On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:30:31 -0600, Joel <Joel@NoSpam.com> wrote:

>tony cooper <tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
><snip>
>> These steps are easily researchable on the web. It's recommended to
>> place the subject about 4' in front of the chroma green background and
>> to light the background from the sides to eliminate color spill and
>> shadows.
>
> What you both say is just part of the very BASIC of photography, or it has
>nothing to do with green-screen specific but Photoshopy (Video as well)
>technique. BTW, I do not against what you two saying, but just add some

In basic photography, the background is not normally lit in any
special manner. In studio photography, a solid background will be lit
in a similar way, but there is less importance to lighting a "picture"
background. Positioning to avoid shadows would be important, though.
>
>> My question is about the software. Many companies offer software to
>> use in conjunction with a green screen. I can't figure out if they do
>> anything different than what Photoshop does.
>
> YES, there are plug-in for photoshop which get the idea from VIDEO, or
>green-screen is original designed for Video. And the problem that some of
>you guys (not you specific but in general) don't want to hear thing you
>don't want to hear. So I will try to give a little more detail
>
>- YES, there are several and they cost $400-800+ a pop.
>
>- NO, you do not need to spend any extra $$$ on any of them because they
>ain't any more special than Select Color with few extra tool to deselect
>some area with similar color (green).
>
>- It's much wiser to use regular Masking plug-in,

I don't know of any "regular Masking plug-in". I know only of masking
by the standard feature in Photoshop.

> or learning to use
>Photoshop's built-in tool which is capable of doing the hundreds of $$$ can.
>YES, the regular Masking plug-in has more advance than Green-Screen plug-in

In what way?

>> Some will remove the green (or blue) and replace it with a background
>> image, but that seems the same to me as popping in a background image
>> as a layer.
>
> GREEN (a special green not normal green) because we won't see that kind of
>green in our daily life, making thing much easier to separate. That's it!

The web sources say that the blue and greens used are used because
they are the colors that are the most different from flesh tones.
It's not the rarity of the color, but the opposite factor.

>> I have the impression that the software is for those who don't have
>> Photoshop, but I'm trying to verify this.
>
> .. and if the foreground is GREEN

The "foreground" is usually a subject, and unless that foreground is a
Martian, the green will be distinct from the flesh tones.

>then you may find WHITE background is a
>much better choice than Green-Screen background. Or I am trying to make the
>WHITE more special than GREEN-SCREEN.

The foreground subject's clothing is more likely to have white bits,
or colors near-to white, than either the green or blue used in these
screens.

I appreciate your comments, Joel, but what I'm really interested in is
finding someone who *does* use a green or blue screen and eliciting
comments from them about the need for software.


--

Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida