Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been looking for a long time now for a GOOD BLACK background and I think I've FINALLY found it! The black velvet I used to use was all right but it reflected too much light and was almost impossible to clean. THIS on the other hand is MUCH better!

The Answer : Black Melamine!

Let me know what you think...

Motley

Ghost

Hypo (from my Jungle x Hypo litter)

Hypo Jungles

And I know these guys don't belong but they came out so nice...

Spider

Pinstripe

Thanks for Looking!
Celia
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Celia Chien

www.BoaConstrictorMorphs.com

Celia Chien Photography

www.ExoticsByNature.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.CornsnakeMorphs.com

I have tried, and continue to try the black velvet w/ SOME success, but it looks like black melamine is the answer! Those are some kickin pics Celia!
See ya in Daytona!
jb
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Jonathan Brady
"Sarcasm is angers ugly cousin" -Dr. Buddy Rydell (Jack Nicholson) in "Anger Management".

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Linda Hedgpeth
lindafh@frontiernet.net
Sierra Serpents

"There is just as much horse sense as ever, but the horses have most of it".

Give the melamine a try...I love it! Looking forward to seeing you in Daytona!!!

Thanks,
Celia
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Celia Chien

www.BoaConstrictorMorphs.com

Celia Chien Photography

www.ExoticsByNature.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.CornsnakeMorphs.com

>>I've been looking for a long time now for a GOOD BLACK background and I think I've FINALLY found it! The black velvet I used to use was all right but it reflected too much light and was almost impossible to clean. THIS on the other hand is MUCH better!
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>>The Answer : Black Melamine!
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>>Let me know what you think...
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>>Motley
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>>Ghost
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>>Hypo (from my Jungle x Hypo litter)
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>>Hypo Jungles
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>>And I know these guys don't belong but they came out so nice...
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>>Spider
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>>Pinstripe
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>>Thanks for Looking!
>>Celia
>>-----
>>Celia Chien
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>>www.BoaConstrictorMorphs.com
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>> Celia Chien Photography
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>>www.ExoticsByNature.com
>>www.BallPythonMorphs.com
>>www.CornsnakeMorphs.com

Celia them are some sweet looking Boa's you an Sean produced!Thanks for sharing!Eric[Hypo]
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E&C's Exotic House of Reptiles

I normally don't post on here but that hypo!!! I had to throw in a comment. I really don't know what to say besides it looks very very very very beautiful. My pipcs suck, so I might get some black melamine.lol. It would be real good if I could get any melamine, cause they don't carry it in my area. I'll keep it in mind though when I do find some.
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Justin

We actually had a really hard time finding the black Melamine too. Home Depot carries pieces of white melamine and the white melamine works well too if you want to do photos on a white background. We went back to Home Depot trying to find some black melamine and they had a few pieces on clearance but they were all scratched up and unusable for my purposes. We went to Lowe's and they didn't have any at all.

I remembered that my mom had bought a tall shelf a few years ago at Wal-mart that was black melamine so we checked out Wal-mart. Sure enough, they still had it so we bought that and Sean gave me one of the shelves which he'll replace with a piece of white melamine. So we had to spend $56 for the shelf but we can always use more storage!

Thanks,
Celia
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Celia Chien

www.BoaConstrictorMorphs.com

Celia Chien Photography

www.ExoticsByNature.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.CornsnakeMorphs.com

Black velvet is actually the way to go. Check out the pictures on Mike's site Constrictors Unlimited. It's all in the lighting.

More Like:

All in the Camera / Lens, Lighting, Background (relevance depends on post processing), and Subject

She already owns black velvet and a good camera. So all she really needs is something like an alien bee strobe.... there is soo much light that the black velvet kinda "disappears"; so yes, it's pretty much all in the lighting to get a solid black background.

The two main reason I don't like the black velvet is...

1.) I take pictures of not only Boas and Ball Pythons but of many different Colubrids and some Colubrids, California Kingsnakes in particular, are NOTORIOUS for defecating on you or whatever they happen to be on at the time. If that so happens to be my black velvet...well then it's not so black any more LOL! And the black velvet is SO hard to clean white urates off of!

