Have you ever heard of a photography composite? Photography composites are a concept in which two or more photographs are combined to create a single, cohesive image. Composite photography can be seen in our everyday lives, from advertisements and movie posters to many other applications.
It’s a fun concept that allows photographers to add a touch of fantasy to their images. Feels like photo manipulation, but with even better results. Interested in creating realistic images from a fake photo? Here are several photography composite tips to help you get started!
What is Composite Photography?
Put, composite photography is the art of combining multiple images to create a cohesive or final image. Although the term may be rare, composite photography has become an integral part of our daily lives.
The idea itself is not entirely new; in fact, composite images have been around for hundreds of years, dating back to the early days of photography. Initially, when taking a picture involved a subject having to sit or remain still for a long time, a photographer would process several films in a darkroom and use layering techniques to create a cohesive image.
Fast forward to this era, and photographers no longer have to struggle with a collection of films to create a cohesive image. Photographers can now use digital media to do this.
With easier access to this photography technique, the use of composite photographs has become common. It has evolved into a distinct branch of its own.
One of the most commonly seen applications of compositing image techniques is collage, where people can combine several images into one, either in a single frame or to form a natural whole.
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Why Should You Use a Composited Image?
The use of composite photography has been a matter of debate.
Some consider the manipulations carried out to create a composite image to be too excessive and cannot be considered a form of photography. Changes that are too excessive can also blur the boundaries between reality and fiction for people who do not understand the process of creating composite images.
Others believe that composite photography is a result of the advancement of digital technology in the photography world. In short, composite photography is simply a branch of digital photography.
Regardless of one’s opinion, it is undeniable that the use of composite images has become an integral part of our daily lives; almost every image we see is the result of some form of manipulation.
Then, why do companies use composite images? One of the strongest reasons is the effect it creates. Composite images can give a strong impression.
Images that are manipulated well, even to the point of being exotic or seeming from another world, will be deeply embedded in the human mind more easily. The composite image is the primary reason companies use them. With composite images, it will be easier for anyone to sell an idea because anything can be made into visual elements.
Additionally, with the compositing technique, you can transform those generally boring free stock photos into more engaging ones. Of course, it can help with the image creation process, both in terms of time management and financial considerations.
Tips on How to Create a Composite Photography
Like any other form of photography, composite photography has complexities that must be understood to be done well. Here are some tips that you can apply to create a good composite image
1. Plan Before Creating Composite Photography
Before you jump on the opportunity to create images for composite photography, one thing that you need to do is look for ideas. It takes a lot of time.
To create an outstanding composite, you must have a creative outlook on what kind of concept you want to achieve. First, you can start by searching for references. Do you prefer a composite image that is more surreal, with a depth of field, or clean and professional?
From those references, you will have at the very least a rough draft to create one of your composite image ideas. Decide which concept you want to try and start planning.
During the planning, you can attempt to take the photos by yourself or use several stock images from the internet. For example, you can use one photo that you took and combine it with a stock single image.
So, don’t let the composite image you want to create be careless because it is not conceptualized first. Make sure the composite image ideas are carefully selected.
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2. Match the Lighting for Composite Photography
The most common problem in doing composite photography is lighting consistency. You must want the viewers to believe this photo was taken from a real, living moment.
It will be easier for you to control the lighting if you decide to take the photos yourself. But what about the stock images that you may use? Well, the best weapon you can have is Photoshop.
You can adjust the color, background, and brightness of your separate images and make them blend seamlessly with Photoshop. Another important note is to match the perspective. The further the background is, the less contrast it has. Use the Transform tool in Photoshop to handle these issues.
3. Properly Choose the Location
Whether you choose to use stock single images or your own photos, you need to consider the location that is portrayed in the pictures. For example, suppose you want to do a photography composite that depicts a man flying with birds. In that case, you should consider the placement of the sun hitting his face, the direction where the wind blows, and any other details.
When taking photos, try to choose a less crowded location or consider hiring a portrait photographer. You can use the depth of field style. Therefore, you can cut out the background more easily and seamlessly.
Consider using a green screen to make the photography composite more believable, as it eliminates the need to spend hours cutting out every single nook and cranny, which can be time-consuming.
4. Understanding the Digital Tools for Creating Composite Photography
Fast forward to the editing process, tons of Photoshop tools can help you create the most magnificent photo manipulation final image. The first one is Layer Masks, an integral part of any photography composite. Second, the Pen tool is used to cut out objects with low contrast quickly.
The next one is Adjustment Layers, which will help you blend, perform color grading, and make other impactful adjustments to create a soft composite look. It ultimately comes down to the Blend modes, which utilize several types of blend groups.
Let’s also not forget about Smart Objects, which can significantly reduce the time spent editing the composite. The brush tool is also helpful in creating various effects and applying them to the composite. Last but not least is Filters, which will help you achieve that final look in composite, balanced colors, and consistent lighting.
How to Create Composite Photography?
You have many choices of software to create composite images. Adobe Photoshop is the most recommended software for creating composite images, thanks to its comprehensive range of features. Here are some steps to develop composite photography.
1. Select the Elements You Want to Manipulate
Select one or two images that you want to manipulate. Select a specific element to be combined later. To achieve the best results, choose an image with approximately the same lighting as possible. Choosing images with the same lighting will make the production and post-production processes very easy.
2. Create New Layer
Once you have selected the images you want to compose, create a new layer to place each image you wish to combine. Name each layer to make your manipulation easier, especially if you plan to combine multiple images.
Place the image you want to use as the background into the first layer.
To select a specific part of the image, you can use a lasso and/or a magic wand. Use the move tool to move one element from one layer to another.
3. Use Masks and Blend Modes
When it comes to image manipulation, especially in combining images, two Photoshop features will help you: layer masks and blend modes.
With a layer mask, you can more easily show or hide a specific visual element in the image. You can adjust which parts you want to show or hide with the brush tool.
You can also try different blend modes to make the images blend more effectively.
4. Pay Attention to Image Coloring
Now that you’ve combined all the different images into one, it’s time to pay attention to the coloring, including both color and lighting, of your new image.
You can start with the part of the image that already has the same coloring. The goal is to keep the original impression of the image.
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Inspirations for Your Composite Photography
Because the limit in creating composite images is creativity, a visual artist sometimes finds it difficult to produce something; too many choices can make it challenging for us to choose.
To help you generate ideas for composite images, consider the following themes.
1. Realism
While the general goal of this technique is to create an image that appears to be from another world, realism is a great theme to apply.
For example, you can create an image that features people from different generations in the same scene. This motif can describe the life journey of an individual or entity, such as a city or even a culture.
2. Fantasy
This motif is the default motive of the composite technique. With this motif, you can transform mundane, everyday situations into magical, even absurd, and enjoyable ones.
3. Motion Effect
This motif is often seen. With this motif, you can make the subject of a still photo appear as if it is moving. You can already find this motif in the world of sports.
4. Tell a story
By using the compositing technique, you can combine several images into a single image. It means you use the photos you combine to tell a story.
This motif, of course, has often been featured in film posters, which generally showcase characters and settings that offer insight into the film.
So that’s how you do composite photography. You can take single images many times with various styles, such as depth of field or portrait photography. Yes, these two styles can yield different final images. That’s why depth of field and portrait photography will bring outstanding results in photo manipulation. Composite photography is a great way to create diverse final image styles. Don’t hesitate to try this trick right now.
If you want to create a composite image but don’t have the time, you can trust Dropicts to do it for you. Dropicts is a professional photo editing service that you can trust to handle everything related to the picture and image of your business.
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