Changing the background of an image convincingly is about a lot more than simply creating a precise mask for your subject and dropping in a new backdrop. It takes the ability to accurately evaluate and match things like lighting, color, perspective, depth of field, and more. If you are wondering how to do all those things, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know to convincingly change the background of an image using Photoshop.
Coming to you from Jesús Ramirez of the Photoshop Training Channel, this excellent video tutorial will show you a range of techniques for creating a compelling background swap in Photoshop. Even if this is something you do not think you would ever find yourself doing in your own work, it is a worthwhile project to attempt, as the wide array of techniques you employ will likely be useful in whatever genre you normally work. Furthermore, it will really challenge your eye's ability to accurately evaluate fundamental parameters like color and lighting. It is well worth taking a few hours to try it out when you have a free afternoon or evening. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Ramirez.
It seems that changing the background is rather simple these day, when the subject and the background are clearly separated. There are so many videos on this topic these days, and they always use the easiest-case scenarios.
But in real life situations, our subjects and our backgrounds are almost never separated like that.
What about MOST of the time, with MOST of our images - when something on the same plane of focus as the subject gradually fades away into the background, with gradually varying degrees of "in focus" and "out of focus"?
And what about when there is a lot of out-of-focus blur of foreground objects?
How do you easily and quickly change the background in those types of images, and have it look completely "real"?
For instance, if I wanted to put a blue sky behind this photographer, and have it look completely real and natural, how would I do it in Photoshop?
It’s a great feature for 2” pictures on the net, with lots of effort you can even get 11” prints with a few images to look natural. But the way the logarithm are going about the making at this point in time are never going to get to a high level image…it’s fun, it’s easy just not professional. Complicated luminosity masking is closer and it’s not there yet either but it’s closer.
Liken it to exposure blending you can pull it off on certain images!
Yikes! My goal is to produce 48" by 32" prints to sell to discriminating clients and show in galleries. If what you are saying is true, then this method of processing that the video suggests will be completely worthless. Sad, because I really do want an efficient way to change backgrounds for a few of my better wildlife images.