• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Backgrounds

Themuleous

Member
Joined
6 Jul 2007
Messages
4,121
Location
Aston, Oxfordshire
Anyone got any thoughts on backgrounds for tanks? I'm thinking my 20g deserves a decent photo shoot without all the equipment, but I'm not really sure on a background for the tank. Could go with the classic black but not sure if thats best? I dont want anything permanent so no paint or vynil.

Cheers

Sam

Fullfront.jpg
 
I'd be tempted to buy some sheets of different coloured card and try them all seeing which one you like best.

I think a dark colour will show off the plants nicely but as Tom says, if it's too dark then the wood wont stand out enough.

My choices to try first would be
  • Cream
  • Pale Grey
  • Pale Blue
  • Royal Blue
  • Dusky Pink (?)
I'm not sure about the last one but I think it might bring out the colour of the wood and offset the green nicely.

The other way to do it would be to play with it in an image program, cut out the foreground and try different backgrounds to see which colours work well.
 
It's difficult isn't it?!

When I was doing my tank I didn't have a background at first but then I got some black card. My wife said she preferred it without, saying it looked more "stylish" and made the wood stand out more. I then showed her George's scapes in PFK and she said "see, I know what I'm talking about!". I've kept the black card though....I can't be seen to be agreeing with her, I'll never hear the end of it!

Anyway, I'm not sure what else to use to hide the wires and tubes either.
 
Just had a thought -

How about lining paper from a DIY shop? Should be pretty cheap and is a cream colour. Or, even cheaper i.e free (what? me, tight?), how about some wallpaper, but using the reverse side?
 
Wallpaper is an interesting idea, because in most big DIY stores you can just help yourself to lengths as 'testers'...
 
I'm a big fan of no background and backlighting the wall, or pale card/paper behind, for photo shoots.

Black has its uses too, of course.

Blue looks too fake for me in most situations.

It depends of the mood you're tring to create and how it balances with the overall aquascape (inc. fish).
 
I really like that sunset background! Having the same dilemma with my tanks as I'm not liking blue and am having trouble with the plastic things not sticking properly to the back and either getting condensation getting in, or huge reflections where it is coming away.

I'm seeing more tanks without backgrounds (and tbh Sam, I like yours as it is without a background) but I wonder whether it is generally frowned upon by you pro's because of the equipment/wires being visible on the outside of the tank...?
 
Going back to the grease proof paper idea, I have this on a larger tank I'm setting up this eve (been doing some DIY on the hood tonight!) Anyhow, the wall behind it is a sort of orange colour, like an actual orange (I didn't choose it, I rent this place and I think my landlady is colour blind!) Anyhow, with the paper onthe back and with the way the hood is (open at the rear) the light on the wall is actually creating a sort of sunset effect :) It looks quite nice!
 
Is it possible to do something in photoshop or some kind of paint program? If you remove all the equipment, then take a photo you could 'fill in' the background with a colour of your choice. Might be difficult to get good coverage with the plant leaves etc but maybe worth a try, even if it's to give you a shortlist of card colours to try.
 
Back
Top