Time – 30 minutes
Skill level – Advanced
Kit needed – Photoshop CC
Composites are one of the things that Photoshop does better than any other image editor. With a few simple selection and layer skills you can combine a wide array of photos into one magical scene. We’ve used several free downloadable images from www.pixabay.com to create our fantastical composite.
If you want to follow the technique in full then download the eight start images (see box for reference numbers). Or instead, why not learn the techniques explained here then apply them to your own selection of images? Perhaps you could start by shooting your own ‘base’ pictures then overlaying objects taken from downloaded images.
When searching for photos to combine, keep in mind that some will fit together better than others. There are two important factors to look at. The first is lighting. If one image is lit with strong sunlight coming from the right side, while the other is shot on a cloudy day, then there’s a mismatch in the lighting that may be tricky to overcome.
The second factor is the backdrop behind the object, person or animal that you intend to cut out. If the backdrop is plain and uncluttered then the cut-out will be easier, but keep in mind the colour of the backdrop too.
This story is from the April 2022 edition of N-Photo: the Nikon magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2022 edition of N-Photo: the Nikon magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Quack shot
A rain-soaked Robert May proves you don't have to head out searching for elusive birds of prey to capture stunning shots of birds in flight
Kim Grant
Scottish landscape photographer Kim Grant prefers chasing more intricate - even abstract - images and tells Keith Wilson why she eschews the large, wide views of well-known locations
Heal the noise
Find out from James Paterson which are the best noise reduction tools in Photoshop
Clone in a crowd
Make multiple clones and master essential layer masking skills in Affinity Photo with James Paterson
Full of hot air
Mike Harris photographs Bristol Balloon Fiesta from Clifton Observatory so he can frame the city’s famed suspension bridge
Flutter speed
Mike Harris shows you how to capture beautiful butterfly close-ups without a tripod
Take-off sequence
Nigel A Ball uses Pre-Release Capture mode and fast burst speeds to shoot butterflies on the wing
The perfect gift
My 30th birthday marks more than a decade as a pro- and all I want is a cracking moment with nature at a stunning location holding my camera
20 top tips for...Autumn landscapes
Mark Bauer gives some expert advice to help you capture the vibrant colours of the landscape during the most photogenic season of the year
A game of tones
Our apprentice meets a vintage diver and channels the House of the Dragon with pro Paul David Smith