Vinyl photo backgrounds VS digital backgrounds

11/25/2014 06:02:57 AM · #1

I am planning to make some cards of my daughters in dressing up costumes and I have a particular background in mind. I can buy this in Vinyl format for about Â£50 (7 foot x 5 foot) however I am wondering if it is a better (and cheaper) idea to just photograph the girls in their costumes against a plain background and superimpose them on to a digital background.

Anyone have any thoughts on why one would be better than the other? The main advantage I can see of the digital background is cost. I have not used a vinyl background before but have used a roll of paper backdrop and have a suitable frame to hold up the vinyl backdrop. It is likely to be a one off shoot too so seems a waste to spend so much on the vinyl version.

11/25/2014 07:09:22 AM · #2

it depends on how good you are at isolating your subjects from a background in photoshop.

Message edited by author 2014-11-25 07:09:33.

11/25/2014 07:25:49 AM · #3

Originally posted by Mike:

it depends on how good you are at isolating your subjects from a background in photoshop.

I am shite!! Though I hear there are some good tools out there for this kind of thing

giantmike

11/25/2014 08:00:45 AM · #4

What is your time worth to you? While there are tools to help such as Topaz ReMask, this isn't something you will finish quickly. Especially with the girls' hair coming into play.

11/25/2014 10:02:29 AM · #5

Originally posted by giantmike:

What is your time worth to you? While there are tools to help such as Topaz ReMask, this isn't something you will finish quickly. Especially with the girls' hair coming into play.

Good point! The cards are just for sending to family and friends so I probably won't be too strict with myself. I haven't tried Topaz ReMask which is surprising as I love the Topaz plugins. I was hoping shooting them against a plain colour (say green) would enable me to just magically remove the background but guess that is dreaming. I don't mind a bit of graft in Photoshop removing the background so think the digital background is becoming more appealing especially as the Ebay vinyl background seller feedback isn't perfect:)

Tiny

Apple iPad mini 4

11/25/2014 10:29:03 AM · #6

You can certainly do a fine job using Photoshop ,no need to spend owt
We all have every confidence in your skills.

11/25/2014 11:31:02 AM · #7

Bought a roll of green chroma key paper in the end - half the price of the vinyl and may make it easier to remove the background.

11/25/2014 11:59:33 AM · #8

watch for a green cast bounced onto your subjects

Tiny

Apple iPad mini 4

11/25/2014 12:08:13 PM · #9

good choice, its what i would do

11/25/2014 12:28:32 PM · #10

Originally posted by Mike:

watch for a green cast bounced onto your subjects

Thanks Mike, any tips how to avoid this. I bought a long roll of the stuff so I can have the subjects standing on the green backdrop too. I will be working with fairly limited lighting - a couple of speedlites, a couple of cheap low wattage continuous lights and a large patio door window during daylight hours.

11/25/2014 12:33:41 PM · #11

sounds like a white balance nightmare.

i'd be concerned with any light backing back off the backdrop onto your subject. maybe add some rim or hair lights to overpower any bounce or keep them separated from the backdrop.

11/25/2014 12:37:49 PM · #12

Originally posted by Mike:

Ha thanks Mike, well every time I do photo shoots using a background (previously only white and only a handful of times) - "nightmare" is usually one of the words I would use to describe it and that is even before I press the shutter. Sounds like this shoot will be along the same lines. Never work with animals or kids they say! Never work with backdrops and crap lights they should add especially when you are a complete novice. We live and learn:)

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

11/25/2014 12:47:14 PM · #13

You just need to gel so the color temps are the same.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

11/25/2014 01:27:58 PM · #14

The green color cast might work good for "Haloween cards". : )

If you have plenty of room in front of the subjects to keep from getting a green reflection back toward them it might help. I would not wear a white shirt while shooting, as that will bounce some of the green back toward them.
Hanging a dark blanket behind the camera position as a light sink may also help reduce reflected green.

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

11/25/2014 01:46:02 PM · #15

I only tried it once. I put out green fabric for a squirrel. He sat on the green fabric. I ended up with a green squirrel. :(

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

11/25/2014 02:19:56 PM · #16

Originally posted by vawendy:

I only tried it once. I put out green fabric for a squirrel. He sat on the green fabric. I ended up with a green squirrel. :(

Pfff sounds like I may have been better just sticking with a white backdrop. Was thinking green would make my life easier. My walls in my studio (living room) are green too so they will look more like incredible hulks than princesses. My scene is kind of a Frozen movie based theme so perhaps a blue backdrop would have been more sensible?

Was planning to use light from patio window behind camera so hanging a black sheet behind camera may reduce my amount of light too much.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

11/25/2014 02:38:24 PM · #17

Once the subject is in position zoom in on a gray/white card held at the main point of focus and set a custom white-balance -- that should reduce the color-cast effect of the walls/backdrop.

If you don't have anything else in the frame which is a similar color green to the backdrop you should be able to select the backdrop pretty easily -- if you make the selection on only one of the channels you should get heightened contrast between the backdrop and subjects. Try to have the backdrop evenly-lit to enable using a lower selection tolerance -- the closer the backdrop gets to a "solid" color the better.

Alternatively, you could invest in some frog costumes and go with the green ... :-)

FromDaRock

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

11/25/2014 07:32:05 PM · #18

If you are just going to mask them out anyway, I would just use a white, grey or black background, choosing whichever one will provide for a color contrast from their clothes and hair. Topaz ReMask is my goto tool for this.