Hey everyone, I'm fairly new to taking studio pictures, so I was hoping for some assistance on the proper set-up for this little studio kit I purchased. Here are some pictures I have took using the studio lighting, backdrop, and a ****ty digital camera (I have a Digital SLR coming in soon).
The problem I'm having is that when I try to separate the green screen from the model in photoshop, the arms get choppy and it looks like garbage when I filter the background image in. Will a better camera fix this problem? or is there a better way to position the lighting to get less of a shadow. The kit I got only came with two of the studio lights with the translucent umbrellas and I was just placing one on each side of the model. I'm sure this isn't correct so can someone direct me in the right placement of these lights?
I'm trying to get some studio quality, professional pictures for my clothing line. My new website is almost finished and I don't want to have these crappy pictures on the nice new site, so any help would be appreciated!
And if you are interested in the shirts check my sig for the temporary website/online store.
Jimmy has done some stuff like this before. I'm sure he'll have a few quick suggestions for you.
The greens are being reflected off the sheet and wrapping around his arms, making them hard to key out. You're better off using a white sheet instead of a green one, especially if you aren't using good lighting yet (or at least it doesn't appear you are, given the quality/non-uniformity of light - may be due to camera / sync / etc).
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Get a steamer for the backdrop to kill wrinkles, move the subject out, atleast 3 feet ( 6 feet is optimal) to kil backdrop shadows, do a clamshell with the lights in close since you only need torso, get strobes rather than hotlights, and dial in your settings better, the noise in the background doesn't help much either.
If this wasn't pbn and they didn't hate people advertising I'd offer to help you out with pictures.
but i don't get how you have the knowledge to separate 6+ colors, some with halftones, for screen printing and not know how to ps a background. are you contracting your artwork out?
but i don't get how you have the knowledge to separate 6+ colors, some with halftones, for screen printing and not know how to ps a background. are you contracting your artwork out?
Thanks, the artwork is done by separate artists I know. I do have the knowledge to do the separations and such because I own a screen printing company as well. It isn't that I don't know how to put the background in, I can do that just fine, it's the fact that the picture quality is off and it makes the background image look awful.
I've done greenscreen work for video and still. In a nutshell here's my recommendation:
1) separate subject from background. move them as far away from the background as you can, and either use a bigger green, or shoot with a longer focal range lens, to narrow the field of view.
2) sepate your subjects edge by using lighting. hitting your subject with a backlight is nice, giving them an easy and cleaner edge than the green spill that happens sometimes.
3) use white if you can. Not always an option.
4) light your subject well.
5) light that background evenly. light the background as you would a painting or text on a book. 2 symmetrical lights, at a sheer angle to the back (45/60), equidistant. Get rid of wrinkles.. steam that bg if you have to. You'll get an even green meaning you can key it fast.
6) get a good key app. Primatte is great for stills. After Effects comes with Keylight for video, which is excellent too.
You screen printed these yourself? PM me, I dabble in screen printing as well and have some questions.
I had those out sourced because it was more convenient, but I have my own set up in my basement as well as work in a screen printing shop and I do stuff like that all the time. I'll shoot you a pm.
