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Digitally Editing In Backgrounds with the FlexDrop2

A lesson produced by WebPhotoSchool®

Making chromakey dropouts has become very popular. Shooting portraits for dropping out the background can be a good idea for those who want to apply various backgrounds to the same image.

This lesson will show how we got great results using a FlexDrop backdrop in a portrait session.



(Click on any image below for an enlarged view.)

Topics Covered:

  • Setting the FlexDrop
  • Lighting the FlexDrop
  • Lighting the subject
  • Creating a dropout
  • Adding a background

Equipment Used:

    Figure 1

    We set up the FlexDrop screen as the background for our portrait session. We set up the two light Starlite Medium Digital Kit 2, one of either side, to light the FlexDrop.

    Figure 2

    This diagram shows an overhead view of the FlexDrop lighting set up.

    Figure 3

    Various points on the FlexDrop were metered to ensure bright, even lighting.

    Figure 4

    We used a standard portrait lighting set up with a main light, reflector fill, and hairlight.

    Figure 5

    Here is a side view of our set.

    Grids were used on the main light to keep this light from spilling onto the background.

    NOTE: The FlexDrop should be lit separately from the subject to avoid light spill or shadows on the background. These can make dropouts more difficult.

    Figure 6

    This is an overhead view of the main light and reflector fill.

    Figure 7

    This shot shows the hairlight, a Small HalfDome2 Kit in place.

    Figure 8

    We used grids on the hairlight also to prevent light spilling onto the FlexDrop.

    Figure 9

    We took several shots and chose this one as our favorite.

    Figure 10

    We opened the image in Photoshop and used a masking plug-in application to create our dropout mask.

    Figure 11

    We added a saturated color as a background to check our mask.

    Figure 12

    We added a background created in Photoshop. We have a great portrait.

    Figure 13

    We even have the option of changing the background as often as we wish.

    Related Lessons
    Following are Web Photo School lessons related to this topic.

    Knocking-Out and Adding Backgrounds Quickly and Easily
    Learn how to light your subject and a chromakey background for knockouts. We also show how we used software to replace the background.

    Equipment Used:

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