How to Master Black Background Photography in 5 Minutes (2024)

Photos of a single object in front of ablack backgroundare so appealing! And their popularity is growing fast. Many people are obsessed with the idea of applying thedark background technique in various ways. Some even go so far as creatingInstagram accountsfor promoting food againstblack backgrounds. But the greatest thing about working withblack background photographyis that it’s easy to master. Anyone interested can do it – even you and me!

Just read this guide and become the king or queen ofblack background images!

But first, let’s look at the basics of working with apure black background. Even if there are a limited number of secrets behind outstandingdark background images, it’s essential to emphasize the core factors that guarantee good results forblack background photography.

AsExpert Photographynotes, in creating an outstandingblack background,the most important thing to pay attention to is the lighting. To make it work, bring in a bright light focused on the subject to deepen the play of shadows on thedark background.Voila - and the perfectblack photo backdropmagically appears!

As you can see, capturing images with ablack backgroundisn’t a matter of searching for the proper decorations – the bestdark backgroundsappear behind a properly illuminated subject.

However, as the last stop before diving into our guide on working withblack backgrounds, you should keep in mind the core principle applied even forblack photography: adark background doesn’t actually need a sharp contrast with the subject. It’s the wise application of light that creates the appearance of apure black background.

In this article, we’ve collected all the information you need to successfully createcool dark backgroundsin your photos. The first section reveals the basics ofblack background photographyin the days when onlyblack and white backgroundswere available.

Let’s start by looking at the way film photographers contributed to images withblack backgrounds.

Black backgroundsand film photography

In the early days of photography, awhite and black backgroundwas the only option available. And artists learned how to use this color scheme in a way that still works – even for contemporary images on adark background!

Specifically, the greatest achievement of film photography for creating contemporaryblack backgroundswas finding a way to establish a sharp contrast between subjects by playing with the lighting alone.

And the results were truly marvelous. Just look at these examples of classic photography–they can easily serve as a source of inspiration for contemporaryblack background images!

It’s incredible that we’re looking at exclusivelywhite and black backgroundin shots that had no chance to go through post-processing stage in a photo editor software. Today, even these masterpieces could look better, and thedark backgroundscould gain more depth.

At least, that’s how photographers work withblack backgroundsnow. Luckily, we live in an age when it’s possible to create whatever effects we want in all our images. With Luminar 3, you can easily insert in a color photoblack and white backgroundsor beautify the appearance ofdark backgrounds.Click the button below to try one of thebest photo editing softwaretools on the market.

Thanks to the great photographers of the past, we know that the art of creating apure black backgroundis a matter of lighting. And, of course, crafting a proper backdrop for aplain background imagebehind the chosen subject. We’ll look at the importance of this in the next section.

The magic behind crafting aplain black background

Of course, the best and most obvious way to shootblack background photography is to find a properblack backdrop. So it’s time to search for a piece of fabric big enough to serve as adark background.

In this context, finding a backdrop has another advantage: working with ablack background significantly reduces the amount of time spent on the post-processing stage. The best choice is a dark or black stretchy fabric that doesn’t reflect light (so no plastic, shiny sheets, or materials that createlight backgrounds). As most photographers agree, the best of the best is ablack velvet background. At the same time, a stretchy piece of fabric or even a black bed sheet will also work great (especially if you don’t have money for velvet).

However, you can avoid this step altogether. You may be surprised, but the bestblack background picturesdon’t necessarily include ablack backdrop.The proper lighting and exposure can do the job instead.

Let’s look closer at how the right lighting and exposure can create greatblack backdrop photographywithout using an actualblack backdrop.

Lighting tricks forblack background photography

Beyond thebasic photography rules, there are particularities to lighting for images withdark backgrounds. Among all, don’t hesitate to play with natural light. For instance, ablack backgroundcan be created by putting your subject close to the window in a room where all the doors and other windows are closely shut. In this situation, adding ablack backdropon the wall can make the appearance of adark backgrounda bit stronger - but it’s not that necessary.

At the same time, artificial studio lighting is still easier to work with. It gives you an extra level of control by providing the opportunity to use flags – pieces of fabric that allow you to block the light from unneeded areas. Here, the size of the room really matters, and the combination of a small area and ablack backgroundwill work best for your photography.

The chemistry behind crafting ablack backdropforblack photography

Generally, the proper exposure of subjects in front ofblack backgroundsis as essential as the lighting. Just pay attention to camera settings to achieve the best results. By knowing your camera well, you can even turn casualbackgrounds black!

A nice trick to create the illusion of ablack backdropfor yourblack background photographyis to play with the camera settings in manual mode.

