hi all , i just wanted to know if people use there own background photos to render onto, and what can be achieved by doing this. somthing ive been thinking about for a while now. i cant seem to generate any interesting ideas though....

I've played with this a bit here and there. It's mostly just a matter of getting the light directions right in the render... you have to match where the shadows are being cast in your "real" image. This has become "cake" in Poser 9 with the realtime shadows being shown.

Attached Link: http://www.poserdirect.com/sparkyworld/images/bigpix/10_dsu_large.jpg

Ultra cool results for starters :)

Like the posters above say theres a wide variety of ways of doing it, and theres a tutorial here..

http://www.cocs.com/poser/compositing.htm

..but theres no "correct" set way - it's what works for you personally.

My prefered approach is to use a range of different background props/figures which allow the user to add their own photos.  Sample here and at the link.

Attached Link: http://www.poserdirect.com/concepts.html

Many artists use (especially when making very complex scenes) is to render the scene and then use that render as the background for another picture.  As long as you don't change the lights or move the camera when making the 2nd piccy it can be surprisingly quick and effective.

Another one is to use the same photo both as a background and also cutting bits out of it and making transmaps from the bits. So you can make your characters walk behind parts of the photo, which is pretty cool for animations.

Also don't forget you can use video backgrounds as well as photos, so you could easily make a clip of your self talking to a robot or dwarf.

One fun variation of these is to film a scene, say like a street scene, add some flying sci-fi cars then place a transmap in front of the camera, so it looks like a future street.
Another idea I've used - and to great effect - in work presentations is use a photo background, animate a simple toon character walking across the scene or doing silly things. Then either recorded myself against a green screen and chromakeyed in the render for the background.

Or more simply ran the render as a video clip using a projector and stood in front of the whiteboard.  Then as you talk and the clip plays behind you people will start paying attention :)

BTW - link below is to some tutorials and bits for some inspiration.

Thanks to mrsparky for those tips and link.

Whilst there are many ways to superimposing computer graphics over real life photos, I have not seen in the Forums any examples of it being done, particularly with human figure, entirely seamlessly. Has any an example of 2 heads, side by side, where viewers are unable to determine which head is real?

i think this would make a good option for a new gallery. reality and 3d ??

Attached Link: Patio Scene

Edit: Image was "too big" too upload, so I added a Gallery link instead.

There has been quite a lot posted about this, but it will take me a while to find all the interesting ones.

Here's one with some tactical advice:

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?message_id=3182737

Here is a render; one of my earliest attempts at matching a photo that got a bit of attention (Warning: Nudity)

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1168275

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1741385&user_id=1168&np&np

One of my pieces. "Mushroom Faerie" actually won image of the week at another site.

Attached Link: http://www.faceoffmax.com/

This software allows you to paste a head photo onto a body image. Obviously never going to beat years of photoshop knowledge. But for a quick play it's good and very simple fun.

Their site says you can get a free copy by leaving a review on your website. Though I've not tried that. Got it from giveaway and they often repeat stuff.

Giveaway did another - kinda like beauty software which removed spots, smoothed skin, change lipstick colour etc etc. Tried that quickly on a face texture and it worked OK.

V01f - nice - I like it.

One of my early attempts to match lights with a background pic:

http://www.ranquist.net/group7/Miku.htm

Rªnce

You can post images in the forum.  Use the file attachment at the bottom.

BTW, nice attempt.  Very good integration of 3d and real photo.

an interesting aspect is that the shadow catcher object  can be any shape, not just a plane. I did the attached image 2 years ago (in Carrara then), using a low-poly mesh of the house to match the photo. Getting a good congruence was a pain, but small errors are not obvious in the resulting image, because the shadow is blurred anyway.

 Now, if we combine  this with the more realistic SSS shaders we have now in Poser, the result should be really good.   I'm tempted to pick this up again this weekend ;-)

Best regards,

   Michael

One of my favorite things to do is place Poser figures, props, etc into my photos. I find myself frequently looking for good scenes to use when I go out with my cameras.

Here's one with PS Ronny - I used a photo I shot in downtown Kansas City, Mo.

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=2253468&user_id=638494&np&np

This one uses Flink's flowers, Aery Soul (Alphaseed)'s freebie rock, and of course the main subjects in the foreground. Everything behind the Gecko and his pals is a photo I took last summer.

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=2226362&user_id=638494&np&np

Give it a try - it's great fun!