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Chromakey green backdrops

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:50 pm
by teresa1016
I just recently purchased a lighting kit that came with a white, black and chromakey muslin backdrop. If I understand correctly, the green one is used to digitally change the background???? I have PSE 9 and still very much a beginner. Is this difficult to do? And if this is even what the green background is for, could someone post some instructions on how to do this? Thanks so much!

Re: Chromakey green backdrops

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 2:29 pm
by bjt
If I were considering chroma key, here is where I would look

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=using+chromakey&f=hp

http://search.dpreview.com/?q=chromakey

http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHM ... background


Perhaps, someone with relevant experience will reply.

Re: Chromakey green backdrops

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:08 pm
by genevh
I've worked a little with green screens and removing people from one background to put them on another. It's not extremely difficult, but takes some practice and patience if you have a busy background and not much contrast between it and your subject. Green screens (and blue screens) provide the high contrast edges that make selecting and removing your subject a bit easier.

I found some videos on YouTube that help explain the process. Go to YouTube and do a search on Photoshop Mama + green screen and you will find a series of videos explaining the process.

If you want a good tool that will work with PSE, you could always try Topaz's ReMask. It makes the process a lot easier.

There are other resources, but those are the two I have used the most for the little bit of chroma key work I have done.

Re: Chromakey green backdrops

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:18 pm
by AngelicKim
I have a reversible green/blue screen. It is really easy to use and remove the background from you photo using the magic wand tool. It can be tricky like Chas said if your subject is wearing those colors and the color is on the edge. The best thing to do is play with the tolerance on the magic wand if you have similar colors at the edge of the clothing. Hope this makes sense.

Re: Chromakey green backdrops

PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 11:53 pm
by teresa1016
Angelickim, can u be a little more specific on instructions.I am new ti this. I have PSE 9

Re: Chromakey green backdrops

PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:10 pm
by AngelicKim
I haven't used Elements in a few years so I am not familiar with what tools are available where. Basically you need the magic wand selection tool. Should be in the left side tool bar. Once selected the tool bar at the top will have a tolerance setting. Start off leaving it at zero and click the wand tool in the green area and if all of the green isn't selected upto the person/object, deselect it and nudge the tolerance setting up a little to like 4 or 5 and try it again. Once you are happy with what is selected just delete the selected area. If you still need to select some green just click it with the wand and delete. You can also carefully use the eraser to get anything you missed. Pretty much though if your settings and lighting are good with no shadows or glares causing color variation you should be able to select all the green in one shot. Once your background is gone you want to use the burn tool at a reduced opacity on the edge of the person object and then the blur tool to blend and soften the edges so it blends to the new background better. You could also use the magnetic lasso tool pretty easily to delete the green background as well. It will go around your figure pretty smoothly. Once you have the entire object selected do a Shift Ctrl I to invert the selection so that the green is all selected and simply hit the delete key. Background gone. Hope that helps. I'm not to good at giving instructions.

Re: Chromakey green backdrops

PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 12:45 pm
by teresa1016
Thanks!

Re: Chromakey green backdrops

PostPosted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 10:04 pm
by teresa1016
I purchased the Topaz remask. I took a photo using the green screen. I have green around the out line of my person. Especially in the hair. Any suggestions on what i am doing wrong? Thanks! :thanks: