Comments on: The Invisible Black Backdrop – Photography Technique

By: Starloft Photography » The Invisible Black Background | Sterling, VA | Northern Virginia Photographer

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:56:17 +0000

[...] I thought I’d try the technique described here to create an “invisible black background” with Nikki the “supermodel.” [...]

By: Bob Tan

Bob Tan — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:44:21 +0000

Thank you….yes it remind me ….cant wait to try again

By: Glyn

Glyn — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 05:32:36 +0000

Hey Matt, thats’ great to hear…thanks for posting

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 23:38:05 +0000

Hi again. I commented a couple of days ago asking for some help.

Well, right after I commented I went ahead and ordered a speed grid. I figured since it was only 13 USD it couldn’t hurt. I got it the next day and started playing around with it. Cutting to the chase, it helped out immensely. I didn’t realize how big of an area the light from my flash spread out in. Now I can keep the background dark and only illuminate the subject way easier.

So, thanks again for sharing this technique, even though this is two years later from when you first posted it.

By: Sj Pangaribuan

Sj Pangaribuan — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:32:04 +0000

Here is my attempt to the technique

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3868242188617&set=a.3256617178374.2160289.1355434866&type=3&theater

By: The Invisible Black Backdrop – Photography Technique » Glyn Dewis Blog | princeshutter

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:52:24 +0000

[...] The Invisible Black Backdrop – Photography Technique » Glyn Dewis Blog. Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]

By: Alan Milan

Alan Milan — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:28:56 +0000

Very informative and practical as well

By: Rajesh Sharda

Rajesh Sharda — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 06:09:49 +0000

Gr8

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 22:55:45 +0000

Hiya. Great post. I’ve been trying it out and need to ask for some help.

I black out the scene but I always seems to get some of the background in it when the flash fires. I think this is because it’s spreading the light at such a wide angle. Will the speed grid pretty much solve this? And will the speed grid work for outdoor use as well or do you pretty much need an umbrella that you can close down to focus the light?

Also, how far is your subject from objects in the background? It appears to be a few feet in front of the background objects in some of the examples and right against the background in others (i.e. the man reading a book by the bookcase). It would seem that if the subject is right against the background, then the background will show up when the flash fires. Again, does the speed grid or an umbrella prevent this from happening?

Hopefully my questions made sense, and thanks for the help.

By: Glyn

Glyn — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 21:47:21 +0000

Hi John,
It’s certainly possible to take a portrait in a dark area if you had a strong bit of directional light coming in such as string sunlight through a small window but it certainly doesn’t offer the flexibility of this technique. To be honest the time it takes to do this technique you could be rattling of a whole series of shots before being 100% happy with the natural light scenario. Hope that makes sense