I came across a post on LinkedIn today about the subject of macro photography and backgrounds, The author had mentioned effects that one can achieve by using a pure white background. I thought to myself, that's nice in theory, but I can't really apply that when I'm traveling (such as in my Key West shoot).
Of course, there are image editing techniques that can be used. They don't require Photoshop to work - Elements is more than enough. For me, though, that's like hard labor. I'm not sure if I'm willing to commit.
But does the author have a point? Yes, I think so. Consider these pictures, which are my favorites:
![IMG_1039.jpg](http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1379/617349429_5d8e9833d0.jpg)
![IMG_8216.jpg](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/5307864752_49ed1e29c3.jpg)
and compare them with:
![IMG_3941 - 2010-03-27 at 12-02-13.jpg](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4472117134_416b7b2ced.jpg)
![IMG_3919 - 2010-03-27 at 11-58-16.jpg](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4471338943_84be24cde4.jpg)
Do you see the difference? To me, the flowers in the first set pop out - because the background contains no distractions whatsoever. This isn't to say that I don't like the second set of pictures - I do - but they're not as "simple" and "clean" as the first set. And that makes a difference to me.
So, where does that leave you? A few suggestions if you'd like to achieve the same effects, which apply even if you have a point-and-shoot:
1) Avoid harsh sunlight if you're in a garden. Change your angle.
2) Try to zero in very closely on the subject - this reduces the number of distractions in a natural way.
3) Look for a monochromatic background and shoot against it - the Botanical Gardens in DC had plenty of options - but I had to look closely, shoot low, and try different angles. It takes a bit more work and planning, but it's worth it.
Till tomorrow!
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