I’m considering a green screen setup (that’s how it’s called, right?) for photography. Are there any folks here who use something like that? I’m limited in space so I can’t set up a separate photo studio. Such a set up would make it a lot easier to add nice backgrounds than removing that through GIMP.
If there are professionals in this area I’d love some tips and things to keep in mind.
P.s. no need to tell me there are wonderful ai tools to remove backgrounds. I’m not going down that road.
For what it’s worth, I tried a green screen and got a lot of color bleed. I think I’ve heard that blue chroma key is generally better?
Interesting, thank you. I just had a search and both are used, depending on the use case, it seems. Will give this some more thought but thank you for the feedback.
To be clear, I’m not super experienced in photography, but I did do a lot of tweaking back in the day when I was streaming. Reflected green was always a problem with a green screen. I never actually got a blue screen, but it’s supposed to at least reflect less of the color.
I’d also wait for someone who does photos to chime in though, since I’m sure there’s other tricks.
I also tried a green screen and was a little unimpressed by the results I obtained. I have found that the right-click context menu on my MacBook “Remove background” gives similar results for much less pain. However, others with better lighting rigs and more experience might do rather better than me?
You seem to have a very clever macbook. I have a clever Linux computer that doesn’t have such an option. Thank you for the insight on the green!
And welcome to the forum!!
A green screen would be great and helpful for creativity, sure!
From my rather limited knowledge, while a green screen can be helpful, it’s also frowned upon as far as ‘‘professional’’ doll photography goes, and more importantly in promotional photo sets go.
This is due to the fact that, as far as product placement goes, manufacturers (at least the serious ones) want to show their products with as few edits as possible.
‘‘What you see is what you get’’
Example:
Granted, I’m talking from a ‘‘promo perspective’’ background.
As you can see I have limited space myself, maybe you can look into backdrops instead of a green screen?
At the end of the day, doll photography is an art. Nothing stops you from superimposing a doll photo onto a digital background. Many people do this!
Welcome to LDNF! 
I’m far from someone who is doing professional doll photography. I just am looking for a way to do something different for a background than the cupboard in the living room or a view of my kitchen 
Backdrops sound nice but you’d need to know what you want and at this moment I don’t have clue yet. 
Yeah that’s understandable.
That’s why the backdrops I do have are pretty generic. It’s hard to justify a themed backdrop if you’re only going to use it once!
The really good doll photographers I know that superimpose their dolls onto a digital background actually choose the background first. This way they can direct the light on their dolls in a way that looks believable once the two come together.
Good luck and more importantly, HAVE FUN!
That’s the whole plan! Fun must be had! Thank you again.
spent hundreds on green screen and had to scrap it all, it was useless because of the reflection
I have used a green screen once when I did the welcome home arrival video for Angie.
It worked for me pretty well.
Happy Dolling!
OUCH!! That is a sour experience
Those results are really good. Thank you for this!
Without knowing what kind of photography you’re trying to do, I would say if the cost is just throwing some type of green backdrop behind the doll, then why not go for it? It’s just yet another tool in your toolbox, right?
Personally, the few times I tried green screen, I found it too time-intensive post-work with not enough pay off to do it very often. Otherwise, simply projecting an image behind the doll got the job done well enough for me, save for those full-body fantasy shots.
Again, it depends on what you have, and how much time you’re willing to put into it in post.
For example, take someone’s lighting setup like @JustDude (I hate him), and compare it with somebody like mine.
I’m not gonna be the type to blow half a day on chroma-keying and pixel-peeping out artifacts just to push two photos out the door unless I’m getting paid (or I really want to pull of a Star Trek fantasy Vulcan-vixen shoot).
So, you have to consider where on the spectrum you lie. If you’re more of a professional type like JD, or a full-ghetto, luddite do-the-thing-cheapo like me.
Phil3stine, do not feel bad about your setup because your photos look great and your setup works, me, Í use four flashlights 
Thank you for your extensive reply.
I’m not going for big productions and such. I just want to put a different background in the images and removing my bookcase by hand each time is boring at some point hahaha
This is the phase where I am looking around for things for once I’m retired (in a year) and finally have time to do all the fun things. I don’t think I have the space in my apartment for a projection screen and things like that, that’s why I’m looking at a green screen.
Good idea to think of light too, thank you.
Those are flashlights?? @Phil3stine also mentioned light. That light is interesting. Could you share what model it - Oh!! Found them. That’s really nifty, thanks for mentioning this!
