digital backdrops

[cab]

I would like to know if anyone out there knows how to make their own digital backdrops? You would usually take a photo of someone in front of chromakey background and cut the person out and put in the digital backdrop on photoshop elements. I have found these for sale on the internet at some photo equipment sites, but they seem to be quite costly. Is it possible that I can make my own? I did make one that looked like a simple backdrop like canvas (I learned in an online class), but I am interested in more elaborate ones like a flag in the background for instance. I would say I am a moderate to advanced user of Photoshop Elements 3.0 (haven't moved over to 4.0 yet!). Sorry if this is somewhere else on this site, but I couldn't find it. This is my first post after looking on here many times! Great site! :lol:

[Wendy]

Hi there ....

... and welcome to the forum :)

Yes you can make backdrops in Elements.

I did a mini tut a while back on creating a simple one using the Clouds filter ... its called portrait background and its in here:

Wendy's Mini Tutorials (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3641)

You can expand on the idea, increse the number of layers used and add more colours to each layer then change the blending mode to see how the different effects look.

If you want to make a backgdrop using a flag the all you need to do is take a flag image, place in on a layer above your created canvas background then lower the opacity of the flag. If you want the flag to follow the folds of canvas or curtains then try using a displacement map on the flag layer. Here is a good tut for displacement maps ... it is written for Photoshop so just ignore the part about using Channels and start at step 5:

http://www.photoshopcafe.com/tutorials/dispmap/dispmap.htm

You can also use the gradient tool set to difference to create backgrounds:

Create a new blank file. Any size will do:

Set your foreground and background to Black & White
Select the Gradient tool Linear Gradient, Foreground to Background, Difference Mode.

Now do quite a lot of small horizontal movements of the gradient tool and it will start to look like folds ..
When it look like a curtain you can use Hue & Saturation to colour it.
Then cut out a curtain shape.

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1uqDvQVQdVq4xupDNDutKGeGlzmxQV

Another way is Filer>Render>Fibers

There are lots of possibilities :)


Wendy

[cab]

Thank you so much Wendy! I had some trouble with my computer yesterday and couldn't respond then. I have done one similar to the portrait background from Scott Kelby's book, but will try yours also. I will actually try all of them. Lots of great information!! I think the hardest part for me is "picking" the person out of their original photo. Hopefully I will get better at this!! Will post something when I have a minute to catch up and play around with some photos! As much as I'd like to spend all day on my computer or with my camera, well you know!! Thanks again!! :lol:

[Wendy]

Hi there ...

... that is quite alright I'm glad to help :)

Do let us know how you go on with your backgrounds and any help we can give you with them or with making selections then just ask. There is usually someone around who will talk you throught things :)


Wendy

[Jones]

Hi Wendy,

I came across a broken link of yours in the forum. Would you mind pointing me in the right direction? I wanted to creat a soft backdrop of cluds for a flyer. Here's the quote of the broken link

I did a mini tut a while back on creating a simple one using the Clouds filter ... its called portrait background and its in here:

Wendy's Mini Tuts

You can expand on the idea, increse the number of layers used and add more colours to each layer then change the blending mode to see how the different effects look.

[Wendy]

Hi there ...

Thanks for letting me know ... I have now changed it in the original message and here is the new link Wendy's Mini Tutorials (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3641)

Hope it helps ... do let me know if you need something different :)


Wendy