The Magic of Black Backgrounds

 Bored. With temps in the -9 F range and wind chills much lower, I decided to stay indoors except for chores. 

I was...

Bored. Bored.

So I decided to look up and learn some more about photographing with an invisible black background. I tried it once before with little success. So I spent Friday evening watching some tutorials and found a photographer from the UK that explained and went through how to do it so easily.

He also took apart an old picture frame to create stunning reflections and used the back part of the frame to hold up an appropriate backdrop for his work. He used a simple flash light to create dramatic photos of macro images. He used feathers, flowers, and other beautiful things. 

I thought I'd try some Christmas stuff.

The set up was super simple. Black paper clipped onto a holder .. you know the back part of the frame that holds the photos up. I put Christmas paper under the photo glass, and used an old cube light and flashlight to set up a couple of dramatic shots of a gnome. I didn't keep the one with the gift, it was not quite what I wanted.

But I liked this one.

I took out my wooden critters that were given to me by a childhood friend and tried two lights. I am fond of the deer and the dachshund so I chose them. I guess they could be brighter, but that was my effort for the day as I am learning quite a bit with this method and making many mistakes.

I got fancy by adding Christmas paper to the back and under the glass for the next shot which worked much better since I wasn't going for the dark mystical look.

I just kept adding and subtracting things to see how they worked. It was quite fun.

I got so busy trying out new things that I just kept making a bigger and bigger mess on my work table that is also housing the Christmas Village


I eventually put everything in its place and set the Village back up then got distracted by creating a new scene about the goings on in the Christmas Village.

It took me a good hour to tidy everything up because I kept stopping to think of something else I could try.

And so I did. My friend Pat gave me this beautiful ribbon she'd made to put on a wreath. I didn't put it on a wreath, I studied it with my camera with whites, high key, and other trials and methods.

I finally settled on this.

I liked the word peace showing up twice in this shot. And felt it was appropriate for right now.

It was a busy day for me. Cleaning house, running warm water out to Little Richard, getting distracted, and studying more videos regarding lights and still life.

As if you haven't guessed, this time of year is my favorite for playing with beautiful and cheerful colors and of course the characters I've acquired for years.

I'd given up the idea of doing it this way until The Happy Whisk [Ivy] commented on how she did her DYI black backgrounds using the inverse square law and her flash -- I think I am correct on that.

I don't have a flash but am enjoying creating an 'invisible' or black background with camera settings and then using LED lights or a simple flashlight to highlight my image.

With another below below zero day, it looks like a fun day to try a shot on my wooden floor in the daylight and use nothing for the background and see what results I can have.

Light manipulation is insanely fun once learned.

I found a tutorial by Lee Hall on YT that finally explained things so I could 'get it'. 
How to get black background easy way for beginners.

I'm going to be checking out his mushroom photography later on so I can learn how to up my game in the forest when it is warmer. I love learning new things.

-15 F this morning. I think that is freaking cold even in Celcius!

Not sure

I had to spend the day inside and had done the 'house chores'. There was rain and sleet and icing going on outside.

I had so many things to do. Like stick around where I could get a call back from the VA. I dusted. How does so much dust accumulate on so few surfaces? It is a mystery. Dog hair. I got that too. Charlie is tiny but he is a mighty shedder. During the winter months we get a short break, I think he is hanging onto that fur coat so he can stay warm while snow swimming.

So I decided to try some Still Life Stuff. Truth be told, some of it was fun to set up but it didn't exactly make me go OHHHH or AHHH!

Eggxactly. 

Tiny Soldiers and Eggs

Totally Boring.

A flat presentation

of my new baby dragon

One interesting note. You don't need much to do a homemade still life.

I eventually said to heck with it. Though my words may have been stronger. Nothing was that interesting. 

I ascended into the Magical Room of Creations. Otherwise really known as the spare bedroom in which I toss crap and leave it laying about. Toys and totes are scattered all over the place. I clean it up once in a while but it is easier just to close the door and forget about it.

See?

I'd watched a video about being bored with outside photography and how to have some fun indoors and experiment with simple things like a desk lamp.

So I set up two crates and a board. I used a plastic tote lid to tape textured paper to and lit it up from behind. 