Here’s a guide to adjust them appropriately:

1. Put your ISO to the lowest level possible (this decreases the camera’s sensitivity to light).

2. Set your shutter speed to the highest level (so the least light will reach the sensor).

3. Select an aperture of around f/5.6.

4. Check that you see nothing but adark backgroundon the screen. If aplain background imageappears, proceed to step 6.

5. Go back and increase the aperture to f/8.0 if theblack backdropisn’t as dark as you expected.

6. Use the flash to bring in your subject from theplain background image.

However, avoid shooting indoors. The flash can introduce wallpaper, tables, and other unnecessary elements into yourblack background image.In general, blond and pale models require less work with lighting and exposure than models posing forblack photography(or just with darker skin and hair). In the latter case, a backlight may be needed.

Techniques for capturing ablack background portrait

In addition to the above-mentioned lighting and exposure principles for photographs with dark backgrounds, there are some additional factors to consider while working with humans and forblack photography. For example, to make yourdark backgroundin a portrait as black as possible, consider pushing it as far as possible from the person you’re capturing. Distance does magic with any type of portrait (including those on awhite-and-black background) -combined with the proper choice of lighting (which is important forblack photographyespecially).

Thus, the crucial task for ablack background portraitis working with the color balance, as the lighting may significantly affect the way tones are represented in the image. Choosing the proper angle and the appropriate power of light is quite important for this type ofblack background photography.

Besides, portraits ondark backgroundscall on you to consider dynamic range. For ablack background image, limited dynamic range hinders the ability of a camera to include bothblack and white backgrounds(or, for example, dark shadows and bright sunlight).

Finally, ablack background portraitisn’t only about capturing people. For instance, in gardening, there’s a special category of images offlowers with black backgroundscalledspecimen shots. In addition, you can find lots of lovely portraits of pets, birds, and food in the Internet. However, switching subjects doesn’t change the basic principles of distance, lighting, and dynamic range.

Useful tips for a proper start in masteringblack photography

Now that you know the principles of working withblack backdrop photography, adjusting your camera settings, and creatingblack background imagesof people and flowers, it’s time to apply all this theory in practice!

In this section, we’ve collected the best recommendations for those who have never captured images withdark backgroundsbefore. Check them all out!

1. Search forcool black backgroundsoutdoors. With the proper attention, it’s possible to find thedark nature backgroundof your dreams everywhere. To make the most of the natural environment, go out on a sunny day and search for the long shadows from buildings, cars, plants, and other objects available on the streets. Once you find ashiny black backgroundat the intersection between sun and shadow, pick any subject and start shooting right away!

2. Prepare the object for yourdark backgroundphotoshoot in advance. Once you’ve found a nice shadow for yourblack background image,it’s best to have something you really want to capture there. To work properly with the subjects of yourblack background photography, put them in the line between the sun and the shadow.

3. Find a black poster or a black bed sheet. This is useful forblack backdrop photographyand for practicing capturing indoor images on adark background.Put on the wall a piece of furniture, a black board, a poster or bed sheet makes it convenient to practice capturing various subjects in front of ablack backgroundand become confident in this skill.

4. Experiment with flash. An essential element of the camera settings forblack photography, flash provides an opportunity to improvise with angles and bright areas in your photos. In other words, it enhances your creativity in front of anyblack background.

5. Look closer at what you see. A great trick for checking the depth of yourblack backgroundis to try looking at it by squinting your eyes – this limits the amount of light your eyes take in and helps you to see more clearly.

Post-processing ofblack background photography

Notwithstanding all your efforts spent getting the perfectblack background, post-processing is inevitable – especially if your camera has a wide dynamic range.

When working withblack background photographyin Photoshop, professionals mostly adjust contrast, shadows, and levels, then brush on theirdark background images. In addition, we recommend smoothing the color of theshiny black backgroundwith a brush tool.

Another useful technique in Photoshop is using the burn tool on ablack background image with low exposure. Being put in the shadows while editing theblack backdrop photography, it brings the best result. In combination, several edited parts of an image create a balanced vision, free of the common extremes found inblack background images.

Post-processing ofblack backgroundimages with Luminar

In Luminar, the task of darkening the color oflight backgroundsis solved even more easily than in Photoshop. Luminar introduces a wide range of instruments that allow photographers to work with aportrait background, make changes to agrey background, and even apply variousPhotoshop plugins. It even includes abackground remover! These tools are useful for both beginners and professionals. And they’ll help you achieve success inblack background photography. So make an investment in the future of your images – order the whole package of Luminar instruments and guarantee yourself marvelous photo results at the post-processing stage!