back drops/muslins on CD

N
Posted By
nytrashman7618
Dec 2, 2003
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333
Replies
10
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Closed
am thinking about buying a CD (www.ownes-originals.com) that contains 29 backdrops/muslins. has anyone used a CD like this before with PSE 2. what would be the best way to take a photo of someone and place it on the "imitation" backdrop? i want the final image to look like it was shot with a real back drop/muslin but i am unsure how this will turn out. i would hate to spend the money on something i will regeret latter, when i could save a few more pennies and buy a real muslin and position my subject in front of it. of course now i will need some good lights instead of the old work lights i am using now. anyone have any thoughts/advice on this for me?
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LK
Leen_Koper
Dec 3, 2003
George, save yourself a lot of troubles and buy a real backdrop. Just only one backdrop will do. Make some test shots of how it looks with one and two stops over and underexposure and this one back drop will be quite different. Buy some gels to position in front of your backdrop lighting and apply the same procedure. Print out these various effects for later reference (and don’t forget to take notes of what you have done.)

Just imagine yourself making selections of someones hair, not just only once, but several times of various shots…

Unfortunately it is hard for me to advise you about lighting equipment as I don’t know exactly what’s for sale in the USA. My advice: buy monobloc studio flashes; these aren’t that expensive anymore. If you are starting out in portraiture, start with one flashhead and a large umbrella -or even better, but more expensive, a large softbox- and buy a reflection screen. This set up allows you to do great portraiture and you will learn very quickly what the light does to your subject. And that’s -almost- what it ‘s all about

If you have got any more specific (OT) questions, don’t hesitate to mail me.

Leen
MB
margaret_brock
Dec 3, 2003
The problem with trying to replace a backdrop in an image is the selection of the subjects. Very hard to get it to look natural.

I agree with Leen, since you’re taking the original image, buy a nice backdrop and use it.

Margaret
WE
Wendy_E_Williams
Dec 3, 2003
George,

I came across a tutorial for making backdrops sometime ago and I use it quite a lot … by now I have no idea where it came from … but my notes say:

Layer 1
_ White background … apply a radial gradient to the centre of the image (light centre, dark edges)
Layer 2
– Select foreground & background colours (say light blue foreground and background a darker shade)
– Filter>Render>clouds
– Change opacity to say 70%
Layer 3
_ A drop shadow of your portrait (if you wish)
Layer 4 Your portrait

To add the portrait I usually just select around the image then use clear to remove the background, next I soften the edges with blur … To put it onto the new background I either grab & drag it onto the new background or use copy & paste.

Before you decide to buy a backdrop CD play around with this to see if you can create your own

Wendy
RB
Ralph_Brannon
Dec 3, 2003
How your green screen (or whatever)is lite is the biggest issue. Using a flat even lighting, no shadows, makes it relatively easy. I use 2 hot lites to even light the subject.
In PS2, I use the background eraser.(Read up on how to use this tool and it will make sense.) Choose a fairly large brush. After the background is erased, use the magic wand and click on the erased part,(checkerd board part) Then go to select Inverse, that will change the selection from transparent background to the person. Then use select, contract (I think is the term) I use 2 pixels, this will remove the halo around subject. Now you can either drag your person and drop it on your digital background. (You can use transform command to resize it as needed) or you can drop your background on the person, and drag it below the person layer. Once again you can use transform to resize the digital background.
IF the lighting is flat, you can do this in about 20 seconds. If there is shadows etc., it will take a lot longer.
I do this at fairs on impulse buy photos and works well, but the lighting is the trick.

Ralph
<http://www.darkstar.us>
N
nytrashman7618
Dec 3, 2003
thanks for all the advice, i think i will buy myself a backdrop holder and a couple of muslins. i think the results will be quicker, easier & better doing it this way.
JT
James_Tuminello
Dec 14, 2003
I have recently purchased Owens Continuous lighting / backdrop cd’s and blue screen. Works great except taking out hair is too tedious for mass production ( 100 200 count shoot ), must be a quicker way.

The best book I have found for digital photography is THE PHOTOSHOP BOOK FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS by SCOTT KELBY

Please forward any tutorial links of better selection techniques

James Tuminello, Owner
Tuminello Photography & Designs

www.tuminelloonline.com
R
Ray
Dec 14, 2003
Just to let you know, Scott Kelby has also made a similar book for Photoshop Elements (The Photoshop
Elements Book for Digital Photographers). Equally good!

Ray
BL
Bonnie_L.
Dec 14, 2003
Ray,
I wish I’d known that. I got the Photoshop book. Lots of good ideas but I only have PE 1. Bonnie L.
R
Ray
Dec 14, 2003
Bonnie, his book hasn’t been available for a long time. I think only 5 or 6 weeks. I have his other book for Photoshop and it’s just fantastic!
If you need help with some commands that are not in Photoshop Elements, drop a line, I’ll try to help.

Ray
LK
Leen_Koper
Dec 14, 2003
George, don’t buy several backgrounds. You can save quite some money by buying just only one and do some tests with various over and under exposures. You will be amazed how many different backgrounds you can create this way.
Next you might buy some coloured gels, repeat the procedure and you will have an almost endless variety of backgrounds.
I bought my background about 8 years ago, applied it to about 2000 portraits and never felt the need to buy any other one, with exception of the roll of white background paper I occasionally use.

Leen

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