Monday, March 9, 2015

Experimenting with white and black backgrounds...

(Kim's hughes texture, hardlight, 30% opacity)
I am a hands on visual learner.
It's hard for me to discipline myself to sit down and carefully read instruction manuals.
I just want to say, "show me and then let me try!"

(Kim's sybil texture, screen mode, 20% opacity)
This week's photos are my attempts at shooting against an all white and an all black background.

 (Kim's cora texture, hardlight, 50% opacity)
I love how this photo of a potted grocery store mini rose bush against the white background turned out.

 (no texture)
To my eye not everything looks great against a black background.
The roses against a black background just seemed off to me.
But the starkness of the salt against the black is stunning, in my opinion,
and it gave me some fresh insight into the spiritual admonition that we are the salt of the earth.
Current events sure seem dark.
I want my life to a beautiful contrast to that darkness,
not because of myself, but because of Christ in my life.

 (no texture)

 (Kim's 1111 texture, darken, 30% opacity)
The inside of this tulip is so beautiful, isn't it?
 The details and veining of the tulip petals also caught my eye.

(Kim's carmel texture, hardlight, 30% opacity)

I just want to thank all of the much more experienced photographers who stop in here
 and encourage me each week!  It means a lot to me.

still following,

Kim Klassen {dot com}





27 comments:

  1. Elizabeth,
    Your photos are beautiful. Another one of your talents. Love your insight of the salt of the earth/dark times contrast. Very fitting.
    I too, love the inside of that tulip....Our loving Lord didn't miss one detail.
    Have a good day!
    Addie

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Addie. I thought that same thing when I noticed the intricacies inside the tulip. How detailed and creative our God is!

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  2. Elizabeth, Love to see you trusting your instincts. Discerning the best background for a subject is really a reflection of your eye, your style and the way you interpret the world's beauty. Each of your photograph's today tells the story of your discovery - both for photography and for faith. A beautiful start to my day!

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    Replies
    1. Your words and encouragement blesses me so much. Now pray as I attempt to learn Lightroom!

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  3. Hi Elisabeth,
    OMG, your photos are so beautiful an i love tulips too!
    I wish you a perfect week!
    Greetings Britta

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  4. What great photographic experiments, Elizabeth! I believe they all were successful, too. I've done black stretch velvet, but it tends to "brown out" in light. I need to buy some black poster board, I guess. Beautiful images...

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Evelyn. I noticed when I observed my photographer friend taking my grandson's infant photos that her background fabric with very drapey polyester type fabric, so that's what I bought. I need to get some black foam board as well.

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  5. Elizabeth, These are all lovely! As soon as my craft room is set up, I want to make a little corner for some photography practice.

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    1. Anne, my office/studio/sanctuary doesn't have great light due to two huge cedar trees outside the window. So I do almost all of my still life shots in the dining room.

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  6. They are all lovely pictures. Sometimes a dark background works, sometimes it doesn't. I was glad you told us what was in the bowl as I did not know if it was salt or sugar.

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    Replies
    1. I love dark backgrounds in other's photography. Perhaps I'm just not used to the look in mine.

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  7. Oh my....I love your second shot and your last shot. The color in the tulips is simply luscious!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Lisa! It is very meditative and relaxing to me to do these photography shoots, edits and posts.

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  8. Elizabeth, your words always inspire me. I LOVE today's images and that little salt cup.......gorgeous!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Cheryl! I'm so glad we "met" via blogging and photography!

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  9. Oh yea, you got your background material. Isn't it fun working with them. I absolutely love the fern leaf shot, stunning.

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    Replies
    1. And now is the challenge of trying to learn Lightroom. Heaven help me!

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  10. You are right, Elizabeth -- the white salt on the black background = stunning! Your hands-on learning images turned out beautifully!

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  11. Wonderful series of photos. Especially like the roses and its quote. The focus is perfect.

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  12. Great series, Elizabeth! The ones with the black background really pop.

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  13. I think photography, like everything, looks different to each of us so we have to learn that we don't see things the same. Personally, I don't care for much editing but some of it adds to the natural beauty. I like your edits.

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