Since I have been immersed during the last month in flower photography, specifically photographing peonies, it seemed appropriate to follow the peony blooms for one more week.  The blooms are long gone from the garden and the vase, but they remain visually alive, courtesy of cameras and technology.

Nearly every photo shoot I do involves some sort of backdrop for the subject, whether it is natural or human made.  To photograph the peonies featured in today's blog, I chose three colors as possibilities - grey, white, and black.  Two different black fabrics were used.  All three colors demonstrate how different a subject can be, dependent on texture and color of a backdrop.

The first two photographs show why so many photographers use a neutral grey for portraiture of any kind.  It is soft and capable of producing a lush color spectrum.

peony on grey 2 2023  

peony on grey 1 2023

White changes everything. The pink peony in the first photograph below  (which reminds me of the artwork of Charles Rennie Macintosh - architect, designer, and artist - who influenced Art Nouveau and the Secessionist Movement) has a pink tinge to it.

peony on white 3 2023

White on white has a lightness to it that is completely different from the grey.

peony on white 1 2023

peony on white 2 2023

Finally, black can be quite dramatic when used as a backdrop.  It is bold and pulls the eye from the backdrop, leaving only the subject for the viewer to peruse, as shown here, and in the image of the base of the peony.  

peony on black 2 2023

peony on black 4 2023

I "pulled" the shadows a bit in the image below to show just a hint of the texture provided by the black lace fabric.

peony on black 3 2023

Despite the fact that it was the 4th of July weekend, many of you commented on last week's blog including Mary Pat., Ann A., TTT, Terry T., Jean & Sam, Lucia, Christina, Steve, Marilyn G., Carol and Larry M., Barbara F. R., Robert, and Pauli.  Your comments are very much appreciated!  By the way, "Seating for One" seemed to be your favorite from the entrants for Shadow and Light Magazine.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©