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09/12/2005 02:42:55 AM · #1 |
i liked my shot from the high contrast challenge:
however, i feel it would have done better (at least I would have liked it more) if the background was a PURE black. or even a pure white. anyone know how i could have done this while retaining the detail in the masks?
i only had a dark wall to work with. but even then how do you attain such nice backgrounds?
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09/12/2005 02:46:43 AM · #2 |
Originally posted by reemas:
i liked my shot from the high contrast challenge:
however, i feel it would have done better (at least I would have liked it more) if the background was a PURE black. or even a pure white. anyone know how i could have done this while retaining the detail in the masks?
i only had a dark wall to work with. but even then how do you attain such nice backgrounds? |
A black or white sheet. And move the subject a good way away from your background so you get just the dark or the light and none of the texture.
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09/12/2005 02:56:40 AM · #3 |
sometimes you can get away by making a background black in photoshop.
Open curves, select the 'set black point' button, and choose the lightest part of your background. This can screw up some images, but would work with your entry. Here's a quick curves modification of your entry:
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09/12/2005 03:02:02 AM · #4 |
and a quick screenshot to show how i did it:
Click the button circled in blue, and then select somewhere in the green region. |
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09/12/2005 03:34:39 AM · #5 |
Make a "new layer from Background" and in "image/adjustment" set the levels so the masks are easily separated from the BG visually.
Use whatever selection tools you need to (probably magnetic lasso) to select out the masks.
Invert the selection so it is BG only and save it in "selection/save selection".
Toss the duplicate layer.
Load the selection, choose "layers/new adjustment layer/levels", and drag the right-hand pointer under the histogram all the way to the left. The selected area (your BG) will now be pure black.
You may need to adjust the feathering on the selection itself to get a decent-looking separation here. Start with 6 pixels or so in a full-size original, 2 or 3 pixels if working from a small version.
Robt.
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09/12/2005 03:42:58 AM · #6 |
thanks for the comments ideas and pp technique! im going to figure this out. bear would that have been legal in an advanced challenge?
also, why do i need to keep the black or white sheet away from the objects? is cause of shadows? i did not use flash.
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09/12/2005 03:53:21 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by reemas:
thanks for the comments ideas and pp technique! im going to figure this out. bear would that have been legal in an advanced challenge?
also, why do i need to keep the black or white sheet away from the objects? is cause of shadows? i did not use flash. |
Yes, legal in advanced but not in basic. Bear in mind that to avoid possible "removing major element" issues the BG should be quite dark to begin with; IMO that's the case with your shot.
As far as keeping the subject in front of the BG, even if you don't use flash (or any moveable light source) you're still gonna get some shadows on the BG most of the time if the object is resting on it.
Check my portfolio/challenge entries for a BUNCH of shots on a pure black BG, though; in all of these shots the objects were resting directly on a black, ballistic nylon material that has very low reflectivity. My shots are lit by diffused skylight, though, so they don't really throw shadows unless I allow my west window wall to be open (I usually close the shades). These are my basic, keep-it-simple series of everyday objects shot "straight" with no tricks.
Robt.
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09/12/2005 06:21:33 AM · #8 |
You might want to take a meter reading and lock it from a black background as well. Then shoot.
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09/15/2005 03:15:55 AM · #9 |
bear,
i did what you said and i tried it sevreal times. i got to the point where i had the masks removed nicely from the background.
but i cannot get the background to turn black. all i see is a checkerboard pattern behind the masks. sliding the pointer has no effect.
am i missing something?
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09/15/2005 03:19:57 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by reemas:
bear,
i did what you said and i tried it sevreal times. i got to the point where i had the masks removed nicely from the background.
but i cannot get the background to turn black. all i see is a checkerboard pattern behind the masks. sliding the pointer has no effect.
am i missing something? |
indeed you are :) what you're seeing is the Transparency. I assume you;re working in PS right? Here's how to get rid of it. Go to Edit -> Preferences -> Transparency and Gamut and make sure both squares are white. Click on the colored square and choose white from the picker. By default, this is what PS shows to let the user know that there isn't any background in the image.
Hope this helps. |
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09/15/2005 04:44:28 AM · #11 |
Try this to keep it simple (without use of PS):
- Take dark non-reflective background (cotton cloth is just fine)
- Keep it at distance from subject and keep shallow DoF. This will keep the background out of focus (to hide any texture)
- See if you can underexpose the image ... this will further darken the background
- If some shades are still visible, increase the contrast of the image (or atleast the shadows). This works very well with light subject (like masks in your case)
I do not have DSLR and I dont even have PS. I use freeware PICASA and these techniques work just fine with it. Check out "Darkness: Deep inside" in my profile ... Its also Mask with dark background. Similar to what you are/were trying to achieve.
For pure white - change the setup to white non-reflective cloth, keep it at distance, and try to over-expose the picture. And if required- increase the highlighting using imaging software. Thats it!
...and yes - you need to use spot metering mode for all these techniques.
Message edited by author 2005-09-28 08:16:35.
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