GREENSCREEN TAKES OFF IN UK!

• Greenscreen Takes Off in UK! –
by Parinita Salian


"What's all the fuss about greenscreen, then?", wedding photographer Kevin Poucher asked me the other week. Like many togs today, he was keen to know the benefits. Movies have used mattes to superimpose subjects onto background scenes for decades. But the greenscreen being adopted by photographers is the instant digital kind (as used to put maps behind weather reporters). This type of greenscreen is so fast, it can even be used for instant snapshots at events. Software like ExpressDigital DARKROOM Professional can matte a subject onto a digital background, with little or no manual intervention, in seconds. [expand story >>>]

It's especially beneficial to wedding, portrait, and sports and event photographers. David Solomon, a schools photographer, told me: "The other day I ended up doing a school football team shoot on a very cloudy and dull day. So I decided to shoot the various teams against greenscreen, and at a later date I took shots of the school building on the sunniest day possible. I was able to get a picture perfect result for all the teams."

Event photographers use it to drop their subjects onto digital backgrounds. At a fancy dress, that might be a fantasy background, or a themed background may be used at other events.

The use of greenscreen has been a staple of photographers in the U.S. for years. It's clearly starting to take off on this side of the pond now too. [add comment]