The Screenshotz method I devised and tested successfully is used to photograph people very quickly and easily in a photo studio in front of a large LED display, on which background photos - so-called backplates - specially produced for this purpose are shown. In this way realistic-looking photo composites are created without additional clippings or image montages. The resulting images look as if they were photographed at the location shown on the display and not in a sterile photo studio.
You don't need any special software or special image editing skills to use the Screenshotz method successfully. However, you need an LED display that is as large as possible (e.g. a QLED TV or a digital signage display) with a screen diagonal of at least 55 inches, and a digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless) with a lens in the focal length usual for portrait photos.
The background display is mounted horizontally or vertically in such a way that the LED surface fills the space on both sides of the model and above in a similar way to the usual background boxes (Caution! Not every LED display may be mounted vertically without possible damage!). With his method the model is always cut where the display ends; the feet and the standing area do not appear in the picture. How much of the shape of the model can be displayed depends on the display size and of course on the shape of the model.
The model stands or sits best about 1m in front of the display. This way you can illuminate it with permanent LED lamps without the model lighting being reflected in the background display. If necessary, the photographer uses black shadows or flags to avoid disruptive reflections.
Depending on the focal length of the lens, the size of the background display and the desired image section, the camera is mounted on a tripod about 2 to 3m away from the model. The display level should be parallel to the camera´s image sensor, i.e. the angle of the image axis to the image surface of the background display should be 90 degrees.
The photographer imports the desired backplate onto the background display, positions his model in the image axis and illuminates it appropriately, presses the shutter button - and the portrait of the person, including the backplate, is done! Not a detail, not a hair is lost with this method.
The Screenshotz method is the most advanced, fastest, simplest and most precise process for combining photos of people specially produced for this purpose into realistic-looking image composites in a photo studio.
