• Photos

  • Level

  • Score

BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Photography Question 

Carla Frey 		 

How to compose background in photoshop


 
 
Help. I'm a huge ameture and I just had my first job shooting a family of over 15 people inside. (Rediculous I know). I had set up a black backdrop, yet it didn't fit everyone in the photo and the family insisted that they wanted the photo taken in front of the window. (I must learn to suggest better alternatives). Regardless, would anyone have tips on salvaging this photo? I've attempted to use the magic wand and color the background in, yet it looks like a cookie cutter set the family in front of an unusual background. p.s. I'm signed up for a photoshop class, so I know minimal about using. After attempting this ... I may need to consider another hobby! Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!


To love this question, log in above
January 23, 2006

 

Denyse Clark 		  Personally, while the background is not ideal, I don't think this photo needs "salvaging". Everyone is pretty well lit and your posing looks good... They wanted it in front of the window, then the background is the window!

Getting people to do things that work photographically can be tough, but you'll learn to be more pursuasive to get what you need from them.

I think you did a very good job with it, you had tough circumstances and you pulled it off.


To love this comment, log in above
January 23, 2006

 

Carla Frey 		 
 
 
Thank you Denyse! I've been playing @ in photoshop and attempted to change the background to a charcoal gray. I will need to continue to practice so it's flawless, but this just might work.


To love this comment, log in above
January 23, 2006

 

John P. Sandstedt 		  You do need to be careful about cutting off everyone's feet [both pictures suffer from this.]

You might also try cropping off the tops of both pictures to minimize the major dark and light areas that, perhaps impact these images.
And, since you're in Photoshop anyway, consider darkening the window or removing it entirely.

Do this by creating a new layer and then using the magnetic lasso to select the group. Then go to reverse and you can erase or recolor everything but what you've selected.

Then flatten the layers and Voila.


To love this comment, log in above
January 23, 2006

 

Craig m. Zacarelli 		  if youre cutting and pasting the people into or onto a new background I find it best to use a really small "feather" in clear to do it, it will ease the trasition from subject to background. cut out the subject, get as close as humanly possible, take your time and work really slowly on this, then copy it to a clear canvas, now make your background, be sure its the same size as the original.. be sure the pikels are the same to.. as in both are 300DPI or 72DPI or what ever the orig. was. now, go back to the pasted people on the clear background and hit copy, now go back to the new background and hit paste, then use "free transform" if you need to move it around any ( you shouldnt have to if you used the same size background as the orig.) now with the subject still highlighted, hit feather, if the whole pic is outlinde or selected you need to select just the people, to do that hit "inverse" (its under "selection" tab, along with Feather ..i believe. now when you hit inverse it will then only select the subject (youll see the marching ants going around them) now hit feather, when the pop up box appears, try selecting a radious of about 5, then go to the edit tab, hit fill, when that box comes up, be sure to click on the arrow next to the word "normal" when the drop down comes up select "clear" now you should see your subject soeta fading into the background. if it looks to fake, you can step back and try a smaller radious than 5 try a 3, if it looks not enough try a larger one, like 8 or 10.
hope it helps ya. By the way, I use PS CS2 so your version might be somewhat different that how I explained,,, dont worry, this whole thing should take about 5 - 10 minutes if I explained it right..lol good luck!
Craig-


To love this comment, log in above
January 24, 2006

 

Craig m. Zacarelli 		  oh I screwed up, when hitting "inverse" be sure you have marching ants going around the outside of the box as well as the outside of the subject, if its only going around the subject, when you hit clear, they will vasish..lol
Craig-


To love this comment, log in above
January 24, 2006

 

Pete H 		  Hello Carla,

Try this:

1)Use "mask" to select the background. Use a smaller brush as you get close to the people. A soft brush is best as you get close to the people.

2) Select "Inverse."

3) Gaussian blur to your taste.


Pete


To love this comment, log in above
January 24, 2006

 

Carla Frey 		  Thanks everyone for your guidance. I do have PS CS2... but I just don't know how to use any of it! I've been a little out of commission due to my sister's surgery and our family just found out we're moving. Within 6 weeks! WOW timing is bad! Oh well. I've figured out how to Inverse, yet I'm really having trouble with finding "mask". I'll experiment with the cut and paste method that was suggested also. I'm also going to be cropping for a more pleasing composition, yet when I upload to my lab - I crop then, otherwise I lose most of the sizing options. Thanks again everyone for your guidance. Now if I could just get someone to help me pack! LOL.


To love this comment, log in above
January 27, 2006

 
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here

Report this Thread