Photo Backrounds

[woodtrapper]

I need help.Sometimes I feel I can not bring out the detail in carvings without a good backround.Anyone have the same problem as I?Head Bange

[Ashbys]

Woodtrapper,

I just look at carving like this ,

If it is a relief carving , I am doing a picture , if it is a picture I would see behind the subject. But when I started carving all I saw was the subject. I would do the subject and move ahead. Now I see the picture and realize the background is necessary to enhance the subject. That is just a part of the learning.

In 3-d a piece can stand alone, and work because the surroundings make the background, but in a relief carving you block the view , unless you doing what I call an in the round relief and then it has to stand on it's own.

Ash

[Krum]

Could you post a picture so we can have more of an idea of what your asking? Just want to make sure I understand. Thanks!
Krum

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Go down to Hobby Lobby and buy a couple different colored poster board. I use a very dark forest green for carvings that havent been painted and then, depending on the painted carving either a light gray or even the dark green, whatever looks best. Just set the poster board about three feet behind your carving so it will be out of focus when you snap the shutter. Don't use the camera's flash....it causes harsh shadows. With digital cameras the light coming in from the window is usually enough disfused light to give you a good photo.

[Thomp]

i hav went to the scrap booking isle, the 12x12 sheets make good backround for my 6-8" carvings, they can reallt set he atsmophere ....

some are just colors other cloth pattern prints, and others are scenerys,
like mexico adobi houses cactus streets etc..
take a look next time your in a hobbie store or super walmarts... bigger viriatys are in the specialty stores, but so is the cost up to $5.00 for a shet of printed paper......

nothing says you cant prop your charter in front of a picture on the screen of your computer, but youll have problems with scan lines...

[mark yundt]

Do I understand you want a "backdrop" to photograph you carvings in front of ? What I used for a long time were solid color cloth sheets, similar to the ideas Lynn and Thomp have. ( dollar store poster boards work great for small pieces) But with the sheets I'd lay it over a small table and sweep the sheet up and away towards the ceiling in a gentle arc,This does 2 things , gives you a blurred non descript background, and 2 eliminates shadows directly behind the piece, another trick is not using a direct flash as others have suggested but I would use regular swing arm lamps to get the shadows on the piece just right, and then hang a piece of tracing type paper over the light ( wouldn't leave it there too long) to "soften" the light 'cause without it the light is too glaring and harsh. I saw a pro shoot at the Worlds this way, went home and mimicked what he did and got pretty good results.

[woodtrapper]

I have been using white poster board for a backround but it makes the face darker.I guess I have to experiment with different colors.I don't paint my carvings and tend to use one stain color.I do appreciate the help.

[squbrigg]

Get yourself a couple of pieces/lengths of felt material, solid colours (black, green, blue, red) and try those as backdrops. Depending on the colour of the wood, they make great even backgrounds and don't cause reflections. Play around with the colours, to see what you like best, and play with the position of your lights too, for best effect.

Bob

[Lynn O. Doughty]

The most important thing when using backgrounds is to remember that you're taking a photo of the carving not the background. I made a little stand which elevates the carving above the table so that it sets completely surrounded by the background color. Once I upload the photo to the computer it's easy to "clone-Brush" the stand out of the photo so the carving appears totally suspended.

[Ashbys]

Or you can use a paint program , if that is what you mean . and develope something special