Christmas Card Idea -Small Tree on a childrens pedal car - composite background

[personalt]

It is already the time to think about Christmas cards. My wife saw a really cool idea on Pinterest. It is basically a kids 'Little Tikes'' pedel car with the child 'bring home' the christmas tree. Throw the three on top and the kid inside and you have a nice card. I know we cant post other peoples pictures here - this is a link to Pinterest if anyone wants to check it out - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/445997169319083610/

My questions/thoughts

• Background - Natural or Composite - I live in the city. I dont have got access to a natural background like this without traveling far by car. I also had concerns with my mid-level amateur status that it would take me a long time to set up outside and my family would either freeze to death or get bored out of their mind waiting for me to get everything ready. If I were to do this inside on grey seamless would be be feaseable for a first time compositor to add back a background as good or better then this? If I were to set up outside I was thinking maybe setting up near the three store.. Or taking a photo of that seperatly and trying to composite it together.
• Car - all one color - Those cars dont come all red. Spraypaint or photoshop? I have access to a used car and could spray paint it but was wondering if that makes the most sense to paint it all red or just adjust after shooting it as-is
• Snow - this looks like some fake snow on the wheels with the rest in photoshop. Can you buy fake snow from a craft store? Is that falling snow totally done in photostop or did they drop something in air when taking photo?
• Any other ideas that could improve on this idea?

I will certainly post my progress as I go... I will appreciate any comments on this idea any certainly any comments when I post my first attempt with a stuff animal stand in for my son.

 

[tirediron]

Background: Natural would be best, but compositing is definitely an option; If you do opt to composite, make sure that your background is evenly lit. Masking around the needles of the tree so that you don't get haloing may be a challenge. As far as freezing, remind them that people must suffer for their art!

Car: Painted. Doing this in post is possible, but unless you are very skilled, it's going to look like it was done in post.

Snow: You can buy both canned snow and bagged snow at any large craft store. It's hard to say for sure, but my guess is that some of the 'snow' has been dropped from above and some is a product of the computer.

Lighting may be a challenge; the plastic of the car will cause a lot of specular reflectivity unless you set up your lights correctly, you will need to make sure the child inside is correctly lit, and if you do composite, you will need to find a background that is lit to the same level.

This isn't a terribly difficult shot to recreate, but it will take a little fussing with to get just right. Good luck and be sure to post the result.