If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Picture editing question, help wanted please
Hi,
I recently bought a new camera (a nikon coolpix 3200) to take some pictures of my pocket watch collection to post on the internet. What I would like to do is take a picture of the pocket watch and somehow seperate it from the background so im just left with the watch. I've searched round the internet and found that the suggested best way to do this would be to use an editing program and trim the photo. I've tried that but I'm hopeless and the end result is terrible. I was wondering if anyone knew a better way to do it. I am trying to make a picture so that I have 6 or 7 pocket watches all on the one picture and thought that trimming the pocket watch picture would be the best way. I stumbled across some posts which suggested a good way to achieve this would be to use Photoshop and the photomerge feature ( I may have named this wrong, I cant remember what its called). I tried to use the photomerge but my backgrounds were all different colours and the end result was not good either. Thanks to those who reply, Andy |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
You can do this in Photoshop. Maybe also in Photoshop Elemets, or if
you are in the mood The Gimp On Fri, 8 Oct 2004 18:45:36 +0100, "Andy" wrote: Hi, I recently bought a new camera (a nikon coolpix 3200) to take some pictures of my pocket watch collection to post on the internet. What I would like to do is take a picture of the pocket watch and somehow seperate it from the background so im just left with the watch. I've searched round the internet and found that the suggested best way to do this would be to use an editing program and trim the photo. I've tried that but I'm hopeless and the end result is terrible. I was wondering if anyone knew a better way to do it. I am trying to make a picture so that I have 6 or 7 pocket watches all on the one picture and thought that trimming the pocket watch picture would be the best way. I stumbled across some posts which suggested a good way to achieve this would be to use Photoshop and the photomerge feature ( I may have named this wrong, I cant remember what its called). I tried to use the photomerge but my backgrounds were all different colours and the end result was not good either. Thanks to those who reply, Andy |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
On Fri, 8 Oct 2004 18:45:36 +0100, "Andy" wrote:
Hi, I recently bought a new camera (a nikon coolpix 3200) to take some pictures of my pocket watch collection to post on the internet. What I would like to do is take a picture of the pocket watch and somehow seperate it from the background so im just left with the watch. I've searched round the internet and found that the suggested best way to do this would be to use an editing program and trim the photo. I've tried that but I'm hopeless and the end result is terrible. I was wondering if anyone knew a better way to do it. I am trying to make a picture so that I have 6 or 7 pocket watches all on the one picture and thought that trimming the pocket watch picture would be the best way. I stumbled across some posts which suggested a good way to achieve this would be to use Photoshop and the photomerge feature ( I may have named this wrong, I cant remember what its called). I tried to use the photomerge but my backgrounds were all different colours and the end result was not good either. Thanks to those who reply, Andy perhaps comp.graphics.apps.photoshop may be a better place to query. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
I have done this a few ways...first will say the quick and dirty ways and
last I will discribe the way I do it now. If you have shot everything allready....using Photoshop or a program that has masking....mask the object and reverse the mask...make a new image and put guides to devide up the area. Cut from the old image and Paste to the new one. Tranform/Scale to the size you want. Do the same to all of them. To make it easier...put up a white sweep...a curved piece of stiff paper behind and under the watch. Put some lights around it. Build a tent of a white sheet or a shower curtain and light from outside of the tent. Buy a LightBox...a cloth box that does the above. Very easy and what I use now....with a couple of strobes. Do a white ballance to be sure the color is right...makes it easier to blend the backgrounds. A black sweep might be usefull too. Let me know if you have further questions after you have tried a few shots. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
"Andy" writes:
