Hi, I would like to create a backdrop for my Skype video call. You know for example, let's say I want to put my video feed but with a backdrop of New York City. I don't care as much about what I see but I want to create the effect so that the OTHER GUY sees me in a certain setting. I know it is probably easy, I just don't know how yet.

Thanks!

I am researching this myself. This can be done with a baisic set and with desktop video software. I do not know if it is supported by skype or if the average pc can manage the replacement of the background with an image in real time.

You need to use a special "Chroma Key" colored background and smoothing lights. Wherever the key range color appears you will see "New York" or a weather map or whatever. The key colors are usually a very odd bright blue or green. The background can be a commercial backdrop, or big stretched artist canvas, a homemade wooden screen or a fairly elaborate "set" that might include your a seat, perch or walking area all painted in the key color. The lights need to be mounted out of the sight of the camera and must wash out any bold shadows so that the background is a nearly uniform color. This may add light to the room and take away from soft lighting you might otherwise find more flattering. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroma_key#Background

I am going to try up lights on the floor with x10 dimmers for shadow washing and use 3 stretched artist canvases attached with hinges on the back side. One set will be double hinged so that it can be folded to the size of one canvas. I also might try just hanging foam core art board.

A threshold controls how close to the key color the image color must be and this can be used to correct for shadows. The problem with the washout lights is that if they are too strong they will cause too much back lighting and dim your image. The problem with high threshold is that New York may start to flicker through in refections on your eyeglasses for example.

Can Skype software do the key color replacement? That is the question I don't know for sure. I am researching myself and that is how i found this very nicely put but unanswered old question that was high in page rank.. that is always ashame so I made it better! It seems that the answer is that skype does not do it BUT you might be able to do it even easier than I suggest... there is a product webcammax I will try it! It has a dot com website of the same name. Interesting. I have not used it yet. Gonna go try it.

A Sneaky idea! Be subtle ! Hide that ugly crate of papers or crammed bookshelf with poster board or foam core art board then replace it with an image of something fabulous from a magazine. You could also use an image of a more pleasing area of you own home or office that you don't want to clutter with your setup or that may not be private for your skype meeting.