If you’re looking for a stylish black background for a portrait, they’re never far away – and you won’t need the hassle of a roll of background paper and a stand.
“First, try and use the longest lens you have, with the widest aperture. Then try to find a large area of unlit foliage in the background. Expose for your subject and the background will be very dark, if not black,” says James Fraser of Blink Photography Courses. Another great source of “black” is a simple doorway. Again, expose for the subject, and the light behind, the interior of the house, will 4 or 5 stops lower – as long as the hall lights are blazing! Try it. You’ll get and instant, clean, black background that will make you subject “jump” out of the frame.”
