How can I photograph flowers with a bright backlit translucent look like Claire Benoist’s diptych?
Asked 6/5/2012
4 views
2 answers
0
I’m trying to recreate the look of Claire Benoist’s flower diptych image, where the flowers appear brightly backlit against a clean white background and the petals seem slightly translucent. What kind of setup would produce this effect? Do I need a translucent table or can it be done with simple materials at home?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
7
This might be possible to do by putting the flower on a transcluent table (like this one) and lighting it from below. The article even suggests it by saying "She backlit each flower with a (...) strobe (...)."
Edit: I've tried to reproduce the effect. Having no flower petals, I resorted to a grape. Also, I have no transcluent table, so I taped a tissue to the back of a chair instead:
Originally by user112. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user112
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This look was likely made by placing the flower or petals on a translucent surface and lighting from underneath. A translucent table would work, but you can improvise with materials like thin white styrofoam, frosted perspex/acrylic, white paper, tissue, or white fabric stretched over supports.
Key points:
- Put the flower head or petals on a diffusing surface.
- Place a strobe or continuous light under that surface, pointing upward.
- The diffuser helps create an even white background and reduces flare.
- If the flower is thick or not transmitting enough light, add another light from above or the side for fill.
Cutting off the flower head and arranging petals separately may make the effect easier to control. The bright, glowing result comes mainly from strong backlighting through the petals, with diffusion to keep the background smooth and white.
So no, you don’t necessarily need a specialized translucent table—just a translucent support plus strong, diffused light from below.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI14y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why do bright red flowers lose detail in outdoor photos, and how can I avoid it in-camera?
How can I create a glowing translucent figure effect like this image?
Why do white flowers get a glowing halo in my photos?
Can inanimate subjects appear to be “looking” out of the frame in a photo?
How can I create a 'shot through frosted glass' look in Photoshop?