I recently bought a new camera (a nikon coolpix 3200) to take some pictures of my pocket watch collection to post on the internet. What I would like to do is take a picture of the pocket watch and somehow seperate it from the background so im just left with the watch. I've searched round the internet and found that the suggested best way to do this would be to use an editing program and trim the photo. I've tried that but I'm hopeless and the end result is terrible. I was wondering if anyone knew a better way to do it. I am trying to make a picture so that I have 6 or 7 pocket watches all on the one picture and thought that trimming the pocket watch picture would be the best way. I stumbled across some posts which suggested a good way to achieve this would be to use Photoshop and the photomerge feature ( I may have named this wrong, I cant remember what its called). I tried to use the photomerge but my backgrounds were all different colours and the end result was not good either. You're talking about using masking to eliminate the background. Pocket watches are a *lot* easier than some subjects -- imagine tree leaves against the horizon, or a person's hair. On the other hand, pocket watches probably have reflective surfaces, which will complicate things no end. It's a basic skill for digital image manipulation. There are lots of tricks and shortcuts to learn. And after that it's still a fair amount of work. All I can say is, keep practicing. -- David Dyer-Bennet, , http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/ RKBA: http://noguns-nomoney.com/ http://www.dd-b.net/carry/ Pics: http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/ http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/ Dragaera/Steven Brust: http://dragaera.info/ |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Hi,
I recently bought a new camera (a nikon coolpix 3200) to take some pictures of my pocket watch collection to post on the internet. What I would like to do is take a picture of the pocket watch and somehow seperate it from the background so im just left with the watch. I've searched round the internet and found that the suggested best way to do this would be to use an editing program and trim the photo. I've tried that but I'm hopeless and the end result is terrible. I was wondering if anyone knew a better way to do it. I am trying to make a picture so that I have 6 or 7 pocket watches all on the one picture and thought that trimming the pocket watch picture would be the best way. I stumbled across some posts which suggested a good way to achieve this would be to use Photoshop and the photomerge feature ( I may have named this wrong, I cant remember what its called). I tried to use the photomerge but my backgrounds were all different colours and the end result was not good either. Thanks to those who reply, Andy Andy- Here's what I suggest- make a lightbox using something perhaps the size of a paper carton lined with a couple of layers of aluminum foil. Cut holes in the lined foil box to let the heat escape; put a simple clamp lamp with a bare 60 watt bulb in the box & cover it with a piece of glass; put some white tissue paper on top of the glass & put your watch on top of that. The back lighting will eliminate (or at least minimize) any shadow from the watch. Set your camera on manual & if necessary use a tripod then adjust your aperture & shutter speed to get a pleasing exposure for the watch. Once you've found the settings that give you the image you desire, take all your watch shots with the same settings for consistency. Be careful to make sure your lamp doesn't overheat the box or any of the other materials! IMHO taking the time to figure out how to get a pleasing & consistent result out of your camera beats trying to fix problem images with software. If you start with consistently exposed images you should have little trouble combining them all into the single image file of all your watches. Karl Cook -Every day it's the same thing -- variety. I want something different! |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
"Gene Palmiter" wrote in message news:ijD9d.91$wV4.24@trndny03... I have done this a few ways...first will say the quick and dirty ways and last I will discribe the way I do it now. If you have shot everything allready....using Photoshop or a program that has masking....mask the object and reverse the mask...make a new image and put guides to devide up the area. Cut from the old image and Paste to the new one. Tranform/Scale to the size you want. Do the same to all of them. To make it easier...put up a white sweep...a curved piece of stiff paper behind and under the watch. Put some lights around it. Build a tent of a white sheet or a shower curtain and light from outside of the tent. Buy a LightBox...a cloth box that does the above. Very easy and what I use now....with a couple of strobes. Do a white ballance to be sure the color is right...makes it easier to blend the backgrounds. A black sweep might be usefull too. Let me know if you have further questions after you have tried a few shots. Hi, Thanks for the suggestions. I have looked around the internet and found some info about light boxes. I'll buy one and see how I get on. I'll also have a look at masking. Thanks to all those who replied Andy |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
[SI] Old stuff comments | Martin Djernæs | 35mm Photo Equipment | 23 | August 18th 04 08:30 PM |
Editing Digital Movie Question | BUB 209 | Digital Photography | 5 | July 28th 04 07:00 PM |
How to Exhibit and Sell your picture and photos from your website | Film & Labs | 0 | January 26th 04 08:52 AM | |
How to Exhibit and Sell your picture and photos from your website | Other Photographic Equipment | 0 | January 26th 04 08:52 AM | |
Amateur Question - Picture Cutter | Stephen Kennedy | Other Photographic Equipment | 1 | January 10th 04 03:50 PM |