuminated a volume the size of a basketball. Looks really cool. Did you get that effect in PP?

04-03-2012, 12:30 PM	#4
alstauffer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Dallas, TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 131 Original Poster	Originally posted by Dice Great technique and images! Wonderful texture and colors. Thank you! Originally posted by GeoJerry Really like these a lot, especially #2. I can see how you could have got the dark effect in #1, with maybe a more distant background, but how did you do it in #2? It's as if your flash only illuminated a volume the size of a basketball. Looks really cool. Did you get that effect in PP? Thanks, Jerry! For number 1, the background was actually fairly close, I wasn't sure it would work; a brick wall to another apartment unit abut a foot and a half behind the flower. I held the flash so that my hand blocked light from straying too far towards the building. For number 2, I admittedly 'cheated' and used some PP to shrink the lighted area, but I used index cards taped on the flash head to form the beam so it wasn't too too far off of the truth, haha. Once I get home I will upload the original to show how much I took out in post.

04-03-2012, 12:36 PM	#5
Den Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Washington (State) Posts: 929	Nice. Isn't digital just grand. Although the old darkroom was fun too.

04-03-2012, 02:56 PM	#6
Cee Cee Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Glenroy, Melbourne Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,441	both really nice shots, interesting technique, something for me to think about! TFS. cheers

04-03-2012, 03:36 PM	#7
eaglem Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Perth Western Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 43,166	Both images turned out extremely good and the contrasts are excellent.

04-04-2012, 12:30 PM	#8
slowpez Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: South Carolina, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 18,461	Like both. Lovely colors and the invisible black background is perfect.

04-04-2012, 06:49 PM	#9
loco Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,846	These are both fantastic, Allen! Great job! I particularly love the second shot. Great technique with fantastic results.

04-04-2012, 07:05 PM	#10
alstauffer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Dallas, TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 131 Original Poster	As requested, here's the original: I guess I did more PP than I thought Originally posted by Den Nice. Isn't digital just grand. Although the old darkroom was fun too. Digital's great! Unfortunately I've only developed pictures once, and they didn't turn out so great, I am only recently into photography, so I mostly skipped film. Originally posted by Cee Cee both really nice shots, interesting technique, something for me to think about! TFS. cheers Thank you! After reading about it I wasn't so sure I would be able to do it, but it was pretty easy once I got out there and tried it. Originally posted by eaglem Both images turned out extremely good and the contrasts are excellent. Thanks Originally posted by slowpez Like both. Lovely colors and the invisible black background is perfect. Thank you Originally posted by loco These are both fantastic, Allen! Great job! I particularly love the second shot. Great technique with fantastic results. Thanks again Lori! I can't wait to give this technique a shot on the cats; if they'll sit still long enough, that is, haha.

Macro Invisible Black Background: Flowers

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