Archive 2024 · In search of dark backgrounds
p.1 #1In search of dark backgrounds
Congratulations to sum1sgrampa for winning Feature Thread of the Week with 6 votes - View Previous Winners
Just a preference.
For any beginners who may be reading this, the effect is very simple to achieve. You just need a background a bit darker than your subject. You need your subject front lit. And most importantly you need to expose for the subject and let the background fall off to dark. Some of these backgrounds are almost pure black as shot but when I run the Raw file through DxO they lighten up more than I would like so it takes some work to get them back.
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NIKON D500 490mm f/6.3 1/320s 2000 ISO -1.0 EV
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NIKON Z 9 NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S Z TC-1.4x lens 560mm f/6.3 1/8000s 250 ISO -1.7 EV
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NIKON D500 390mm f/6.3 1/800s 1250 ISO -2.3 EV
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NIKON Z 9 VR 150-600mm f/5-6.3G lens 600mm f/6.3 1/5000s 400 ISO -1.0 EV
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NIKON Z 9 VR 150-600mm f/5-6.3G lens 300mm f/5.6 1/2500s 640 ISO 0.0 EV
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NIKON Z 9 NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens 550mm f/6.3 1/2000s 8000 ISO -2.3 EV
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NIKON Z 9 VR 150-600mm f/5-6.3G lens 600mm f/6.3 1/4000s 1600 ISO -1.0 EV
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NIKON D500 600mm f/6.3 1/6400s 500 ISO -1.0 EV
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NIKON Z 9 VR 150-600mm f/5-6.3G lens 600mm f/6.3 1/5000s 400 ISO -1.0 EV
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NIKON Z 9 VR 150-600mm f/5-6.3G lens 600mm f/6.3 1/5000s 400 ISO -1.0 EV
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NIKON Z 9 VR 150-600mm f/5-6.3G lens 600mm f/6.3 1/4000s 640 ISO -1.0 EV
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NIKON Z 9 VR 150-600mm f/5-6.3G lens 600mm f/6.3 1/5000s 1000 ISO 0.0 EV
Edited on Feb 02, 2024 at 08:19 AM · View previous versions
Feb 01, 2024 at 06:18 PM
p.1 #2In search of dark backgrounds
Excellent use of them Gary. All wonderful images.
John
John
Feb 01, 2024 at 06:35 PM
p.1 #3In search of dark backgrounds
Beautifully done Gary !! Love the use of the dark backgrounds.
Birdie
Birdie
Feb 01, 2024 at 06:59 PM
p.1 #4In search of dark backgrounds
They sure add drama to the birds, Gary!
Douglas
Douglas
Feb 02, 2024 at 06:57 AM
p.1 #5In search of dark backgrounds
I'm with you. Great set, hard to pick a favorite, but the last one stands out for me - love that branch - and the bird is perfectly sharp and exposed to show off it's beauty.
Feb 02, 2024 at 07:31 AM
p.1 #6In search of dark backgrounds
5,6,7 for me Gary, those are wonderfully timed, and the backgrounds work really well.
Eric
Eric
Feb 02, 2024 at 07:39 AM
p.1 #7In search of dark backgrounds
johnohio wrote:
Excellent use of them Gary. All wonderful images.
John
Thanks John
---------------------------------------------
birdied wrote:
Beautifully done Gary !! Love the use of the dark backgrounds.
Birdie
Thank you Birdie
Excellent use of them Gary. All wonderful images.
John
Thanks John
---------------------------------------------
birdied wrote:
Beautifully done Gary !! Love the use of the dark backgrounds.
Birdie
Thank you Birdie
Feb 02, 2024 at 07:45 AM
p.1 #8In search of dark backgrounds
douter wrote:
They sure add drama to the birds, Gary!
Douglas
yes, drama, I like that
Thanks Douglas
They sure add drama to the birds, Gary!
Douglas
yes, drama, I like that
Thanks DouglasFeb 02, 2024 at 07:46 AM
p.1 #9In search of dark backgrounds
Jim Dockery wrote:
I'm with you. Great set, hard to pick a favorite, but the last one stands out for me - love that branch - and the bird is perfectly sharp and exposed to show off it's beauty.
