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| Blue |
Backgrounds for compositing- HELP!I want to start moving into composite work... and so I have been shopping for a green screen. However, it just occurred to me to wonder if that is really necessary? Would a white backdrop and photoshop's transparency layers work just as well for a composite? I'm wondering what, if any, would be the benefit of using chroma key? Is that really only applicable to video, or does it work better for still photography as well? I want really professional-looking results, so if chroma key simply works better, I'll shell out the money. Anyone have experience here with this? |
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| creators |
For photo work I use any backdrop that is similar to the image I am working on. In my experience green screens and the like make life hard work in image manipulation. | ||||
| Blue |
What do you mean by "similar to the image I am working on?"
What I am wanting to do is effectively isolate my subject, so I can superimpose it into another scene. I know I can use a transparency mask, but I was wondering if there was something about the specific hue of chroma key that makes life easier when isolating. With white, I get rough areas that are less than perfect. I know there must be some reason the pros use tech green... just not quite sure what that reson is, which is why I was thinking the technology involved mught only be applicable to video. I have seen videos of stock shoots, though, where they use green. (am I making sense? Sorry, this is a bit new to me, so I am trying to state things as clearly as I can.  )
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| creators |
Sorry to be obscure Blue. I meant having a background on the image you are isolating similar to the overall colour shades of the image you are going to place the isolated image on. That way, any colour bleed on the isolated image is going to be congruent in the new composite image.
As a handy tip, although I do not know the size of your images from your camera, when cutting round an image you can afford to remove up to ten or so pixels of the object you are isolating so that all background bleed is effectively removed. 
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| Blue |
Ok, thanks Keith. So basically, in your opinion, no need for the chroma key. Got it! :D
... still wondering why people get them, though... |
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| creators |
Only in my opinion, no I don't think you need to bother. This is a screen shot, actual size, of a picture I did for Mike. I (almost) defy anyone to tell which is which. The big give away is usually the light source and getting the shadows wrong and too harsh edges.
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| Blue |
Yeah it's hard to tell exactlt what you've done... I'm not even sure which is the original, LOL. | ||||
| creators |
Well I'll just take that as a huge compliment.  
Original... 
Photochopped... http://photo.ringo.com/212/212776688O703703075.jpg |
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| Blue |
Wow- it looks great. Ok, you've given me hope, Keith. :D | ||||
| creators |
Blue, all it's about is patience and time, an image like this can take twelve hours or more, just because you get so spaced out you can't see the wood for the trees. A four hour session on an image is about the max for me, then coming back at it fresh I am able to see where I need to go and bits I've missed or aren't congruent. It helps if you are a complete head freak, but that's only a very helpful optional extra. 
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| Blue |
Let me know what you make of this tutorial...
http://www.photoshopcafe.com/tutorials/masking/masking.htm |
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| creators |
What a brilliant find! I've never come across anything like this. I've run through it twice and it is going to take some working on and getting used to (what doesn't?), and the problem of background bleed is still difficult when the new background is a very different colour. But, I have always avoided images with flyaway hair, for example, because it is just impossible to cut around, and this makes it a cake walk. Thank you from the bottom of my photochopping heart.
This is a quick edit, in order to get rid of the unsightly dark edges to the hair I dodged the edges on the shadows setting. 
Original: 
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| Blue |
You are welcome, glad you found it useful.
I was a little disappointed with the background bleed on my first try... I thought it would give a cleaner result. What I did was go all around the edges with the eraser, and then the blur tool to make the edges a little less harsh. It worked good, but took a little longer than I wanted it to. |
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| creators |
If you are not an anally retentive, obsessive, social recluse with a lot of time on your hands, best stay away from compositing. There are a lot of things that'll get you part way there, like your brilliant link above, but then it all comes down to time and patience. Alternatively, get a job with Weta Digital and get paid lots of money to do it. | ||||
| hil26 |
Bookmarked thank you Oh, the videos are good too |
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| hil26 |
Virtus Fluid MaskJust been playing with a trial version ofvirtus fluid mask 3 - errrrr - WOW - little problem - need photoshop cs quick job on one of my daughters images, blue background used for emphasis - just use any colour you want as background 
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| creators |
That's amazing! | ||||
| hil26 |
and it took all of 5 minutes - and that included looking at the help section!!
But its costly - worth it if you sell your images and need the speed to do this. |
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| hil26 |
its actually vertus fluid mask http://www.vertustech.com/fm_freetrialUS.htm |
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| creators |
If it's as good as it looks, £159 is really not bad, though it'll have to go on the wish list for now. Great find Dave. | ||||
| Blue |
Sweet! I'll definitely be checking out that free trial.
Maybe I won't have to be an... how did Keith put it?... anally retentive, obsessive, social recluse with a lot of time on my hands, LOL. |
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| creators |
Maybe.
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| Blue |
Yeah, it's too late, anyway. I'm already there... except for the part about a lot of time on my hands, LOL. |
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