Thoughts on green chromakey backgrounds?

[AtuspidsGoddess]

It's been awhile since I have been here! So I've been looking around ebay and such for some background kits and noticed a lot of the kits come with a green chromakey backdrop...I know they are used a lot in movies...etc...but in photography? Is the idea the same, that you use it to later put in a digital background of your choice? What's the consensus on this?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Yup, that's what it's for.

 

[AtuspidsGoddess]

Is this a method that a lot of photogs employ? Doesn't it look rather fake?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

It can be well done. Dealing with hair can be difficult.
I think the biggest failures with chromakeyed shots, is the lighting on the model not matching the new background.

 

[Forkie]

I've always wondered about these too actually. Doesn't the green background create a green cast over the subject?

 

[Big Mike]

Doesn't the green background create a green cast over the subject?

Yes, it can....and that's a direct result of how much light you have on the backdrop and how close the subject is to it.

For this reason, I usually recommend to people that it's better to use white/black/grey backdrops when the goal is to extract the subject (replace the background). No matter what color or tone your backdrop is, it's much easier to extract your subject if they don't blend with the background. So just like you wouldn't have your subject wearing green when using a green screen, you wouldn't use a black background if they were wearing black or had black hair etc. And of course, you can make your backdrop white or black (or anywhere in-between), depending on how much light you put on it.
So the best 'all around' backdrop would probably be a neutral tone grey.

 

[vtf]

There are some commercial programs out there that use green screen technology in studio work. One such location is the "Medieval Times" dinner clubs that take a picture of you in front of the screen and you select the medieval background that you want placed in it automatically.
Green Screen Wizard, Green Screen Software (Chroma Key Software) for Replacing Green Screen Background on Photos

PS: This was the first post when I googled green screen programs. I do not endorse or know anything about this particular program.

 

[Forkie]

Thanks Big Mike.

There are some commercial programs out there that use green screen technology in studio work. One such location is the "Medieval Times" dinner clubs that take a picture of you in front of the screen and you select the medieval background that you want placed in it automatically.
Green Screen Wizard, Green Screen Software (Chroma Key Software) for Replacing Green Screen Background on Photos

PS: This was the first post when I googled green screen programs. I do not endorse or know anything about this particular program.

Yep, these look just as I thought - horrendous! It must be damned-near impossible to match the lighting on your subject to the lighting of your intended background. The first ones on that page of the bride in ridiculous places, make my eyes bleed.

 

[AtuspidsGoddess]

I have found that even with just trying to put in new backgrounds with any pic, matching the lighting to the background is the hardest part...

 

[vtf]

Thanks Big Mike.

There are some commercial programs out there that use green screen technology in studio work. One such location is the "Medieval Times" dinner clubs that take a picture of you in front of the screen and you select the medieval background that you want placed in it automatically.
Green Screen Wizard, Green Screen Software (Chroma Key Software) for Replacing Green Screen Background on Photos

PS: This was the first post when I googled green screen programs. I do not endorse or know anything about this particular program.

Yep, these look just as I thought - horrendous! It must be damned-near impossible to match the lighting on your subject to the lighting of your intended background. The first ones on that page of the bride in ridiculous places, make my eyes bleed.

Yep, these look just as I thought - horrendous! It must be damned-near impossible to match the lighting on your subject to the lighting of your intended background. The first ones on that page of the bride in ridiculous places, make my eyes bleed.[/QUOTE]

I agree. They are best used for novelty locations such as amusement parks, parties, events. I would never use for formal events. They might work for a informal company group shots where a specific background could be utilized.

 

[CCericola]

I tend to leave the green screen effects to the videographers. When I started I had gray muslin and an old blue canvas backdrop I found at a flea market. With the muslin I could expose it for white, black or add gels for color.

 

[Big Mike]

I think the time and place for these chromakey backdrops are for this type of automatic background removal. So the amusement park photo booth...or video/movies etc. For still photos where quality is key, you probably want to have more control than that...but there are some pretty good tools for extracting subjects...but you really have to be careful of getting that color blowing back onto your subject, so that they are not removed as well.

As for extracting subjects and replacing backgrounds etc. I'd think that it's actually very common in commercial photography...but in these cases, it's likely pro photographers and then pro photo editors doing the work, so they have plenty of practice in making it look good.

 

[Jeremy Smith]

I like using backdrops because it allows a better lighting match than you get with green screen sometimes. With a photography backdrop, you can see the environment right in front of you (instead of imagining it), and you can match the lighting on the subject/client right there in the studio, instead of really difficult retouch afterwards. Many people don't know it, but you can actually achieve some realistic and artistic looks with backdrops. Check out some examples in my gallery if you're interested. I'm not talking about cheesy or painted backdrops, but rather printed realistic images. I agree with what most people say above. I see very few green screen images that I appreciate. Backdrops, have been poorly done for a long time, but I don't think it has to be that way.