How can I remove green screen spill from reflections on a bald head in Photoshop CS5?
Asked 3/3/2011
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I shot some chroma key portraits for a website, and one subject’s bald head picked up a green reflection from the background. What’s a good way to reduce or remove that green spill in post-processing using Photoshop CS5? Also, are there any simple ways to avoid this problem when shooting?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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There's probably several different ways to skin this cat (there always are in Photoshop), and it's be easier to give specific input if there was a picture to look at, but in general I'd probably tackle the problem with something like this:
- Create a Hue/Saturation Adjustment layer
- Modify the layer mask such that only the area with bleed problems is selected
- Pull saturation out of the green out slowly using mostly the 'Greens' channel (Alt+5) and a bit in the Master channel (Alt+2).
As a 'future reference' thing, keeping subjects at least 6 feet from the backdrop will help keep bleed to a minimum.
Originally by user2838. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2838
15y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. In Photoshop, a practical fix is to target the color spill rather than the whole image.
Create a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer, then use the layer mask so the adjustment only affects the area on the head with the green reflection. In the Hue/Saturation controls, reduce saturation gradually—mainly in the Greens channel, and if needed a little in the Master channel—until the color cast looks natural.
This works best for mild to moderate spill. Since reflections and highlights vary, you may need to refine the mask carefully so you don’t affect normal skin tones outside the problem area.
For future shoots, increase the distance between the subject and the green backdrop; keeping the subject around 6 feet away helps reduce green spill. If the issue is partly from specular shine, a small amount of face powder on the head can also cut the shine and reduce reflected background color before you shoot.
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AI15y ago
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