Saintly's 120cm 'hill's of desire'

[andyh]

Mark

I am sure you have been asked this before and i am sorry but cant find it.

When taking picss, How do you keep the black background in your photos so black? Mine always looks a little washed out. I sometimes get it right but never quite sure how i do it. (probably luck!)

Any pointers would be much appreciated

 

[George Farmer]

Photoshop - Burn tool can help.

 

[Mark Evans]

When taking picss, How do you keep the black background in your photos so black?

There's a few ways of doing it.

with this tank, it's not to difficult to get a black backdrop. You'll see in the following image that the image is 99% what you see is what you get. i've circled the 2 adjustments....curve boost and highlight contrast boost, but mainly the images already has a black background.



as george mentions, you can use the burn tool. i used to use this a lot, but not so much now a days.

when i use the bowens flash heads, i don't need anything to make the background black as most the light goes down and not outwards.

 

[Mark Evans]

well, black backgrounds are not what there cracked up to be

anyways, before i go any further, the stems in the back are recovering from a trim. i shouldn't of took any images until 2 weeks time. you see above their great, but as we all should know, they take a week or 2 to green up a bit.

I'm practising for the final images, early I know, but i need to get to grips with how the lighting etc, should be placed.



many thanks guys.

 

[samc]

liking the blue background. reminds me autumn blush 😀 very amano

 

[Mark Evans]

bless you samc 😀 thanks mate.

here's a few better ones.

wide angle for this one.





The stems still need a few months to really fill out.

 

[JamesM]

The sense of depth here is just nuts, great shots bud

 

[myboyshay]

Wow, what a difference the blue background makes, pure Amano Mark and I love it

Mark!

 

[Mark Evans]

wow! cheers guys. I dont think it's amano stylee just yet though. always something to aim for.

here's one of the cherry shrimp that somehow managed to make it's way into the tank 😵

hand held, hence slightly out of focus.

 

[viktorlantos]

Mark,

both the tank and the Red Chery photo looks awesome. blue background drops out nicely the plants. however this much of blue is not my taste the overall impression is great. 😉

the macro shots on RC is beauty. i think this is simply the best closeup whatever i seen nowadays in shrimp photography.

 

[Mark Evans]

Mark,

both the tank and the Red Chery photo looks awesome. blue background drops out nicely the plants. however this much of blue is not my taste the overall impression is great. 😉

the macro shots on RC is beauty. i think this is simply the best closeup whatever i seen nowadays in shrimp photography.

thanks mate. the blue is a marmite thing i think.

the streaky lines at the top were caused by the ripple effect. the higher the light got the more ripple effect was caused. i quite like it.

the shrimp shot was a lucky one. i did get some great ones of amano shrimp...real sharp, but i've posted an amano one already. 😵

 

[aaronnorth]

Those fish really dont move do they

Love the shot with the white "clouds". It looks as though the fish as swimming off over the hill & into the distance.

 

[Mark Evans]

Those fish really dont move do they

they have a little swimming pattern. they stay in the middle...as you can see, then turn around swim to the front left, then go to right corner then back to middle. and if anything even thinks about coming into that middle spot...well, god help them.

thanks aaron.

 

[John Starkey]

Hi Mark,loveing the tank,all looks very healthy and your pics are really very good,
regards john.

 

[Vito]

I have to admit mark that your pictures are the best I've seen. The tank is looking really good and the blue background makes it feel like you've taken the picture of the sea bed and not a fish tank.
Great job mate.

Vito

 

[Mark Evans]

Hi Mark,loveing the tank,all looks very healthy and your pics are really very good,

cheers John, i see yours is looking rather tasty too 😀

I have to admit mark that your pictures are the best I've seen.

mate, that's a wonderfully kind thing to say. I'll see what the future holds.....i've upgraded a thing or 2 😉



i think someone is in for a bag of fun with the old one too, will be sad to see it go actually.

 

[hydrophyte]

This tank is looking great Mark. I had not seen it since it grew in some more. Well done!

 

[flygja]

Full frame goodness!

 

[Mark Evans]

This tank is looking great Mark. I had not seen it since it grew in some more. Well done!

thanks my friend 😀

Full frame goodness!

yep, although i had it on my old 5d. switching has been a breeze apart from my RAW editing software wont read my new files 🙁 but, actually canons raw converter is better than i thought. I will invest in new software though.

files are MASSIVE! I've also recorder some HD footage of the tank....even macro stuff 😉

my work flow is different and i feel it's a chance for me to get out of old habits with regards to colour correction etc.

I'm starting to get some great colours from the rotala now, which is nice. i did think it was going to stay a greeny colour. As per usual, there are many things i wish i could change in the layout, but i have taken note for the future.....again.

 

[George Farmer]

This is a great shot.

Nice upgrade too! What lenses now then, Mark? Some nice L-series to do that bad boy justice I hope! 😀

I hope you're going to keep the sensor clean on your new camera and not lose the lens covers!! 😉