Mosslanda: Wrecsam backscene trials…
Photo back scenes, when done right have the ability to add both real depth and a sense of place. How often do we we them used poorly though?
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| Top to bottom - 100% / 70% / 50% opacity. |
On Wrecsam Canalog I needed something quite specific, luckily some of the photos I took a few weeks ago from the road bridge looked as if they might be usable. The layout is such a shallow model that getting something that ‘feels’ right is really important. That said, until I’ve constructed the side of the shop that backs onto the platform it is tricky to work this balance out. With that in mind I’ve been trying different versions out, where I’ve simply dropped the opacity to reduce the impact. Top is original second about 80% bottom is 50%. Whilst the palest of these looks great on its own, it’s perhaps a touch too subtle compared to the unit. The middle one is better, but is to my eye to close to the unit roof colour… what about a slight adjustment?
This final view still feels a bit too pale, but shows promise. It’s cut out with a sharp blade and mounted against a piece of generic overcast sky backscene. Once the platform is mocked up and placed in position along with the fencing along the back, that will make it easier to make a firm decision. Perhaps also worth mocking up the distinctive road over bridge to begin to understand the way this will help to frame the view. In the meantime the beautiful simplicity of a single track terminus and the unique nature of Wrecsam mean this project is proving a great to tonic to other projects.
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Interesting, because whilst Flemish Quay is on hold until we do/don't move I've been playing around with scaling down a background. If I have my colour theory correct you need to make multiple adjustment to replicate atmospheric haze. A simplistic appraoch would bey to add a grey layer to an image in Photoshop or Affinity and then adjust the opacity. You could also add a little blur as well.
ReplyDeleteThe other issue with that background is the fence, it leads you in from the midground to the foreground. so the midground should be that little bit better defined, more saturated. You might even think about doing that with the blocks of housing, but it is the fence where it looks wrong.
And edit the sky using a mask, don't apply the same settingas to the rest of the image.
I f you combined each of these images as layers and blended them, I think it would look reallly good/ Oh and look at colour channels if you have that option, You might want to bring the blue down a bit in terms of saturation for the foreground/midground
The fence and foreground come right across the scene in the final composition. I think what you’re describing sounds a great method but beyond my interest level. I had originally not planned on using a photo backdrop but this scene I snapped from the road bridge whilst visiting the station looked like it might work. The concrete wall and buildings in reality are a good distance across the car park.
ReplyDeleteHi James
ReplyDeleteI know photo backdrops are suppose to be superior to other types but I find unless they are used in a controlled way they suffer from the same problems as printed backscenes where perspective etc can get skewed. Where they score is when a real place appropriate to our layout is available. After a long period ( eight years ) I am going to print off some photos I took on the lower Columbia River about where my sawmill etc would be located and see what the effect is compared with a generic tree back scene I painted even longer ago
As far as your question is concerned I would go with 70% saturation but wonder if the fence should be made a lesser part of the scene -maybe being more hidden by some 3D elements?
Best regards
Alan
Thanks Alan - good luck with your own experiments.
DeleteI would do it for you if my main computer hadn't just died. That fence is a great feature, drawing the viewer into the scene
ReplyDeleteYou could, of course, just physically cut the fence/foreground from the first photo and glue it on one of the other two
ReplyDelete