Background suggestions needed

[Dave]

Hi,

I'm looking for some advise concerning this background. I've had this photo for a few months and I finally started it. Would it be better to fill in the whole background with grass like the photo shows or just kind of ground the the subject??? Something like the b & w photo. :confused:

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

[Roses]

I like the B&W version. It really highlights the dog.

[Arlene]

i like the b/w version too...what will you do with the rest of the background and good for you for thinking background before you get too far along...

despite what everyone thinks, i really don't like using my hammer for those who forget background.:judge:

[Dave]

.......what will you do with the rest of the background.....

I too like the b &w crop but I'm not sure what you mean about the rest of the bg. I'm using white stonehenge and I wasn't sure if the black dog against the white plain paper would be too much of a contrast. But then again, I was also thinking if I did all that grass....it would be too much to. Are you suggesting to color the paper area around the dog/grass??? :confused:

Thanks,
Dave

[caulfield]

My 2 cents: :rolleyes: I find it very hard to pull off something like you have going on with the black and white. Although some people are very good at - I can never figure out how to finish the edges and just, well, make it work. If it were me, I would do the grass, but maybe in a vertical format so there is less of it - and blur the grass a bit.

Nicole

[Arlene]

I too like the b &w crop but I'm not sure what you mean about the rest of the bg. I'm using white stonehenge and I wasn't sure if the black dog against the white plain paper would be too much of a contrast. But then again, I was also thinking if I did all that grass....it would be too much to. Are you suggesting to color the paper area around the dog/grass??? :confused:

Thanks,
Dave

no just making sure what you were planning was to leave the background white. Plain background's are fine if that's what was planned right from the beginning. :D

[Arlene]

My 2 cents: :rolleyes: I find it very hard to pull off something like you have going on with the black and white. Although some people are very good at - I can never figure out how to finish the edges and just, well, make it work. If it were me, I would do the grass, but maybe in a vertical format so there is less of it - and blur the grass a bit.

Nicole

I think all he'd have to do is fade the edges of the grass a big as it meets the paper?

[Dave]

Well I guess I’ll try doing it like the b&w and fade the edges of the grass. If it doesn’t look right, I’ll continue on like you suggested Nicole. Thank you all for your input. Now if I could just quit my day job to work on it! :annoyed:

[HRottieMom]

You can put the grass around the dog, but be subtle. You want it to compliment the dog and not be the first thing that you see when you look at the picture. I would make the corners darker and lighter around the dog to highlight him. Don't try to do all the blades of grass, make it to where you see subtle shapes and use different values. This will be a great picture. Hope that this helps.
Martha