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Agnima
Participating Frequently
December 1, 2023
Open for Voting

P: Change background to Library swatch color

  • December 1, 2023
  • 3 replies
  • 848 views

We are shooting hundreds of product and model photos and the client wants all of the backgrounds to be a sepcific color that we have in our swatch library. We shoot all the images on a paper background that is almost that color; we have been exporting all the images to Photoshop to mask the background out and layer them over that exact swatch. We would like to do this in Lightroom and save a lot of steps, but the new background masking tool does not let us select that color swatch from our CC library. Is there way to do this? 

    3 replies

    A
    AgnimaAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    December 12, 2023

    We are shooting hundreds of product and model photos. The client wants all of the backgrounds to be a sepcific color that we have in our swatch library. It would be very useful to mask the background in Lightroom and replace it with the color swatch from our CC library.

      R
      Community Expert
      richardplondonCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      December 12, 2023

      I think the notion of (say) background replacement to a known flat colour cuts across a designed-in distinction of (for example) Lightroom vs editors such as Photoshop. The former class of software is, at root, there to adjust whatever is already there - with its content variations respected - while the latter class is there to alter (which includes not only adjustment of content, but also outright change of content).

       

      Absent a fixed studio setup, one thought: a local adjustment's Tone sliders could be set to deliberately "blow out" AI selected background extent fully to white, more or less regardless of incidental differences of exposure. And then within the scope of this same local adjustment whatever Tone Curve tonal and hue changes are needed to adjust that full white specifically, back down to the desired tone and hue, could be worked out with reference to the RGB readout. Would be some work, but only having to be done once.

       

      Then the Mask that does all of this could be portable from image to image, and when applied would force a consistent background result regardless of their varying as-shot exposures and WBs. Within reason; and those aspects would still need attention so far as how the subject aside from the background, is being represented. Also not to forget: each photo then requiring an update of the AI background selection, in respect of its particular subject / background.

      C.Cella
      C.Cella
      Inspiring
      December 12, 2023

      Using Point Color one can achive ANY color with Saturation (Gray(s), black and white exluded)

       

      We could have been able to achive the desired results efficentiely in one swatch.

       

      Color replacement could have been a simple matter of: "sample color A"  > sample color B in the same image or reference > use color B values for A.

       

      If you look at how Point Color works internally you will discover that each color is a set of coordinates in the palette.

      The shifts move the sampled color to another area in the palette BUT the shifts are limited to +/- 100.

       

      That's why we need 5-6 swatches to move a color from A to B.

       

       

      C.Cella
      C.Cella
      Inspiring
      December 2, 2023

      Set the color swatch you need as reference, so you can get the actual RGB values.

       

      Via Masking select the Background.

      Then use LocalHue or Point Color to precisely define and achieve the desired color,

       

      If, as you say, the background is already near the desired color then Point Color will efficiently allow to achieve the color you need (which most likely will be already within range)

       

      Use the RGB values to be sure you have a 100% match or close match.

       

      .

      A
      AgnimaAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      December 2, 2023

      Thanks for the reply, but this does not work: the color the client wants is a light grey. Lightroom cannot select it because "this color is too neutral." We also cannot find any RGB, HSL, or other fields to define the color exactly (LR has HSL "shift" and "range" but no values). In other words, in Lightroom Classic the color controls seem to have no common values to the color controls in other CC apps.

       

      We also tried to select any random color, very bright and saturated, yet the replaced background color is very pale and lacks saturation, as if LR is only using a blend mode. We are not finding any controls to ensure the color is precisely the one we pick. 

      C.Cella
      C.Cella
      Inspiring
      December 2, 2023

      You can show RGB values of the current Color Space on hover over.

      Right click on the histogram and be sure to uncheck "Show Values as Percentages"

       

       

      Sadly no HSL Values...which was asked already but has not been done.

      Still no Color Sampler like in ACR.

       

      If you need a light gray then create a totally black background and then use a Point Curve to achieve the desired gray by moving the 0/0 Control point to 0/X

       

       

       

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