I like the drapped better. The drapped background look better. Maybe you could add a light dropshadow to your cake. It might help the cake images not look so cut and paste sometimes. Also , when you select your cake feather the edges 1 or 2 pixels that might help it to.

thanks paolacaracas I haven't thought of that! your pics look nice. Ailyn222 I usually do that to my cakes but i've let a few just slip by. I look into that. thanks

Sorry but I don't like the draped background. It looks messy to me. I think another solid color other than the white, might look better...gray or blue? Can you show a few other options? The other alternative may be to use the blurred background as member (don't remember name) on page 2 said she could give you information on how to get that look.

I like the draped.. Your cakes are amazing. They really speak for their self..

Yes I am going to try the blurred background. I know how to do it but I didn't even think about that. good idea.

I don't prefer the draped look either. I agree with either blurring the background or another solid color to match the style of the cake, but blurring the background is my first choice.

I don't care for the draped, I like the white better. I'll have to check out photoshop, I never knew how people did that with the background!

Draping. It looks more professional.

Would someone mind explaining how to blur the background on a photo?

Thanks

I personally prefer no background - my cakes are all without any background, I think it looks clean. Everyone has their own preference and you need to work out yours. Colette Peters always has a background that she themes with the cake, Margaret Braun has no background - so ecah if professional. Good luck with your decision - I guess at the end of the day people are looking at the cake.

Im going to try to explain how to blur an image in Photoshop; English is not my first language, so Ill try:
First you need to select the image, going around the border of the cake with a selection tool, like the magnetic magic wand.
Once you have selected the cake, you go EDIT-INVERSE. The selection changes from the cake to the background, if you dont do this part, the blur will affect the cake and not the back.
Now that the background is selected, go FILTER-BLUR-GAUSSIAN BLUR. A window will pop out so you can adjust how much blur you want, when you are done, select apply
I hope this makes sense to you, and not an explanation made by Tarzan Let me know if you have any questions
Paola

I also vote for the draped. The cakes look great.

I like the drape background

I think it depends on the cake, because it is a bit formal looking and looks kind of off on the children's cakes.

Thank you paolacaracas for your tuturial!!!

Angie

you wellcome

thank you for the "blur" explanation- I'm going to try it!

Thank you all so much. I haven't had time to re-do my photos but I will have them done by 2morrow and will post them here. And that was really nice of you to explain how to blur the background. That is also the exact method I use. you explained it very well.

your cakes are great! For the background i love when the background is blurred. You could try to blur the draped background? i think it would make the cakes stand out. ( just a thought)

I like a background, but if you could try to find one that fits the cake.

Paola, Your cakes are gorgeous. Thank you for the photoshop lesson, I love the blurred background and your explanation makes perfect sense![/quote]
Thanks! your cake are very beautiful too. If you need any help with photoshop, let me know

I went and looked at the Adobe website and there are so many different versions of photoshop - which one do you all use?

Thanks,
Chelle

Ok so I made a few photos. My neck hurts from sitting at this computer so long making the photos so i'll finish the rest later. What do you all think?

I like it!! Very nice! I wish I had photoshop on my computer.

do you think that it distracts from the cake at all? I'm so used to white backgrounds and this is so new to me. I've been staring at them for like 2 days straight and I can't even tell if there nice or not anymore haha.

I think they look weird - like they're floating above the background because you've superimposed them. Could you try taking photos of your cakes with a background in place if you want one?

The cake with the ball on top I would have it plain, there is too much going on in the cake for drapes, that is my opinion for what its worth the others are better with drapes. I would try to lose the cake boards as well, again that is my opinion for what its worth.

I'm with the "looks weird" comment. They clearly look photoshopped. On the rare occasion when I lay an image on a background that doesn't belong to it, I go around the image with a tiny (3-4 pixel) brush, set to soften. And then I add a drop shadow. Nothing stands out from a background in sharp detail. The edges are always soft. And, there needs to be some dimension to it - hence the drop shadow (a soft one...not one that shouts at you). I guess of all the methods explored in this thread, I like the blurred background best. But, that only works if the background is pleasing to start with. If it's a kitchen counter, with remnants of the day's baking on it (which I've seen in way too many photos) no amount of blurring will make it pleasing to the eye. My second choice is a solid color - but again...that edges would need to be softened, or it will look like something from a cheap horror movie. In general, I don't like a lot of draping, because to me, it looks like an unmade bed.

all of the edges have been softened about 2-3 times. you have to click on the images if you want to see how they really look. on the post they're sized down.

I love the new way you did them. Also think your cakes are great!