Photoshop for Photographers Compositing

I’m beginning a new course called Photoshop for Photographers: Compositing. In Lesson 1, I combined the expressions from two images.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-04 at 10.19.00 AM.png

I made the bride smile by creating a mask and painting over the original layer and cropped the image and straighten the image…Screen Shot 2016-11-04 at 10.23.21 AM.png

In Lesson 1, I combined two frames to improve the overall image.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-07 at 9.57.33 AM.png

Then I masked these two images, and made the background a bit of blue and yellow…Screen Shot 2016-11-07 at 10.01.38 AM.png

I used Photomerge and masking to create a better group portrait.

Started with this two images…Screen Shot 2016-11-07 at 10.17.38 AM.pngScreen Shot 2016-11-07 at 10.18.19 AM.png

I merged these two images and use my Brush tool to paint over the girl in the middle to look at the camera…Screen Shot 2016-11-07 at 10.20.12 AM.png

In Lesson 2, I combined two frames together with masking.

Stated with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-08 at 9.38.39 AM.png

I moved the image to the left side, flipped the image horizontally, and masked the image onto the background…Screen Shot 2016-11-08 at 9.40.59 AM.png

I applied the finishing touches and making creative adjustments.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-08 at 9.40.59 AM.png

I made the background and subject a little red and yellow and made an effect that the subject is fading out a little…Screen Shot 2016-11-08 at 9.57.09 AM.png

In Lesson 2, I removed the subject from location.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-09 at 9.42.06 AM.png

I selected the subject and moved her into the lake background…Screen Shot 2016-11-09 at 9.43.27 AM.png

I changed the scale of the subject.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-09 at 9.43.27 AM.png

I resize the subject and placed her right in the middle of the frame…Screen Shot 2016-11-09 at 9.54.14 AM.png

I created realistic shadows.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-09 at 9.54.14 AM.png

I created the subject’s shadow and brought down the opacity to make it look realistic…Screen Shot 2016-11-09 at 10.38.56 AM.png

In Lesson 2, I added a creative effect.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-10 at 9.07.25 AM.png

I deleted some layers, added shadows under the subject’s feet, added a lens flare effect, and made the shadow a tint of blue…Screen Shot 2016-11-10 at 9.09.25 AM.png

I relocated the subject.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-10 at 9.43.23 AM.png

I moved the subject on the ledge, reposition him facing the city, crop one of the ventilation vents and erase part of the subject’s background…Screen Shot 2016-11-10 at 9.46.04 AM.png

I worked on shadows and color.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-10 at 9.46.04 AM.png

I clipped my Curves and Hue/Saturation adjustments to the fiddler layer, added a Photo Filter and Levels adjustments, and added a shadow under the fiddler’s shoes…Screen Shot 2016-11-10 at 10.05.42 AM.png

I watched an inspirational sneak peek into the layered file of a compositing guru. In Lesson 3, I improved composition with symmetry.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-10 at 10.29.17 AM.png

I refined my subject and painted the wall away with the Brush tool…Screen Shot 2016-11-10 at 10.31.17 AM.png

I cleaned up the details of the image

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-10 at 10.31.17 AM.png

I clean up the background a little…Screen Shot 2016-11-10 at 10.43.12 AM.png

In Lesson 3, I enhanced color and tone.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-11 at 9.08.35 AM.png

I made the picture a black and white image with a sepia tone…Screen Shot 2016-11-11 at 9.10.11 AM.png

I extended the background.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-11 at 9.37.22 AM.png

I copied the background, use the Lasso and Rectangular Marquee tools to extend the background, and clean up the background with the Clone Stamp tool…Screen Shot 2016-11-11 at 9.39.23 AM.png

I cleaned up the image and made some final adjustments.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-11 at 9.39.23 AM.png

I extended the background even more and added two Curves adjustments to have little yellow and red…Screen Shot 2016-11-11 at 9.51.18 AM.png

I masked together multiple exposures.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-11 at 10.06.34 AM.png

I masked this two images to have whole deer head in the picture…Screen Shot 2016-11-11 at 10.08.02 AM.png

I filled in the gaps in the background.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-11 at 10.08.02 AM.png

Then I painted in the fireplace with the Clone Stamp tool…Screen Shot 2016-11-11 at 10.39.13 AM.png

In Lesson 3, I finished the background.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-14 at 9.55.50 AM.png

I filled in the background with the Clone Stamp tool and made some areas lighter as the rest with lower Opacity…Screen Shot 2016-11-14 at 9.57.49 AM.png

I made some final adjustments to the image.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-14 at 9.57.49 AM.png

I cleaned up the background with the Spot Healing Brush, and cropped the image…Screen Shot 2016-11-14 at 10.10.52 AM.png

In Lesson 4, I painted in light.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-14 at 10.21.10 AM.png

Then I painted the creek, grass, trees, and the house with the Brush tool…Screen Shot 2016-11-14 at 10.22.51 AM.png

I brighten up the exposure.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-14 at 10.22.51 AM.png

I brighten up the house and the field, and added Vibrance and Curves adjustments to the image…Screen Shot 2016-11-14 at 10.40.10 AM.png

In Lesson 4, I added interest by masking in exposure.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-15 at 9.04.17 AM.png

Then I brighten the house and background with low Opacity and the Brush tool…Screen Shot 2016-11-15 at 9.05.38 AM.png

I corrected overexposure.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-15 at 9.05.38 AM.png

I brighten up the room and panic table with a mask and used a Curves adjustment…Screen Shot 2016-11-15 at 9.27.15 AM.png

I corrected overexposure with Color Range.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-15 at 9.37.35 AM.png

I added a mask and painted the roof and trees to darken them up…Screen Shot 2016-11-15 at 9.39.39 AM.png

I added a candlelight and enhancing color and tone.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-15 at 9.39.39 AM.png

I copied the candle on the right and placed it over the candle on the left and added Selective Color, Curves, and Vibrance adjustments to the image…Screen Shot 2016-11-15 at 9.54.34 AM.png

In Lesson 4, I combined interior and exterior exposures of an office with windows.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 9.02.13 AM.png

I made the windows the same and made the office a lot brighter with a layer mask…Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 9.03.42 AM.png

I masked in multiple light sources in an interior.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 9.26.09 AM.png

I added layer mask to brighten up the left wall, carpets 1&2, and benches 1&2…Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 9.29.52 AM.png

In Lesson 5, I combined two exposures for the foreground and sky.

