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I have recently attempted to photograph some of my models with a black background. But I find the the backdrop looks grey and catches the glare of the light. Right now I'm just setting up the models on a piece of black construction paper in a well lit room.

Here's one of my early attempts



Any tips or guides would be helpful.

A quick search of 'photography with black background' suggests two major things:

1- adjusting a fair amount of settings on the camera (manual mode, small aperture, low ISO and shutter speed at 1/250)

2- the background needs to be far away from the subject as possible. Models standing on paper just isn't going to cut it, you'll always get some light glare.


Practically speaking, I don't think I've seen a company do a miniatures gallery with black backgrounds. It just isn't viable.
The closest is Privateer Press, but they cheat and put a composite photo together - the models in front of a 'digital wallpaper' (dark brown pattern of runes and gears for warmachine, for example)

You could theoretically do something similar. Take a normal photo and either edit in a different background or fill in the background with black. Dunno if it will actually look good (especially with predominately dark models, like those Fallen?), but might produce something.

Try it with a black fabric, construction paper has shiny bits in it

Search youtube for something like "photography black background". You need a flash to put light only on your models, a far away background, and camera settings that dont allow ambient light reach your camera sensor, something like ISO 100, f16.

 p5freak wrote:
Search youtube for something like "photography black background". You need a flash to put light only on your models, a far away background, and camera settings that dont allow ambient light reach your camera sensor, something like ISO 100, f16.

I've downloaded photo backgrounds but when they are printed they can still end up with quite a shiny surface. Try spraying some matt black primer or paint on the background to reduce the glare. And as Voss has suggested you'll need to experiment with your camera settings to get decent pictures depending on what your photo set up is like.

 bantha_beast wrote:

 p5freak wrote:
Search youtube for something like "photography black background". You need a flash to put light only on your models, a far away background, and camera settings that dont allow ambient light reach your camera sensor, something like ISO 100, f16.

I've downloaded photo backgrounds but when they are printed they can still end up with quite a shiny surface. Try spraying some matt black primer or paint on the background to reduce the glare. And as Voss has suggested you'll need to experiment with your camera settings to get decent pictures depending on what your photo set up is like.

No camera setting will work when you put your models on a black piece of paper. What will work is painting the paper with the darkest black available, vantablack, which absorbs 99.96% of all light.

If you dont do that you need to separate the background from your models, because light loses half of its intensity for every meter distance. When your background is far enough away not enough light will be reflected of it and your sensor will show it black.

Use black tv screen/your monitor as backdrop, mini on elevation, 30+ cm away from screen, camera far away from mini, take photo from direction where there is no reflection. Unnecessary reflection/light can be blocked or you can put light on mini with some sort of reflection instead of lamp itself.

Sorry for my noob phone, no prep time and no wrapping lamp in cloth or something etc

https://i.imgur.com/cDVg754.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/zbuWlv4.jpg

I'm sure formula can be improved, but imo keys are light and distance, not if you have extra 100$ to throw on black velvet or something.

I gave it a quick go.
A sheet of black velour.
Model placed directly on it.
A tunnel formed, so that light only comes from the front.

No processing.


Shadows turned down in post processing.

What camera/equipment do you have access too? Some things work better with certain setups than others.

MODOCK is a good fellow to ask, he took a picture of his set up so may be in his gallery

Setup with DSLR, done in 2 minutes



Shots with iPhone and Halide App, same method, much lower file size and not as sharp. Question is does it matter ?

I hope he doesnt mind

Modock wrote:Hey, yes I use Nikon D5300 with a macro lens. The mini is a bit elevated with a big black background, so the light doesn't reach the back completely.
Also I use dimmed light and I correct the light exposure in the software later on...I'll post my photo setup.

Modock wrote:@queen_annes_revenge this is my set up, its pretty simple actually.

 Modock wrote:
First Infinity Biker unit done, ZondNautica.

Thats how its done. The background is pretty far away from the model and doesnt reflect enough light back.