Shooting with a chroma key backdrop

How I do my digital backgrounds is when I go somewhere I always take my camera and when I see something that would make a good background I shoot it. I make most of my own backgrounds.

That is a great image with primatte..I'm going to have to give it another look. The hardest part is getting the green background even lighting..pretty hard without a studio.

Shooting wrote in post #8886113
How I do my digital backgrounds is when I go somewhere I always take my camera and when I see something that would make a good background I shoot it. I make most of my own backgrounds.

That is a great image with primatte..I'm going to have to give it another look. The hardest part is getting the green background even lighting..pretty hard without a studio.

CGTextures.com has some tutorials and I believe one of them tells you how to create your own digital backgrounds.

Shooting wrote in post #8886113
The hardest part is getting the green background even lighting..pretty hard without a studio.

I do 90% of my work on location. The trick I have found it to always have the green bg exactly one stop under the subject. I generally shoot the subject at f/11 and the bg at f/8.

It takes 4 light stands, two lights and a roll of paper. I can set up in about 10 minutes. As I explained with the diagram on the first page of this thread if you have a pre-determined set up it is quite easy.

I would like to mention that the diagram shows simple cross lighting and this works good for school photos but maybe not so good for a more dramatic portrait as was mentioned, but you can use a fill and main light set at 2:1 ratios or whatever or even a single light to achieve the same results of the subject one stop over the bg.

The trick really is the one stop under difference on the bg. This eliminates any spill back on the subject and makes extraction a snap.

I have just went through literally thousands of heads and never had a single problem yet with the extraction or spill on wispy hair. The subjects can even wear green

Here is a crude little device I had a friend of mine make for me to hold the rolls of paper. I slip it over the top of a lightstand.

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BCRose,

You are using Primatte?

Thanks! John

Johnny V wrote in post #8886247
BCRose,

You are using Primatte?

Thanks! John

No, I do not use it for my high volume school work. I send everything to a lab and they do it for me. www.36pix.com

They do the order envelopes, proof sheets and printing. I take the pictures

I thought I would pass this on to anyone interested in a great deal from Denny Mfg on a Chromakey flex out background selling them today only for 60% off...these things usually run about $300. I picked one up today and I don't really need it but at this price it is like money in the bank.

http://www.dennymfg.co​m …NC=091102?SID=7​2834?UID=0

BCRose wrote in post #8896374
I thought I would pass this on to anyone interested in a great deal from Denny Mfg on a Chromakey flex out background selling them today only for 60% off...these things usually run about $300. I picked one up today and I don't really need it but at this price it is like money in the bank.

http://www.dennymfg.co​m …NC=091102?SID=7​2834?UID=0

Good find. Too bad they don't have larger ones on sale. I'm looking for something that's 8' x 8' or 8' x 10'.

TMR Design wrote in post #8896435
Good find. Too bad they don't have larger ones on sale. I'm looking for something that's 8' x 8' or 8' x 10'.

I hear ya, this one is pretty much limited to 3/4 and head shots.

Something cute, just to show the possibilities with the green screen.
These types of images sell like crazy...pet owners are often a bit obsessed about their animals....if they bring them into the studio in the first place you already have an idea that money is not really an issue so offer them these types of images and they go for it almost everytime. Put this on a canvas and it is really nice. Have a couple already printed to show them after the shoot. Prey on their weakness

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Very cool Rose.

When you shoot animals (or say kids), do you get them off the floor and onto a table or anything?
I was messing around with green screen this weekend with a setup similar to yours. 3/4 shots and head shots were no problem. Then I tried a few shots of babies on on the floor and realized there was alot of green spill off the floor and onto their legs etc.

Yes, very difficult to get the green evenly lit on the floor.

I typically set them (pets) on a square block I have about 30 inches in height. They usuallly sit really good. Whistle and they will cock their heads and this makes for a great pose.

I haven't tried babies yet, usually just go with the white for them. Which is quite easy to knock out too if you don't have a lot of spill.

With white I just use the background eraser tool and protect the colour of the hair, or whatever colour the part of the image you are working on is...works like a charm.

Thanks Rose. Yeah I am a fan of high key shots with babies and I usually use a super white backdrop with them... but I am new to chroma key and trying to get the hang of it. Thanks again!

can anybody tell me where can i get chroma shoots footages with good quality?
plz tell me soon i need it !!!!!!!!!!!!