I Really Like A Dark Background ..

When creating photographs of my Orchids, except I have a little trouble getting the effect I am looking for. So, I decided to experiment with a piece of black matt board. The results, although not exactly what I was looking for, came out okay. Not perfect, but okay.

I also tried the method with a couple of other plants in the vicinity, and managed to obtain the same results.

The Lineup ..

Today's Subjects.. My Peace Lilly, My Amaryllis, and My Orchid (OBVIOUSLY)

First Up The Orchid .. I get nice shots of the flowers most times, but sometimes the bright sun works against me and drowns out my subject with too much light. I know several other tricks for fixing this, but I wanted to just try something different.

So I found a piece of black matt board and decided to use this for the backdrop/background.

Would this work?.. Not sure. I was hoping the camera would meter the black and thus darken the background a bit more than normal. It was also my intention to eliminate the background noise/clutter. So I took the matt board and slid it behind the subject with one hand while taking the shot with the other.

IT WORKED!!!.. Well, it worked fairly well I suppose. The matt board is flat black.. really a dark shade of grey.. on one side, and shinny black on the other. Not the best choice of background materials, but it's what I had at hand for the moment.

Here Are The Results..

Not too shabby. But as you can see, the matt board (even the non glossy side) is a bit to reflective. Light is still bouncing off of it. I could probably darken it up using a photoshop tool and eliminate that unwanted effect. I could also just adjust a few things in the iPhone camera settings as well.. maybe that would be easier.

Here is an example of a frame when using the glossy side of that matt board. The light from the windows behind the board is really reflecting of this side! I didn't like it at first, but after looking at it for a while, I started to appreciate it more. What do you think??

Now For A Close-Up!.. I used the macro setting on the phone and captured this nice shot. I adjusted the light settings and achieved something pretty close to what I was going after in the first place.

Pretty and Pretty cool. Although the dark background was achieved, the subject is now darker as well. The colors are really really vibrant and deep.. NOT really a true representation of how the flower really appears to the naked eye. Regardless of that, the photo came out awesome. Could stand to be a bit more in focus, but not too shabby!

If I decide to edit this one a bit more, I may eliminate that green spot on the stem, that you see just above the flower. I can see a light outline of the stalk too.. it's sort of distracting..

Hhhmmmmmmm... Here, I'll Just Do It!
There, That's Better

So Now We Have Pepper's Sympathy Orchid.. That sits on our breakfast room table. She's doing great and getting ready to bloom any day now. One of the flower buds looks as if it may pop open today or tomorrow. The pictures below were taken a couple of weeks ago.

It's always hard to get a picture that will focus on these marble like flower buds. There s always a bunch of background noise making the subject, the flower buds, disappear into the clutter. Even when adjusting the aperture, to blur the back ground, they still sort of get lost in the photo.

So let's try out the black matt board experiment.. I grabbed the matt and placed it behind the buds. Here are they results..

Not bad, but clearly not what I was looking for. Below is a close-up or macro of the buds using the same technique.

Next Up..

The Peace Lilly(Spathiphyllum) and the Amaryllis.

Our Peace Lilly.. has been looking terrible ever since we disturbed it by repotting it. Most of the plant has died back, but a few part have been doing extremely well. This part of the plant started to bloom a week ago and the flowers are now open wide. They are ready to be photographed!

So why not? I grabbed the matt board and tucked it in behind the flower. The sun was hitting the flower directly from the side. I tried to capture the beauty of the natural light gleaming through the flower and turning the whites of the bract almost yellow. And that background???... Almost true black! I'll mark this up as a win.

When I pull back from the subject and allow a little more of the plant into the frame, the results are pretty decent. I like the results of those shots too. Below is an example of those frames. Not as dark of a background and I didn't notice that the matt board was to high. Better luck next time!

As Far As The Amaryllis Goes.. I will only make you suffer at looking at one shot. You've seen enough by now I am guessing. I haven't done an update in a while, and the growth on the flower stalk has been impressive to say the least. It's been rocketing up lately.

Same process as before.. hold the matt with one hand, take the shot with the other (after a few adjustments that is).

THAT"S IT!!!..

I FINNALY got the results I wanted. Just enough of the subject to tickle the senses and a really really black background. I can rest easy now.

The Moral Of This Story..

Is to NEVER give up on being creative with whatever it is your doing. I'm not sure if I am going to use this piece of matt board anymore, but it got me to thinking outside of the box. I remembered how important it is to challenge my creativity, and to try new things (creativity wise.. not food. Sorry Melissa).

Have A Great Weekend ..

And remember to share your stories about Orchids in our newest community..

The Orchid Lovers Community

A place for people who Love Orchids!

Before you ask.. Yes, that's a photo of mine above and yes there was a good amount of photo editing done on that one!

“This particular orchid gets all its energy from fungi, sometimes from different kinds of fungi simultaneously. It never even begins to turn to the sun. No photosynthesis here. It relies utterly on its underground friends: the unseen, unsung fungi. Forgive me if this is a romantic vision. Orchids seem to have that effect on people. But since finding out that they are essentially reliant on fungi, I have a new perspective. They are not lone, rising, random gifts, like treasure. They are weak and desperate, and they are gamblers, hoping their luck holds and a good strong friend can be found close by to give them everything they lack. What do the fungi get out of the deal? The relationship of the orchid to the fungus is described as myco-heterotrophic, with the plant sometimes viewed as a sort of parasite, taking the carbon it needs and giving nothing back. Perhaps there’s more we need to learn here, to understand it fully. But, for now, I’ll anthropomorphise and romanticise it further by maintaining that a fungus can make a really good friend, especially if you’re a rare, weak seed with no energy of your own.”
― Aliya Whiteley, The Secret Life of Fungi: Discoveries From A Hidden World

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All words, pictures and art pieces are the sole property of B D Miller Gallery, unless otherwise noted and credited, and are not to be reproduced or copied without the prior written consent of B D Miller Gallery.

About Me ~ The Artist

My art work incorporates a wide variety of subject matter, including landscape, seascape, cityscape, and still life images. My works are the product of a continuing process of exploration through which I seek to portray personal and visionary interpretations of my surroundings. My paintings are impressions of places and events from everyday life, an interpretation of my imagination, and personal responses to what I see and feel on a daily basis. More recently I have invested generous amounts of time into my landscape painting. I am surrounded by natural and man made beauty, which inherently presents itself in the tri-state area, and almost demands that I paint it.

Not everything is art. Art is not everything, but it comes close. Art is everywhere and all the time. Art makes you experience the beauty of the world, the people in it, and the places we call home. Art itself is so influential that it can tell stories, show feelings, and express passion or fury. Art exists in addition to language; expression of sensations and thoughts, revealing a way of thinking too subtle and delicate for words.

For me art requires love, honesty and perseverance. In return, it reveals some personal, non-analyzable, and creative untamed passion. For the public, art with its magnificent beauty, improves mood and health and builds better human beings and communities. It engages the intellect, softens the heart, strengthens the soul and frees the spirit.

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