Achieving a good black-background on a photo

[Mac]

Hello everyone! New member here, but I've been doing photography and sharing it elsewhere since 2021. Recently I upped my game and upgraded my kit, but I am trying to figure out how people get such amazing photos where the background is fully black. I of course have thought about simply editing some of my photos that could feel appropriate, but often times the edges between the cut-out subject (using photoshops auto subject selection tool) and edited-in black background (in replacement to the original) is too sharp/sudden. Is there actually a way to achieve this directly with the camera, or does every photo like the ones described involve post-processing for the background?

I shoot RAW and edit in Lightroom, but have tried using Photoshop for the black backgrounds. So far it hasn't worked well, but that is probably because I'm very much an amateur/beginner. Thank you so much for any advice you may be able to give me. I hope I can make some good photographer friends here at some point

 

[Lafone]

Great to see another photographer hope to get to enjoy some of your work.

I don’t use black backgrounds much myself - other people will be in a good place to advise (Stefan produces some fantastic light and dark images for example) but I do darken some backgrounds / mask now and then.

If I am trying for a black background I use this video to help in photoshop. The main things is to spend time on the masks and the blurring of the transition to stop the ‘cut out’ look. I found this one helpful as it’s very step by step. And the hair is equivalent to what we shoot. Photoshop has a few more tools than captured here but you find them as you go.

I imagine someone else will have better tips though!

The other way of doing it ‘live’ is to shoot animals in doorways / entrances or hard light which can give a wholly dark background.

I’m not aware of any camera settings that let you eliminate the background though obviously mostly looking to try and blur it.

 

[Mac]

Thank you so, so much! I will certainly take a look at this video over the weekend in between exam revision. Hope I can figure out how to post photos soon so I can begin sharing some of my work. Thank you so much, and have a great day! I love your photos!

 

[Stefan Verhoeven]

Some of my black background is post processed, but 95% is without extra effort during post processing (some small color, contrast and sharpness adjustments I do on almost every photo regardless black background or not).

Just watch were is shade in the background. Normally the light during the middle of the day is very hard/harsh for good photography, but it is good for having strong shades and therefor for black background photography. Put the contrast setting up in the camera and underexpose a little and that's it.