Changing a wall color...

[splproductions]

I'm doing my first shoot of somebody else's toddler tomorrow. I just went over to their house to check things out, and most of their walls are really strong, funky colors. The color in the master bedroom is a sort of puke/olive green. The little girl's bedroom is a strong orange. The kitchen is a sort of beige that for some reason makes me feel like the wall can't decide whether it wants to be grey or white.

Is there a quick way in Photoshop (or Lightroom) that I can just swap out the wall color to something more neutral? If so, could you just quickly explain the technique I'd use to do this? I can google the details, or I have some Kelby books on Photoshop that I could look up for the specific details. I just know that sometimes there are several ways to do the same thing in Photoshop, and I invariably end up doing the hardest, most difficult way.

Thanks!

 

[sharpiegoddess]

I'm sure you'll get some great feedback but my two cents is this: You're doing the shoot at their home and if they didn't want their home in the photos they would have done studio work or picked a different location. I wouldn't put all that effort into changing wall colors unless they ask you to.

 

[412 Burgh]

What about some black or white sheets/ seem less paper?

 

[brian_f2.8]

make them happy for the shoot, you do what you want for your portfolio.

 

[Ysarex]

Make sure nothing else in the photo is the same and/or a related color. Then use Photoshop: Image - Adjustments - Hue/Saturation to change the wall color.

Joe

 

[Propsguy]

Don't light the walls?

Or, shoot black and white? Or, bring a backdrop (or 2 or 3)? Or, shoot from high angles? Or, find a window with good drapes and use your strobes to expose the baby properly against the blown out windows? Or, include the environment that your client is paying you to photograph... if that's the case. If the client wants you to change the wall color, I would actually get it painted rather than fake it in post... but that might not be an option for you...

Regardless, I would vote to either minimize the presence of the walls and use them only as color accents, or simply set your lighting up so that the walls aren't lit.

Maybe someone else can actually answer your question.... I don't even use photoshop.

 

[KmH]

Is there a quick way in Photoshop (or Lightroom) that I can just swap out the wall color to something more neutral? If so, could you just quickly explain the technique I'd use to do this?

It helps to know what version/release level of Photoshop and/or Lightroom you have.

Photoshop has the 'Color Replacement Tool'. It's one of the 'Brush" tools.

With Photoshop open, press the keyboard's F1 key to go to Adobe Community Help:


You can use the search feature to find more info online:

 

[MReid]

Don't shoot in a setting you hate.
Don't shoot a background you know you are going to have to change out.
...live with it....or rethink it.

 

[Cinka]

Good points here. Your clients know what color their walls are. Did they ask you to change it? Unless your client asks for it, don't give yourself extra work for no reason. And yes, change it in your portfolio (for fun) but not for the client. Make the client happy first, you second.