Occasionally I can’t find a backdrop in the color that I want, so I got these thin lightweight boards that can be painted any color I want. They work great as a makeshift wall for children, pet, or close up portrait photography. I have painted a couple in pale pinks and yellow that I haven’t been able to find in rolls of paper. I saw a beautiful shot of a still life done on slate, but slate is heavy and expensive. So I decided to diy a version of my own with black chalkboard paint. It obviously doesn’t have quite the same texture as slate but it dried to a dull sheen and has some nice texture to it. I emphasized the texture by brushing some chalk dust over the whole surface. In the images below I’m experimenting with some beautiful herbs, trying to see how the texture and reflection works in different light.