Sailplane on Real Photo

[Csion]

I dont know what this kind of work is called...
Im trying to make the model look like part of the picture

Let me know what you think.

-JCanuet

[cagey5]

It's called compositing. And that's a pretty good effort! Nice one.

[Csion]

Thanks!

I want to do the same thing but have the glider "sitting" in a grass field.

If I do, how can I get grass reflections on the underside of the plane without there being any grass? and what about making a shadow on the ground?

[Mr Maze]

Looks good so far.

If you are using photoshop to composite, you should consider adding some noise to the glider layer, it is much too clean compared with the background. Any digital or analog photo capture has a noise component.

Also, because it is cloudy, the background light quality is diffused and has a dappled effect. I think the shadow under the tail is too hard, try lightening it.

[Csion]

im going to try adding noise and lower the brightness in photoshop.
is there a way to lighten the shadow without changing the brightness of everything?

[Skinner3D]

You can use the dodge tool in Photoshop to lighten specific areas.

When you do the image of the sailplane on the ground make sure your shadows on the plane match the picture. {I may be horribly stating the obvious with this}

It kind of looks like the mountains and the plane are shadowing in two different directions.

Either way :thumbsup: on the sailplane picture so far.

[Csion]

how can i lighten the shadows in lightwave?
currently the shadow is so dark dodging it erases the tail fins letters.

[Mr Maze]

Dodge tool sucks. Instead, make a copy of the layer which has the plane and the background on it. Make sure it is the top layer. Then go to image>adjustments>shadow/highlight. Turn off highlight adjustments and adjust the image for the shadow until the shadow that you want to effect looks right. This will affect the entire layer so when you have the shadow looking right on the adjusted layer, make a layer mask, select the mask, and go to edit>fill>fill with black 100%. Then using a soft white brush at about 20% opacity paint back in the adjusted shadow. Works real good, and can be very subtle.

If you need any help doing this, let me know - I could even post an example for you or make a screen capture video. I feed my kids with photoshop got more stuff than this...

[Csion]

that sounds great

you can make a video if youd like. im just started using photoshop after switching from over three years with picturepublisher..hehe

[Mr Maze]

Hey Csion

I can't seem to upload the zipped video file. Are you on PC or Mac? If you are on Mac I can put it in my iDisk public folder and you can just download it.

I have tried uploading in both IE and Firefox (At work on a PC right now).

[Csion]

im on a PC, but dont worry about it if its too much trouble. :)

[Mr Maze]

Hey I figured out how to make the file accessible. It is on my iDisk:

http://idisk.mac.com/mazerock-Public

Download and unzip.

[Csion]

my browser isnt supported on that site (im on a psp :-D). can u email the file?

jcanuet@gmail.com

[Csion]

ok...i darkened and reduced the saturation a bit, added some noise then a little blur.
any better? you kinda have to view them side-by-side.

can i use the alpha image from the render to make a smooth selection?

-JCanuet

[Bog]

That's very good, but the specular highlight on the canopy is way too clean. On an overcast day like that, you'd have cloud dappling reflections on the canopy, and probably less of a highlight.

Darn fine work for someone who didn't even know the name of what he was doing, though! ;) Keep it up!

[Csion]

hey bog can you explain more about what you were saying?

[Bog]

Sure.

Your background plate (that is "The photo which you're compositing your render onto") is of an overcast day - there are lots of clouds. The pattern of light-and-shadow on the ground implies more cloud than clear sky, but the canopy of your sailplane isn't reflecting any cloud.

LightWave can do a brilliant trick called "Unseen By Camera" - so if you put an object over your sailplane, textured with an image of a cloudy sky - and set that object to be Unseen By Camera and casting no shadows, it could reflect off your craft's canopy - as would happen in the real world - without having an inconvenient hemisphere of Visible Stuff in the shot.

Is that making any more sense?

[Sarford]

...set that object to be Unseen By Camera and casting no shadows...


And no self-shadowing ofcourse else (if its in front of your sun) it would still be dark. Just upppen to luminosity would be an alternative.

[Bog]

Well, I did say "casting no shadows" ;)

<delenn>In the place where no shadows fall...</delenn>