Backdrops for quick selfies

[Like Ra]

What are your solutions for "clean" selfies? I mean, whenever I try to make a photo of myself, I can't find a place with a clean, not cluttered background. For "small area photos" I use either a yoga mat (on the floor), a piece of paper (on the window sill), or a door. But what about "full-length" photos?

[Tinker D]

Have you tried pinning a white bed sheet hanging over a doorway?

[Anne]

I bought a green screen for chroma keying on Aliexpress 

green screen

Then it's easy to remove the background. For just one picture you could use Gimp or similar but I'm using Natron as it also works great for video.

Gimp

Natron

   

Then I can put myself wherever I want (using Gimp again):

   

Putting yourself in front of a white wall can also work, in that case make sure the wall is evenly lit (no shadows) and then key it out with a hue or luma keyer. Green works better because it's the farthest away from skin tones as possible.

[Like Ra]

That's a very good and affordable solution! 3x6m chromakey canvas can be quite useful indeed.

Green works better because it's the farthest away from skin tones as possible.

Unless you are wearing something what is far from the skin tone. And since my skin is almost always covered ... Possibly a white backdrop is better?

make sure the wall is evenly lit (no shadows)

Yes, that's another problem...

[Anne]

If you are planning to use a white backdrop be advised that reflections, like in latex clothing, are also white so then you will get transparent patches which require manual work to exclude them from the key.

HOWTO evenly lit your backdrop: Go to Gamma/Brico/Hubo/... and buy 4 big fluorescent tubes with a mount for each, a decent length of cable and 4 plugs. Assemble all that. Then use 2 of the tubes to light your background, put one on the far left, one on the far right around 1 meter from the backdrop and point them at the backdrop, if the lamps don't lit evenly place them farther away or put some transparent paper/fabric over them to difuse the light. Then put the remaining two lights a meter/ 1.5 meters apart in front of you. You need to stand a decent distance away from the backdrop to prevent hard shadows, 1 meter should be ok so you'll be standing between the 2 lights that light the backdrop. The two other lights that are there to light the subject (aka you) are in front of you. Set up your camera on a tripod, adjust whitebalance and start shooting.

As always: practice makes perfect

Edit: I have 4 of those:

   

I have 2x4 of these as normal room lights, then 4 as additional lights mounted vertically when shooting.

[Like Ra]

The need for photo/video devices came unexpectedly from my other family members. This is the purchase list:

150* 200cm 4in1 Collapsible Background chroma key Panel Green Blue Backdrop
18 Inch Dimmable 60w LED Ring Light

Shipping from Germany (!) - cheaper, than from China and no VAT (I hope 😁 )

More items follow...

[Like Ra]

150* 200cm 4in1 Collapsible Background chroma key Panel Green Blue Backdrop
18 Inch Dimmable 60w LED Ring Light

Aeady ARRIVED! In just 2 days! Very versatile kit and they even added another small USD LED ring light with a funny tripod! So far everything works good! I'm impressed!

[Like Ra]

I like the result, but the process showed, that I need more background, more light, better microphones and a recorder. My next purchase list (I like the prices!):

22inch 300pcs LED Ring lamp with a tripod
3x4m green backdrop
Studio Backdrops Stand
Zoom H1N audio recorder
Deity V.lav Lavalier Microphone
Deity V-Mic D3 Microphone

(The mics can wait, I've got the Boya By-M1)

[madjack]

My! @Like Ra has been busy buying new kit  😁

The question that I, and I suspect many others, want to ask is;  "Does all this mean we will be seeing some new images of Ra, playing his kinky games?"

I do hope that the answer is "yes"   😇

MJ

[Like Ra]

"Does all this mean we will be seeing some new images of Ra, playing his kinky games?"

That's the question I have as well 😁