Whether you love ’em or hate ’em, composite images are part & parcel of modern commercial photography, and it’s easy to see why, writes Jon Adams. Not having to have everything in front of the camera at the same time in the same place gives enormous advantages regarding time, budget and all-round creative options, and although this ‘Frankenstein’ approach to photography is a long way from the purist ideal of ‘a single moment in time’, it’s both productive, stimulating and enormous fun!
If you’ve ever transplanted a dull sky for a better one using Photoshop’s Sky Replacement tool, or you’ve spun in a texture layer to pep up a pic, then you’ve already crossed the line into the dark arts of digital imaging. This video just shows you how to take the idea a little bit further. The techniques employed are surprisingly simple, and easy to get the hang of. What’s more, once you try it out on your own pictures, you’ll be surprised how you can resculpt a landscape into a idealised version and make it look thoroughly convincing.
Even if this isn’t something you want to do with ‘proper’ pictures, we still recommend you learn the technique and put it into practice, as it’s a great skill to have in your photo repertoire.
Veronica Watson
Good, clear information…making it sound really easy. Thank you, Jon!