5 replies to this topic

[etphoto]

I excepted a job for a large family portrait, which turned out great. Yet, I stupidly told them I will attempt to photoshop in family members that weren't there (different parts of the country). The deal was the family members would photograph themselves (in a pose I described to them). They needed to use a "real camera" and not a cellphone. I got the first high res image last night and spent at least an hour attempting to photoshop the person into my image. The problem is, the difference in quality of the images makes the person "looked photoshoped".

I've done this before and it looked pretty good. Yet, the missing people were photographed my me so the image quality was the same.

I just wanted to vent.

[dcbear78]

Oh man... That's a tough one. Composites are an art form. One I certainly am terrible at so I got no help for you.... Sorry.

[Merco_61]

Sounds difficult... Difficult enough when done with the same lens and camera, only at a different time. Even worse under these conditions. I feel for you, it is not a desirable situation. Composites are difficult enough to get right even with controlled lighting and a chroma-key background. Like Darryl said, an artform in itself.

[Kenafein]

Pictures from multiple lighting sources, sounds like a bad idea.  One of those learning moments, I suppose.  

[Ron]

Yeah, that can be rough. If you have a couple of images taken at the same time but have small problems.... eyes closed on some people, etc. you can usually fix it with layer masks, etc. But adding something shot under totally different lighting with different equipment is pretty hard to get right.

 

I think I would have to go back and tell these people that, under the circumstances, you can't deliver the quality image they expect. That can be a bitter pill to swallow but it's worse if you deliver something that makes them feel cheated.

 

--Ron

[Thumper]

I was asked to a similar job once when I did a group shot for a company Christmas party for a local business.  (It was actually the entire facilities staff at a local jr college.  They do a group photo every year and hang it in the main office.  I took several of their shots over the last few years).   One employee was late getting to the party, so he was left out of the shot.  I was easily able to recreate the lighting since it was an indoor shot, and he easily blended into the photo.  

 

But having to do it from photos taken from different cameras (and from phone camera shots, no less) in different locations with obviously different lighting situations would seem to be a nightmare to have to work with.