2.) when you are doing close up shots you can see the texture of the fabric and I really don't like that too much. I know the same applies with the melamine but I like the way that looks better.

As for the lighting...I'm sure I could figure something out. I would just probably have to buy some extra equipment because I'm currently just using my camera and a speedlight. The photos on black velvet come out just fine if I take them at an angle but the straight down, overhead shots are the ones I have problems with. Anyways, the main reason I stopped using the black velvet was reason #1...towards the end, my black velvet was not so black anymore...LOL!

Thanks,
Celia
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Celia Chien

www.BoaConstrictorMorphs.com

Celia Chien Photography

www.ExoticsByNature.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.CornsnakeMorphs.com

Reason #1 is reason enough. LOL

That hypo is absolutely NUTS! I cant say ive seen one with color that can compare to that. Just amazing ... Im speechless.

Beautiful Motley, Ghost, and Jungle Hypos as well!

Thanks for sharing.

I think I need to get me some.

>>I've been looking for a long time now for a GOOD BLACK background and I think I've FINALLY found it! The black velvet I used to use was all right but it reflected too much light and was almost impossible to clean. THIS on the other hand is MUCH better!
>>
>>The Answer : Black Melamine!
>>
>>Let me know what you think...
>>
>>Motley
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>>Ghost
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>>
>>
>>
>>Hypo (from my Jungle x Hypo litter)
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>>Hypo Jungles
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>>And I know these guys don't belong but they came out so nice...
>>
>>Spider
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>>Pinstripe
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>>Thanks for Looking!
>>Celia
>>-----
>>Celia Chien
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>>www.BoaConstrictorMorphs.com
>>
>> Celia Chien Photography
>>
>>
>>www.ExoticsByNature.com
>>www.BallPythonMorphs.com
>>www.CornsnakeMorphs.com

Great shots! Andy

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nm

Love how the colors on the snakes just pop with that black back-drop.

The hypo pic with his tongue sticking out is my fav I think. LOVE that two-tone tongue

Thanks for sharing...
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Guy Scavone II
GS2boas.com

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Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

Is that first hypo the premie you showed me a little whilw back? Regardless she is insane. That second jungle hypo looks very luscious as well. Great pics as usual, and I really like the background. Black is still very much my preference. Thanks for sharing, Celia!

Jesse
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"Continuing to cling to the patterns you know, inhibits your ability to discover what you don't know." - Eric Allenbaugh

Thanks for the compliments! That Hypo Boa is actually a littermate to the premie one I was talking to you about. The premie girl is doing well and actually shed not long ago so I'll have to take some updated photos of her. She does not have that insane coloration but she is incredibly light and kind of intense looking. It's hard to explain.

This girl is just a Hypo from that litter. I do not believe she carries the Jungle gene but she sure does have really crazy coloration. The inane thing is that these photos really don't do her justice! I might bring her to Daytona (not to sell) if we have room!

Thanks,
Celia
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Celia Chien

www.BoaConstrictorMorphs.com

Celia Chien Photography

www.ExoticsByNature.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.CornsnakeMorphs.com

....to Daytona this year, but all the chips are going to have to fall into place just perfect for that to happen. It would be great to finally meet you and so many others in person. I would also LOVE to get to see all of your technicolor reptiles in real life as well. They look totally awesome in the pics!

Thanks again for sharing them!

Jesse
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"Continuing to cling to the patterns you know, inhibits your ability to discover what you don't know." - Eric Allenbaugh

I like to experiment with new things in an effort to try and improve my photogrphy so when I find something that works for me, I like to share it with everyone else so that they can try it too!

Keep taking those pictures everyone!!

Thanks,
Celia
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Celia Chien

www.BoaConstrictorMorphs.com

Celia Chien Photography

www.ExoticsByNature.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.CornsnakeMorphs.com

Those pics are awesome