# How to take picture with clean white background?



## yuwmic (May 2, 2008)

for example:

http://www.karmaloop.com/vendor/DCS/62260004md.jpg


I'd want to take pictures of my shirts only in white background.

Should I just take against white wall and photoshop it? I'm worried this won't be clean.


----------



## Needles & Ink (Mar 20, 2008)

Its called white balancing. ( this is not verbatim, just rambling...but you can google the topic and find an articulate explanation and HOW To)

You will have to find a white area and take your camera and find the white balancing setting. What it will do is make the white wall look as bright as possible. The wall or floor that you choose as the background. But everytime you turn the camera off you will have to do it again, unless you have a high tech camera that might save your setting( I highly doubt it)

Here is my google search...take your Pick....

how to white balance - Google Search


----------



## rrc62 (Jun 2, 2007)

I would just shoot it against a consistent contrasting color and Photoshop the background out. it's very easy to do with a green or blue screen and the extract filter in Photoshop. You could shoot against a white backdrop, but you will still get some shadowing from the lighting. The background won't be perfectly white as in your example.


----------



## KLBO (May 20, 2008)

From what it looks like to me what they used is a canvas white back drop and simply did a white balance. It really isnt that hard to do if you have access to lighting equipment, or if your cheap like my self I went to walmart got some work/garage lights to light my photos. And as far as the back drop I took a white bed sheet (which I should of ironed first) and had the model stand about 2-4 feet away from the back drop. Its not as good as your example because I dont have alot of lights but you can somewhat get an idea. As you can see here K L B O 

If I had more lights it would be so much better but also I was working in a small tight space


----------



## cookiesa (Feb 27, 2008)

A trick a photographer told me about and I have used in the past to get rid of shadows.

Lights (unless your talking high end proffessional gear) can cause you more trouble and shadowing, there is an easier and cheaper way. (If no sun this effect works well with lights too)

Whenever possible use a well lit SUNNY area, natural light works better than most "worklights etc) as they have a tendancy to be yellow/orange. Work with the sun behind you whenever Possible and always use the timer with a tripod. (It will make you photo's crisper, even sitting it on a book, rock etc and use the timer)

To remove shadows you want a nice white large piece of cardboard (bought from a stationers etc) use this to reflect light to "fill" the shadows, works well and you will be amazed at the difference.

Another tip if you want to photograph something that is sitting on something, use a curved piece of cardboard or material behind and under the object. No more "horizon" in the pic.

PS I am not a photographer! Hope these tips help someone


----------



## Mark_S (May 21, 2008)

The green screen idea might work - but as you said I think you will have trouble making it look clean - Photographers do it with lighting - the image looks like this out of the camera. 

The background is basically 2 balanced strobes pumping out tons of light. The model is also lit with a softbox or beauty dish. And a few flags placed to block the spill of light and pretty much that is the way it looks out of the camera - no photoshop required.


----------



## onesielady (May 1, 2008)

From my experience - you will get the clearest shots by photographing on blue or green and then use photoshop to cut item out and place on white background. You can add appropriate shadows if you would like too.


----------



## SoloStampede (Aug 4, 2007)

Photoshop CS3 has tools for removing the background (background eraser), color balancing, you could also use the plugin Knockout 2 which is designed to remove backgrounds with precision. But the photoshop eraser tool works just as well.


----------

