Compositing Artists

Some photographers use compositing in their art work. Are they photographers, photo illustrators, artists or all of the above?

Peter Funch
The photo below is by Peter Funch of Times Square. It's a stunning example of composite photography, or multiple photos taken over time that have been digitally combined.



Tom Mason


Jeff Liao (different areas of Queens)
http://www.digitalphotopro.com/profiles/jeff-liao-broadway-to-queens.html



Julia Fullerton-Batten does NOT actually use Photoshop to make composites, but rather uses elaborate sets and removes crash pads, strings, etc in photoshop with the clone tool. This is something one could do in Photoshop, however. If you were to attempt this, and whenever making a composite, make sure that the lighting, color temperature and shadows in both the subject and the background match.

Week 5: Selection Tools

 Selection tools help us select one area and copy it to a new area, also called compositing.

A COMPOSITE is made when images are "cut out" and combined to create a new image. Selection tools (like the Marquee, lasso, magic wand, and pen tools) help us to cut images out.

Class Outline:

Lecture:

• Lasso, Marquee, Magic Wand
• Pen Tool and Paths
• Intro to Compositing, Refine Edge, Feathering a selection

Lab:

•  Create a path using the pen tool exercise on the transfer drive

• Create a composite using the Marquee, lasso, magic wand, and pen tools

HW:  Create a composite using the pen tool. Cut something out and put it in a new environment. Try to choose something that has hard edges (fur/hair/people is more advanced). Be sure to name your path and save as a tiff with layers.

Reading: Classroom in a Book Section 3, starting on pg 68

Example Blog that uses compositing to create collages: Image below by Mrs. Lillien Styling House www.blog.mrslilien.com

In Class Exercise (files are on transfer drive):
Use the Pen tool to cut something out and paste a new background behind it. In this case we are pasting a white background behind this dancer.

Step 1: Open the raw or hi-res file.
Step 2: Using the pen tool, zoom into at least 300 percent and outline the figure. At the end make sure you close the path. Go to Paths palatte and double click "working path" and name it something else to save the path.
Step 3: Make a new layer on top of the background layer. EDIT > FILL with white
Step 4: Go to path, click on it, then make the path a selection by clicking the dotted circle icon at the bottom of the paths palatte. Should look like this:

Step 5: When the selection is live, feather it 2 pixels to soften edges (SELECT > MODIFY>FEATHER). Then make a mask by clicking the "add layer mask" button on bottom of layers palatte. Invert mask (command i).

Step 6: You can paint back with black on the mask with a low opacity brush to bring back a bit of the shadows around the feet to make it look more realistic.

Midterm Grading Criteria: 100 possible Points (making up 15% of your total grade)

15pts: on time

35pts: effort/creativity/thoughtful design

25pts: Digital Copy has layers with text and imagery

25pts: Printed Copy followed directions (approx. 5x7”, 2 copies, printed double sided, includes contact info, includes imagery and text)