Photoshop - Composite Images

Todays task was to create a single image using a series of different images using the techniques learnt over previous weeks. As a review of what I have learnt, I will use layering, selection, clone, and colour balance features of Adobe Photoshop.

As a guide of what I am going to demonstrate, the image below (click thumbnail for larger image) illustrates the four original images, and the final image that I created in Photoshop. The four original images all had something wrong with them, and were either over exposed or under exposed. Using image correction techniques outlined above, I was able to create a realistic image from properly exposed parts of each image.

The first step was to decide which parts of each image I was going to use. Once I had done this, I thought about which would be the easiest way to construct the "perfect" image. I could either:

a) Copy each of the four original images in their entireity and paste them as separate layers or

b) Copy the parts of the original images that I wanted to use and paste them as separate layers.

I decided upon option A, because choosing option B would probably cause problems when layering the images. Option A meant that I could use a layer mask on each layer to dispose of the parts of each original image that I didn't want, and I would have more control over the selection of the originals than using the process option B would have faced me with.

Once I had chosen to do it this way, the way in which I created the final image was relatively straightforward.

On each layer I created an image mask, and simply masked out the parts of the original images that i didn't want. This meant that I could easily construct an image that looked unedited and properly exposed. The process took time because of all the masking I had to do (to hear about masking and selection refer to the tutorial from the previous workshop below), but masking each layer was almost all that this task entailed. With everything masked, I could have left the final image as it was, but I wanted to make a few extra changes.

You will notice that at the bottom right hand corner of each of the original images there is some kind of photographer copyright watermark. This was easily removed in the final stages of the image creation process. Firstly, I flattened the image (flattening an image simply merges all the layers into one), then using the clone tool I got rid of the copyright image. This probably isn't strictly legal but for educational purposes and demonstration I got rid of it.

The final, very subtle change I made to the image was to slightly reduce the amount of red colour in the picture because it looked a bit too warm. Using the colour balance tool I took the red out by -10 and the photograph was complete.

So here is the final image

On evaluating my work, I thought that the only minor problem was with how the tree turned out. If you look closely there is a slight shadow line that shouldn't be there. I couldn't seem to get this to disappear and so in the end left it as it was. Any comments on the final image would be appreciated.

Until next week, Stay Creative!!