Started with this image…

Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 9.51.33 AM.png

I aligned the two layers to get the detailed sky and made the rails brighter and the background darker with with low Opacity…Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 9.53.36 AM.png

I filled an ordinary, plain blue sky with interesting clouds.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 10.04.59 AM.png

I selected the sky with the Quick Selection tool and have one of the cloud layers in the sky…Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 10.07.28 AM.png

I experimented with different cloud options.

Starting with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 10.07.28 AM.png

I decreased the Opacity of layer Clouds 1 and added Color Balance and Hue/Saturation adjustments…Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 10.20.38 AM.png

I used advanced masking to create a more subtle look.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 10.20.38 AM.png

I added a new mask layer to soften the clouds in the background…Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 10.31.31 AM.png

In Lesson 6, I blended a sequence of images together.

Started with four images…Screen Shot 2016-11-18 at 10.25.20 AM.pngScreen Shot 2016-11-18 at 10.25.35 AM.pngScreen Shot 2016-11-18 at 10.25.51 AM.pngScreen Shot 2016-11-18 at 10.26.03 AM.png

I copied the second image, Used the Brush tool to paint them in on a layer mask, and lower the Opacity on three of the four images…Screen Shot 2016-11-18 at 10.28.12 AM.png

I cropped and finished the image sequence.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-18 at 10.28.12 AM.png

I cropped the image, clean up the image with the Spot Healing Brush, and used a Color Tone adjustment…Screen Shot 2016-11-18 at 10.38.40 AM.png

In Lesson 6, I builded the background.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-28 at 9.31.41 AM.png

I moved the background, clean up the image with the Spot Healing Brush, and added part of the wave from a different layer with a layer mask…Screen Shot 2016-11-28 at 9.36.46 AM.png

I masked in the action.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-28 at 9.36.46 AM.png

I masked in some parts of the action with the Brush and Lasso tools…Screen Shot 2016-11-28 at 9.51.11 AM.png

I cropped and finished the image sequence.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-28 at 9.51.11 AM.png

I added another action sequence, cropped the image, added a Levels adjustment, and deleted layers I didn’t use…Screen Shot 2016-11-28 at 10.06.24 AM.png

In Lesson 7, I cleaned up the background.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-28 at 10.31.25 AM.png

I moved the Screw layer onto the bottom of the lightbulb and cleaned up the image with the Brush tool…Screen Shot 2016-11-28 at 10.34.23 AM.png

In Lesson 7, I cleaned up the light bulb.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-29 at 9.17.15 AM.png

I got rid of the inside of the light bulb and also the brand at the top with the Clone Stamp tool…Screen Shot 2016-11-29 at 9.18.13 AM.png

I added the tree.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-29 at 9.18.13 AM.png

I added the stick and tree into the lightbulb, removed the tree’s bark, and changed the color to green…Screen Shot 2016-11-29 at 9.44.01 AM.png

In Lesson 7, I created reflections.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-30 at 10.10.44 AM.png

I change the shade of green on the tree, I added reflections above and below of the tree…Screen Shot 2016-11-30 at 10.13.29 AM.png

I sharped and added final adjustments.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-11-30 at 10.13.29 AM.png

I added a Black & White and Curves adjustments…Screen Shot 2016-11-30 at 10.28.19 AM.png

In Lesson 7, I masked in the subject into the scene.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-12-01 at 9.20.49 AM.png

I selected the subject with the Quick Selection tool. And moved the subject where she can sit on the beam of the sail…Screen Shot 2016-12-01 at 9.28.13 AM.png

I builded shadows to the image.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-12-01 at 9.28.13 AM.png

I made shadows on the boat by the leg, by the subject’s shoulder, and under her hand using the Lasso tool…Screen Shot 2016-12-01 at 9.55.39 AM.png

I made the final color and tone adjustments to the image.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-12-01 at 9.55.39 AM.png

I added an Black & White, Color Balance, and Curves adjustments to the image…Screen Shot 2016-12-01 at 10.09.57 AM.png

I positioned the subject and added rope to the image.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-12-01 at 10.36.43 AM.png

I positioned the subject on the side of the can. And added rope to the bottom and to the top…Screen Shot 2016-12-01 at 10.38.18 AM.png

In Lesson 7, I connected the rope to the can.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-12-02 at 9.01.51 AM.png

I made the rope go around the tab of the can and made a knot in the rope with the Move and Brush tools…Screen Shot 2016-12-02 at 9.03.15 AM.png

I created a reflection and a shadow.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-12-02 at 9.03.15 AM.png

I made a reflection on the can showing the subject and the rope and lower the Opacity…Screen Shot 2016-12-02 at 9.31.56 AM.png

I added the final shadows and sharpening to the image.

Started with this image…Screen Shot 2016-12-02 at 9.31.56 AM.png

I added a rope shadow at the bottom of the can, added some shadows under the subject’s feet, added a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer, and sharpened the image…Screen Shot 2016-12-02 at 9.52.00 AM.png

Finished the Photoshop for Photographers: Compositing course on Lynda.com.