One Tip for Lusciously Dark and Moody Photos
If you're going for a mysterious, dramatic, velvety-looking photo, I've got something for you to try.
As the white reflector board gets top billing as a must-have tool in the photo kit for boosting radiance, its irreverent little sister is brooding in the corner, bangs covering one eye: the black board.
A white board is key for filling in shadows and bringing crisp brilliance into your scene. A black board will absorb light and remove it.
That doesn't mean blocking the light source but instead placing it opposite your light like you would to brighten things up with a reflector.
I clipped a Limelight hydrangea from one of the prolific bushes in the backyard to demonstrate in the example below. (Flowers are my forever muse!)
The light source is on the left in both, and the only difference is the color of the board I placed on the right.
See how the white board makes the hydrangea look almost artificially bright? If the backdrop were light, this would be an incredibly summery-fresh look.
But Little Sister is in the corner like, "calm down, we're trying to be stoic here," stepping in to remove some of that bright, cheery sun. The result is quieter with more depth. (Much like our imaginary, angsty Lil Sis).
This is what we call shaping light. I've always loved that phrase because it sounds incredibly magical. Light can be pesky and fickle, but once you know how it behaves, you can move it at your will.
Now you have one more witchy magic trick to make photos you love.