Photoshop rig removal issues...

[Deanphoto]

Hey peeps,

I was wondering if someone with good photoshop skills could lend me a few pointers on removing rigs from my shots...



As you can see in the picture above I got really very bored after an hour, and I just gave up, as I was sure wouldn't get to a point that I would be happy with.

I haven't had the opportunity to shoot with anyone else around at the moment, so I can't do it the Matt Watkinson way of taking multiple photos whilst removing the rig. This is extremely hard by yourself, especially when you take into account the lens distortion at -14mm when moving the camera even 1cm. I guess it will be a lot easier with another person to hold the camera still.

Other than this, the real issue is blending colours (as you can see from the front bumper!). I can use the patch tool pretty well and I'm getting pretty confident with it but I'm having nightmares blending colours, does anybody have any suggestions?

[jtown]

I wouldn't dare do this on more than one image at a time. It's a painful and time consuming process.

[asylumxl]

Same automotive photographers take an extra shot from the same angle and in the same lighting. That way its alot easier to do.

[Deanphoto]

Originally Posted by asylumxl

Same automotive photographers take an extra shot from the same angle and in the same lighting. That way its alot easier to do.

I've been trying but because my rig is quite short I have to use a wide lens, this makes it's difficult to replicate the shot becasue of distortion.

[Robf]

show me a before shot and i'll chuck in a few thoughts...i havent done rig removal, but i've spent the last decade retouching.

[Deanphoto]

Originally Posted by Robf

show me a before shot and i'll chuck in a few thoughts...i havent done rig removal, but i've spent the last decade retouching.

Cool OK, I'll post one up when I get home from work.

Cheers

[Deanphoto]

As requested.

[DevinL.]

Why dont you just buy a boom

[Allthegearnoidea]

I dont suppose you want to share how you made that rig do you I have been trying to bulid one mentally before going out and buying the bits. I had never thought about going on top of the car, it is doing my head in trying to figure out a way of attaching a rig to the car. Anyway sorry I cant help with the question, but the movement in the picture looks great.

[curtc]

i'd say have someone hold your rig exactly in place and take some more pictures of the same angle without the rig... probably easier than to do that than to spend hours photoshopping

edit: even if it isnt perfect, you can use parts to get it mostly right before cloning out the rest

ps you probably want to use clone stamp, not smudge

[brasher]

Thats an easy one!

I once made the mistake of doing a set while covering the whole headlight, why I never spotted it in the viewfinder/lcd astounds me, let me tell you, recloning a total headlight is not fun!

spent over 5 hours on one image alone, have to reshoot the car now, Im not happy with the result.

Keep at it, once you get a few under your belt it becomes a lot faster.

I now use a boom from under the car and clamp off to the chassis now, removal of the boom takes 10 minutes at the most now

[Deanphoto]

Originally Posted by DevinL.

Why dont you just buy a boom

Will a boom be stable enough?

Originally Posted by Allthegearnoidea

I dont suppose you want to share how you made that rig do you

I don't mind at all, I think it's funny how some people won't let on how they made their rigs. Mine is simple, infact probably too simple.

3x Pump cups with spiggot
3x super clamp
1x Manfrotto tripod (must be able to move legs around freely and have the adjustable extension pole thing)

I don't suggest doing it this way though, it's a lot of bother!

Originally Posted by curtc

i'd say have someone hold your rig exactly in place and take some more pictures of the same angle without the rig... probably easier than to do that than to spend hours photoshopping

ps you probably want to use clone stamp, not smudge

Like I said above I haven't had the pleasure of company whilst on a rig shoot (been practising by myself)

I do use the clone not the smudge?

Originally Posted by brasher

Keep at it, once you get a few under your belt it becomes a lot faster.

I now use a boom from under the car and clamp off to the chassis now, removal of the boom takes 10 minutes at the most now

Yeah they are getting easier, that was my second attempt and I put a lot more thought into what I did and didn't cover with the rig.

A lot of the cars I aim to be shooting (in the immediate future) are so low that a rig from under the car just wouldn't work. I may make another one though.


Thanks for the help guys

[JacobPhoto]

A lot of people tend to go for a single boom arm supported by 2 (or possibly more) suction cups. That way, there's only 1 arm to chop out of the photo. rigs like this are more stable, but much harder to chop out.

(not my photo) - from AutomotiveRigs.com
*removed*


This is an under-car rig, but you can see how only having 1 mounting point makes it easier to remove.

2 more shots showing single-boom mounts:
*removed*

[curtc]

hrm.. thought you were using smudge because the areas with the rig look dark..

[Deanphoto]

Originally Posted by curtc

hrm.. thought you were using smudge because the areas with the rig look dark..

That's just my rubbish pohotoshop skills


I'm liking the single boom idea, I may have to purchase a boom/steal a piece of scaffolding