How to create more natural looking background

03/31/2006 09:56:02 PM · #1

HI
i have two issues. First when i have undesireable background how to cut my picture so that when i paste that picture on a new background it doesnt look un natural.It doesn't look bad example of cut and paste

Second issue is that when i cut my picture to post on a new back ground i some how like replicate the seamless paper backround but fail to do so. My bacground is interesting but seems very un natural and plastic. It just doesnt look like paper back ground as used in professional Portraits. I have one off white colored back ground made from a synthetic matt material and result come great when i shoot using that background but using same bacground always really is not fun

Message edited by author 2006-03-31 22:01:51.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

03/31/2006 11:14:13 PM · #2

anyone

Neuferland

Google Pixel 2

03/31/2006 11:18:27 PM · #3

Do you have some examples we could look at?

Deannda
Hard to tell from your post

Prof_Fate

03/31/2006 11:20:23 PM · #4

cut out...
there are about 100 ways to do this...i was in school this week and the head digital tech whose been doing this for 9 years uses the Pen tool - create a mask 'layer', use the pen tool around your person, then go to Path pallete, select that path, go back to the layers menu and click on the mask. I have not tried this but saw her do it 20 times this week. Oh yeah, 1 pixel feather.

I create a mask and then useing a soft brush and a 200% view i 'erase' the part i want the BG to show thru.

Now if you shoot on a green screen or even High key then you can select with the magic wand., invert selection, shrink itby 1 pixel, feather 1 pixel, Ctrl J to put it on a new layer.

For you next issue - what have you got for lights and how are you using them? You can make a black BG go hi key white or white go black - it all depends on your lighting.

I cut out the color part of this one using the mask method.
null

Message edited by author 2006-03-31 23:21:40.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

03/31/2006 11:36:58 PM · #5

I mostly echo what Prof-Fate says ... I prefer masking by using painting tools on a mask/alpha channel; a tablet/stylus combo is very useful for this.

I only use paths if I want to include a "clipping mask" as part of an EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) file, which will allow an image to be positioned over another with the lower picture showing through/past the masked/clipped areas.

You can also invest $150-200 in some software/plugins which perform masking magic ...

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/01/2006 01:00:24 AM · #6

Originally posted by Neuferland:

Do you have some examples we could look at?

Deannda
Hard to tell from your post

I will try to upload some samples ASAP

suemack

Canon EOS-20D

04/01/2006 01:05:02 AM · #7

Prof_Fate....how did you get such good definition on her strands of hair? When I try isolating hair/fur/feathers I tend to lose the ends .....doesn't look great

04/01/2006 06:20:45 AM · #8

Hi
Image 1
Image one is an example of where i have cut and pasted and image and tried making a back ground myself.
I know it is not the best example of how to to remove unwanted background but what bothers me more is the issue of the background i created . I find it unnatural and artifical.

Image 2
Image 2 is an example of picture i took witha real background. It is not the best background ,it is a synthetic plastic sheet and doesnt give feel of seamless paper back ground.Yet i find more natural than one i created my self.

What kind of look i want?
'
It is fairly common. I want to have a look where you can some feel texture of the background , you get a sense of how the paper must be feels when you touch it ,etc .
Some examples are
example 1
Example 2

These snaps are clicked by one of Delhi's leading fashion Photographer

I know above photograph have look due to lighting used.

Sample 1 is a portrait i did of some one who works with me while i was checking how my new camera works with my studio strobes.I want to change the background and create back ground as i described above
Sample 1

Message edited by author 2006-04-01 06:25:02.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

04/01/2006 08:26:41 AM · #9

anyone

JayWalk

Canon EOS-6D

04/01/2006 09:00:42 AM · #10

Here is a great link of how the pro's do it: adobe masking technique

This would work well with the picture you put up due to the strands of hair that would need to be masked and converted over.

04/01/2006 10:47:56 AM · #11

thanks

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

04/01/2006 11:11:10 AM · #12

Sample
anyone how to do like this

deapee

Kodak V803

04/01/2006 11:23:25 AM · #13

Originally posted by General:

Sample
anyone how to do like this

Go to the book store man, they have tons of books about stuff like that there.

dleach

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

04/01/2006 11:34:21 AM · #14

this is a good tutorial. You will have to post your results on how it worked out....

Makka

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

04/01/2006 11:38:55 AM · #15

Originally posted by General:

Sample
anyone how to do like this

Reading through that is like watching a late night info-mercial! ;)

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

04/01/2006 11:52:57 AM · #16

I am in India

deapee

Kodak V803

04/01/2006 11:53:31 AM · #17

Originally posted by General:

I am in India

They don't have book stores in india?

04/01/2006 11:58:39 AM · #18

I have tried following but some how cannot replicate the savage paper bcacdrop look.