Creating A White Video Background

I promised you an email describing in more detail how to do the white background effect. Here it is!

1. Definitely use a Logitech webcam because their control panel is the only one that gives you total control

2. Use the new blue-filtered incondescent lights -- the bulbs will look a bit blue when they are off. Get the highest wattage you can find. Home Depot is the easiest place to find them. (or buy a $9 blue lens filter from the local camera shop and tape it over your webcam).

3. Set up at least two lights - maybe more - behind the sheet, but not too close to the sheet. Set up one or two lights in front of you, and if you have another, put it behind you but in front of the sheet, pointing at the sheet to help remove shadows.

4. Take the webcam off 'automatic' (there are typically two "automatic" checkboxes on a Logitech control panel)

5. Set the shutter-speed (aka exposure) to between 1/30th of a second and 1/50th of a second

6. Adjust the Gain so your face is properly lit

7. Adjust Gamma to where it looks best (probably all the way down if you have enough light)

8. Select the white-balance that looks best to you. If your control panel has an 'auto' and 'freeze' setting, then sometimes you can get the best result by clicking on a specific setting, letting it adjust, then clicking 'auto' -- the image will slowly change -- then click 'freeze' when it's at just the right point. Other control panels will have a red/blue slider -- this actually gives you more control. Adjust as needed.

9. Adjust the brightness to get rid of the final color in the corners of the video -- pure white is the goal.

10. Adjust the 'saturated' level to add color into your face, but not too much. If you don't have the white-balance or the right lighting, you may look best without a lot of color. If you have the right lighting and white-balance, you can add a little extra color

11. Go back and tweak all settings as needed, adjust position of lights, number of lights, etc until perfect. Once you get it set up the way you like it, save the settings using the 'save' button if you have one.

Hope this helps!


- Rick Raddatz, co-founder, IVG

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