Thanks Jim. That last one was shot in about a two minute window when a storm was blowing in off the Pacific coast and the sun peeked out. It had just started to rain and when I turned around I was all alone as the four or five other photographers that were there that day had run for cover
I'm with you. Great set, hard to pick a favorite, but the last one stands out for me - love that branch - and the bird is perfectly sharp and exposed to show off it's beauty.
Thanks Jim. That last one was shot in about a two minute window when a storm was blowing in off the Pacific coast and the sun peeked out. It had just started to rain and when I turned around I was all alone as the four or five other photographers that were there that day had run for cover
Feb 02, 2024 at 08:06 AM
p.1 #10In search of dark backgrounds
A fine set of images, pure joy to view YGMV
Even though you didn't number them 
#3, #9 and 12 are standouts for me Gary. I really like the look of the foliage in #3
Karl
Edited on Feb 02, 2024 at 10:44 AM · View previous versions
Even though you didn't number them #3, #9 and 12 are standouts for me Gary. I really like the look of the foliage in #3
Karl
Edited on Feb 02, 2024 at 10:44 AM · View previous versions
Feb 02, 2024 at 08:15 AM
p.1 #12In search of dark backgrounds
Wow, Gary!
My pick was #1. Then I saw #2. And then, #3 popped up. #4! Well, you get the point . . . They are all stellar. Thanks for a masterful tutorial.
My pick was #1. Then I saw #2. And then, #3 popped up. #4! Well, you get the point . . . They are all stellar. Thanks for a masterful tutorial.
Feb 02, 2024 at 10:08 AM
p.1 #13In search of dark backgrounds
Beautiful set Gary.
Top picks here is hard.
# 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 oh I give
It's a stellar set
Lil
Top picks here is hard.
# 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 oh I give
It's a stellar setLil
Feb 02, 2024 at 12:14 PM
p.1 #14In search of dark backgrounds
On1 AI brilliance can automate that effect.
Feb 02, 2024 at 12:18 PM
p.1 #15In search of dark backgrounds
mogul wrote:
On1 AI brilliance can automate that effect.
Here's one to play with. Feel free to download and demonstrate please. Would love to see the results as I'm not familiar with On1 AI brilliance
On1 AI brilliance can automate that effect.
Here's one to play with. Feel free to download and demonstrate please. Would love to see the results as I'm not familiar with On1 AI brilliance
Feb 02, 2024 at 02:33 PM
p.1 #16In search of dark backgrounds
Dark subtle back grounds are my passion. Great job Gary. 
Feb 02, 2024 at 02:56 PM
p.1 #17In search of dark backgrounds
Erictator wrote:
5,6,7 for me Gary, those are wonderfully timed, and the backgrounds work really well.
Eric
Thanks Eric
5,6,7 for me Gary, those are wonderfully timed, and the backgrounds work really well.
Eric
Thanks Eric
Feb 02, 2024 at 02:59 PM
p.1 #19In search of dark backgrounds
sum1sgrampa wrote:
Just a preference.
For any beginners who may be reading this, the effect is very simple to achieve. You just need a background a bit darker than your subject. You need your subject front lit. And most importantly you need to expose for the subject and let the background fall off to dark. Some of these backgrounds are almost pure black as shot but when I run the Raw file through DxO they lighten up more than I would like so it takes some work to get them back.
Holy smoke, Gary! I'm trying to wrap my mind around how you managed to get so many outstanding images to display in one post! Great job of isolating such a variety and nailing the exposures -- not to mention great compositions and excellent processing. I'm 'gobsmacked' as the saying goes. Voted!
Greg
Just a preference.
For any beginners who may be reading this, the effect is very simple to achieve. You just need a background a bit darker than your subject. You need your subject front lit. And most importantly you need to expose for the subject and let the background fall off to dark. Some of these backgrounds are almost pure black as shot but when I run the Raw file through DxO they lighten up more than I would like so it takes some work to get them back.
Holy smoke, Gary! I'm trying to wrap my mind around how you managed to get so many outstanding images to display in one post! Great job of isolating such a variety and nailing the exposures -- not to mention great compositions and excellent processing. I'm 'gobsmacked' as the saying goes. Voted!
Greg
Feb 02, 2024 at 06:09 PM
p.1 #20In search of dark backgrounds
You did an excellent job with the dark backgrounds, Gary.
Pius
Pius
Feb 02, 2024 at 09:01 PM