Floral Photography by Paul - Flowers on Black

I Am a Flower Photographer!

In addition to my day job in the tree nursery wholesaler at the flower auction in Ede, the Netherlands, I spend a lot of time taking pictures of flowers and plants. Macro photography, in particular, is my greatest hobby. I always take my photographic equipment with me when visiting parks, botanical gardens, show gardens or flower exhibitions. Macro photography is a great way to let people see what I see.

My Motto Is: Look Closely, the Beauty Is in the Details!

This time I would like to show you the difference between taking pictures of flowers on a white or on a black background.

Black or White?

Ever since I can remember, my floral pictures are created with a black background. Did you know that it is easier to photograph with a black background than with a white one? From one point of view, it is easier for me to work with. On the other side, colors burst more out of a photo when using a black background. In floral photography it's all about the colors and the details what makes a great photo. The big contrast of black with the colors in flowers creates that strong statement appaerence that I like.

Since I started shooting for Marginpar, I started using white backgrounds for their product photography. This type of pictures is more universal to use and easier to edit for commercial use such as for ads, the website or product information for at the auction clock.

At my Facebook page you see that almost every picture is taken with a black background. My personal preference definitely goes out to this. I'm wondering what you think? I have a few flowers lined up below, shot in two different ways - in black and in white. Don't hesitate to share your thoughts on this with me!