How To Make Completely Dark Background

I read a book on Macro photography. It says to make a dark background just use a flash but I don't understand - if you shoot outdoor, how can this be archeived?

iseeihear wrote in post #3655872
I read a book on Macro photography. It says to make a dark background just use a flash but I don't understand - if you shoot outdoor, how can this be archeived?

If you do a flash shot with nothing within about 6" behind the subject then the light fall off is such that the picture will appear with a black background. This assumes you are using low ISO setting fastish shutter speed (1/200th) and aperture around F11 say.

brian V

LordV,

Do you mind explaining a bit more?

I have a 30D, EF100mm f/2.8 macro lens and a 430EX. When I use Av mode to set to F11, isn't the the camera set the shutter automatically? How can I specify a shutter speed of 1/200 or faster?

TQ

iseeihear wrote in post #3655968
LordV,

Do you mind explaining a bit more?

I have a 30D, EF100mm f/2.8 macro lens and a 430EX. When I use Av mode to set to F11, isn't the the camera set the shutter automatically? How can I specify a shutter speed of 1/200 or faster?

TQ

Try M mode, and set both there...

iseeihear wrote in post #3655968
LordV,

Do you mind explaining a bit more?

I have a 30D, EF100mm f/2.8 macro lens and a 430EX. When I use Av mode to set to F11, isn't the the camera set the shutter automatically? How can I specify a shutter speed of 1/200 or faster?

TQ

As David says above- this is with the camera in M mode- in Av or Tv modes the camera will do a normal exposure for the light but add a bit of fill flash - not what you want in this case.
Brian V.

LordV wrote in post #3655911
If you do a flash shot with nothing within about 6" behind the subject then the light fall off is such that the picture will appear with a black background. This assumes you are using low ISO setting fastish shutter speed (1/200th) and aperture around F11 say.

brian V

I am also interested in this subject

I just tied that exact combination with my 350D (indoor) and the backround is very bright. more info on this subject would be great...

Set Camera To M
Select Aperture to f16 - f22
Shutter Speed to 1/100 sec
Let TTL do metering

You should have a black background.Never tried this method but read it on another forum for photographing a white Lilly

Steelydan wrote in post #3657824
Set Camera To M
Select Aperture to f16 - f22
Shutter Speed to 1/100 sec
Let TTL do metering

You should have a black background.Never tried this method but read it on another forum for photographing a white Lilly

thanks. sinse you never tried it heres the proof, I used f/18.

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A little explanation: with flash, the flash power is controlled by your aperture while ISO+shutter speed control ambient light. So if you use a low ISO and a high shutter speed the ambient light will be minimized and hopefully black.
It was far from pitch dark when these were taken.

Here is my shot.

It was taken with my Minolta gear. A Minolta Maxim film camera and a Minolta 70-210 Lens. This was shot about 7 years ago.
I have no clue what settings I used, but I remember I was about 10' from the Peace Rose. It was bout 2pm on a warm, sunny afternoon.
When I received the pictures back from the lab, I was blown away!!! I had no idea how I shot this photo, in bright daylight, and yet it had no light in the back ground!!! well, maybe not entirely true, as the scan shows the stem, leaves, and thorns somewhat...
At that time, I thought this shot was the cats-a**, let me tell you!!!!
It still hangs on my wall, above my computer, cuz it really was the first 'real' photograph I ever took!!! and I must add, it was what inspired me to keep going..

(Mind you, this is a scan, as yes, this was originally on film!!!!! and lord only knows where the negative is!!!!)(oh yeah, no fill flash. I would never have dreamed of using a flash in the daytime!! sheesh!!!!!)

from experience you need to use a small aperture and a fast shutter speed and lots of light on the subject.

@ max ss of 200 with a pop up flash that can be hard to achive but with a hot shoue flash you can do it, just experiment with it.

I was using this technique a lot a few years ago, but grew to understand the merit of good bokeh and now try to get some good creamy bground instead.

as long as your flash is set to full power, it should completely overpower all ambient light until the background appears black.

Thanks all.

With your help, I was able to make my very 1st marco with completely dark background!

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