Glasses with water and 

drops of food coloring

Kind of cool. I had fun with it. Until I got bored. 
Then it became toy time.

Utter Failure of Dragons 

Backlit and out of focus

I had tried using a flashlight to 'creatively' light them up. Nah. Pfft. 

So I put some dinosaurs on the board. I draped the board and the backround with black felt. I took the desk light and laid it on the floor in front of the Dinos. Pretty gnarly!

Dinosaurs

Dragons

Well, that was cool. I like black backrounds. I can then literally create another world with photoshop brushes.

So last but not least, I took one of the 'Fairy' Houses I made last year and some shredded brown paper and did this.

The dragons are quite detailed. And I love their colors. By this time I'd had enough of messing around and left the spare room an absolute mess. I did get the call back from the VA on my cell phone. 

If I'd gone hiking into the creek I wouldn't have gotten a call. The valley is a dead zone.

So, hours wasted? I don't know. Probably not. I think I learned something and can set things up again on the next dreary rainy/sleety/nasty day.

Onwards.

Treasures!

This little pot below was in a box with some chicken figurines, salt and pepper shakers, and a 'Teapot' as the guy said.

It is not a teapot but a Drip-O-Lator Coffee Pot made around the 1920-1930's. There would have been a drip thing that goes on between the lid and the pot itself.

Interesting!

Wish I would have taken an interest in Antique stuff when MIL was doing these things. 

It is fun to figure out what some of this is.

Trinket Box. I was surprised to find this in the box too. It is cute as all get out. Tiny as can be too. 

It could hold about two wedding rings inside of it.

The Rooster and Hen figurines is what I wanted. Heck I tried to get my MIL for years to sell or gift these figures to me. She always said no, but never in a mean way. I just loved them ever since I first saw them.
I've looked these up and now I understand why she kept them. They do have a nice value to them. I wasn't looking for the value, I just loved the chickens!

The tiny chicken salt and pepper shakers!
The checker board behind them was another item I purchased. Just as a reminder of all the wonderful times I had at Mom's place and how I've always admired her homes and neat decorations.

This is something I saw when the auctioneer held it up. For some reason, I'd never noticed this before in MIL's collection of neat glass paper weights. She really loved these things and had quite the collection.

This is a St. Clair 'Carnival Glass' paperweight. Pretty unusual.
I didn't intend on getting any paper weights, but this was so different than any I'd seen, I purchased it.
When I got home I had to look up what 'Carnival Glass' was and what and who St. Clair was.
It is pretty and odd.
It suits me fine.

Copper Ash/Coal Scuttle.
I love the lions face on the handles.

My mother in law had this in her apartment and over many years I recall helping her decorate her place with her silk flower arrangements in all of these cool and odd containers. To tell you the truth I thought it was pretty and kind of odd at the same time. Hey, I am odd too. When I bought this at the auction I just did because it was neat.
Then I thought ... Hey I can put my stick Christmas Tree in this! Many folks use them as an umbrella stand. I have an umbrella, it is in my Subaru.

The one item I'd gone for was a sort of ... chicken nesting box/turned coffee table... primitive sort of piece. I'll have to get a good photo of it and show it off.

Years ago I admired this too. My father in law said he'd make one for me and my oldest son. We raised chickens a long time ago and this item was just so neat. It served as a small coffee table/display table in my MIL's house and in her apartment.
Lonnie had cut most of the pieces out for the duplicate table but passed away before the project ever took off.

And how is my MIL doing? Pretty well. She got to see her grand daughter this weekend and the great grand children. I was in on Monday to visit with her and she was tired and half in and out of her bed. I had a nurse help me get her situated and she asked me why I was there. I told her it was lunch time. She told me it was night time.
I let her sleep. Indeed the day was gloomy and overcast.

Her slippage changes often. Yesterday she brightly recalled her apartment when last week she didn't recall it at all. That is the confusing part of dementia/slippage for those of us who see it daily. One day is bright and clear, the next is something of a fog when there are gaps. And memories don't always fit together, but are jumbled in a different order.

However I am quite grateful for the figurines and the little treasures. I know the money from the auction goes towards paying for her care and I get to enjoy the items I so loved.

It is a sad win/win situation and a bit bittersweet in a way.