Backgrounds and composition (rainy day project).

[Paul]

Of course one of the secrets to getting a good image in macro photography is getting the lens (or crops) where you want them to make the viewer look in the right place - and it's also important to have a background that doesn't ruin the image but hopefully enhances it.

So in the short 7 image series, I have tried to show what I mean. (just to add, I handheld the camera and swapped the background between shots).

 

The first photo is the dandelion clock taken (in the studio if you will, i.e. it's in the kitchen) placed close to a nondescript background, in this instance, the tiled wall behind the cooker.

Once there, it was  time to find a part of the seed head and concentrate on that to try and get a pleasing result. But the background doesn't really do much for the photo, so I introduced one of six different printed backgrounds to try and get a more aesthetic final image - the results of which are below. 

 

 

So the first image looked very "ordinary" which is when I went for the options, posted below.

Enjoy, and feel free to choose your preferred photo.

 

 

 

Paul.

[Fogey]

Without doubt it's the contrasting background that does it for me.  When portraying a very bland image such as a dandelion clock, then chiaroscuro has to be the way forward. 

[Ryewolf]

Interesting set Paul, I do like the red and blue backgrounds.

[Paul]

Thanks gents 

Paul.