Category Archives: Advanced techniques

Breeze for iPad Blend Modes

Breeze Blend Modes can be used creatively to achieve many different effects.

Booth (iPad+iPhone) includes normal, lighten, darken, overlay, screen, hard light, soft light, multiply, difference, exclusion, color dodge, color burn, hue, saturation, color and luminosity blend modes.

Breeze Booth blend example Lighten blend

Original [left] and Lighten blend overlay applied [right]

Depending on the effect you want to achieve, you can use two methods to apply these blends

  • Overlay blend mode – blend the overlay with the print or GIF layout
  • Photo blend mode – blend individual photos with the print layout behind the photo.

Overlay blend modes

Here print , slideshow GIF or burst GIF overlay(s) are blended with the print or GIF layout

Original [left] and Darken blend overlay applied [right]

To use print overlay blends

  • Open your event in the Event Editor
  • Open the Print Layout Editor from the Photos tab
  • Import your overlay (overlay.png) into the Print Layout Editor
  • Select the overlay blend mode in the Photos tab
  • Save your changes

To use slideshow GIF overlay blends

  • Place your overlay (slideshow_gif_overlay.png or slideshow_gif_overlay_1.png, slideshow_gif_overlay_2.png etc) into the Screens folder
  • Open your event in the Event Editor
  • Select the overlay blend mode in the Slideshow GIFs tab
  • Save your changes

To use Burst GIF overlay blends

  • Place your overlay (gif_overlay.png or gif_overlay_1.png, gif_overlay_2.png etc.) into the Screens folder
  • Open your event in the Event Editor
  • Select the overlay blend mode in the Burst GIFs tab
  • Save your changes

Photo blend modes (prints only)

Photo blends can be used for more complex effects.

Use photo blends to

  • apply different blend modes to each image on a print
  • layer the effects of different blends
  • blend two or more photos together
  • combine blends with other print compositing effects
Overlay blend + color wash & contrast adjustment (Breeze for iPad Print Compositing)

Overlay and logos can also be placed over blended photos.

Individual photo blends are applied to everything behind that photo – including parts of any other photos, logos and background it overlaps.

To use photo overlay blends

  • Open your event in the Event Editor
  • Open the Print Layout Editor from the Photos tab
  • Select an image you want to blend, and right click anywhere on this image
  • Choose Edit photo position and effects…
  • Select the blend mode from the drop down list
  • Save your changes
Selecting screen photo blend for a single image (Breeze Booth for iPad 3.3)

Combining  blend modes with AI background removal

Blend modes often work best when used with AI background removal so that they only apply to people in the photo and not the background.

Darken photo blend with AI background removal

Choosing a blend mode

Booth (iPad+iPhone) includes normal, lighten, darken, overlay, screen, hard light, soft light, multiply, difference, exclusion, color dodge, color burn, hue, saturation, color and luminosity blend modes.

Blend modes can be used to achieve many different effects, and detailed descriptions of each are beyond the scope of this post.

This wikipedia article is a useful source of information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blend_modes.  Online videos about Photoshop blend modes may also be helpful.

Note: When experimenting with blend modes the free version’s 10 sessions/day limit before adding a watermark may prove frustrating. Please email me (sales@breezesys.com) if you would like a short term Breeze Booth for iPad license to try Breeze blend modes.

Sue Breeze

Blended images courtesy of Steve Bliesner.

© Breeze Systems 2023

 

 

 

Breeze profiles – Building Multi-Choice Menus and Unexpected Twists

Breeze profiles are unique and powerful building blocks you can use to  create simple multi choice menus through to complex choice based scenarios.

Use profiles to create multi-language booths, choose between different print layouts or add an element of surprise.

Profiles add random animations and effects to mirrors and conventional booths.

The Breeze website has three new tutorials explaining how to use profiles. They are written for Booth (DSLR +Windows) aka DSLR Remote Pro, and can be adapted for use with Booth (Webcam+Windows) aka Webcam Photobooth.

  • Part 1 introduces profiles and shows how to use them to build a simple menu. The worked example creates a menu offering a choice of two print layouts.
  • Part 2 shows how to spice up a booth by randomly mixing different designs.
  • Part 3 covers both troubleshooting and combining a menu with a random ‘surprise me’ option.

Get started – offering a choice of print layouts

Guests can choose between print layouts

Getting started takes you step by step through using profiles to build a menu from which guests choose a print layout.

Use the same approach to offer a choice of green screen experience or background removal.

Find creative approaches to choose between backgrounds for prints and GIFs

Find Getting Started with Profiles here

Random Profiles

Guests are randmoly taken to difference experiences from this screen (Breeze DSLR Remote Pro Prroflies)

Random profiles can be used to add excitment and interest to a booth or mirror. Vary the animations and audible comments in magic mirrors, surprise guests by placing them in different environments (AI background removal or green screen), and build wheel of fortune booths.

Note: You need to use random profiles to randomly change your screens and create menus. There is a simpler way to offer random print and GIF designs, which you can find here

Surprise guests by switching betwen print and GIF designs. More..

Find Part 2 – Random Effects here

Choose and Surprise Me booths & Troubleshooting Profiles

The first two Profiles tutorials explain how to create a menu based booth and one switching randomly between different profiles.

Breeze Profiles Part 3 starts by running through common problems using profiles, then moves on to building a Choose or Surprise Me structure.

Find Part 3 –  Choose and Surprise me & Trobuleshooting Profiles here

Many thanks to Steve Bliesner for sharing the multi-language menu featured at the start of this post.

© Breeze Systems 2021

Breeze at Photo Booth Expo 2020

 

We are counting down the days to Photo Booth Expo, and looking forward to seeing many of you in Vegas. Find us in the Exhibition Hall at booth 1113; book your place at Steve Bliesner’s classes (details below).

Steve will be running four classes on Breeze at PBX this year. Classes will cover both Breeze Booth for iPad and Breeze Booth for Windows ( aka DSLR Remote Pro). There are separate classes for beginners and advanced users, with discounts for people booking several classes.

Breeze Booth for iPad, Beginners Class – Wednesday the 26th 11am

Everything you need to get a basic event up and running with the Event Editor, and then synced to the iPad app using Dropbox. The finished event will include the option to take photos, make a GIF, and apply digital props, as well as options to send them via email and SMS, direct from the iPad.

Breeze Booth for iPad, Advanced Users Class – Wednesday the 26th 12pm

For users who are already comfortable cresting events and syncing them to the iPad. This class will work through some of the more advanced features, such as white labelling the iPad App, animated screens and countdown, setting up Event Codes (for easy deployment across multiple booths), using Breeze Hub, Information screens and menus, creative uses of surveys and sending HTML emails.

Breeze Booth for Windows (aka DSLR Remote Pro) Beginners Class – Wednesday the 26th 1pm

The basics of getting up and running with Breeze Booth for Windows. A complete walk through of the using the Setup Wizard, adding print layouts, making some basic interface tweaks through to sending images and GIFs via email and SMS.

Breeze Booth for Windows (aka DSLR Remote Pro) Advanced Users Class – Wednesday the 26th 2pm

For users who already have the basics down and are looking to take advantage of some of the more advanced features. How to structure your setup for fast and efficient handling of multiple events, the best way to deploy events across multiple photo booths, profiles, advanced interface tips and tricks and how to use Breeze Hub for a better way to send emails.

Book your place

Buy your tickets here. You will need to select buy tickets in the top right corner of the page.