If you want to make digital composites – sometimes called montages – then here are two important tips that will give you the raw material you need to get creative.
1) Photograph simple objects -
Digital composites can be comprised of two images or 200, but chances are, the more simple objects you have to work with, the more themes you can explore. Try photographing fruit, animals, birds, insects, buildings, anything that might explain some concept later in a digital composite. You can later scale, rotate, shade, re-color or move these objects anywhere you want in your digital composite.
2) Photograph simple backgrounds -
Good composites start with a simple background. Look for patterns, whether in nature or manmade, to create an interesting background. Something as simple as blue or cloudy sky, water, dead leaves – anything ordinary will do, as long as you like the color and/or pattern.
Then start playing. Mix and match your objects and backgrounds and see if you can tell a story.
In the photo above, a client liked my beaver shot, but needed a green background for an ad and wanted a vertical. I simply composited a shot of some grass with the shot of the beaver in the water to get the sale. This was commercial. But in lots of places, this is art. Digital composites are sold as art all over Europe. It’s a fun way to use your digital camera and break down any boredom.
Scott, i would be interested in how you accomplish the composite. This would make a good tutorial if you had some time. You definitely did an excellent job. I can’t even tell its a composite.
Scott, i would be interested in how you accomplish the composite. This would make a good tutorial if you had some time. You definitely did an excellent job. I can’t even tell its a composite.
I am assuming you used Photoshop and blended two different layers using a gradient, but I would also like to get an official tutorial.
Many thanks.
Carl
I am assuming you used Photoshop and blended two different layers using a gradient, but I would also like to get an official tutorial.
Many thanks.
Carl
I think we may have lost the CLEAN tag on this one… :)
I think we may have lost the CLEAN tag on this one… :)
I am proud of you Mr. Bourne, that is a pretty big image for you to be posting on the net. Maybe your trusting your TWiP followers a bit more?
I am proud of you Mr. Bourne, that is a pretty big image for you to be posting on the net. Maybe your trusting your TWiP followers a bit more?
Brad given the fact that I am infringed dozens of times a day I don’t trust anyone :)
But the reason I placed this large image on the web is simple. I’ve determined it’s not salable. It was something I did to illustrate the point. If I had expected income from the image, you’d have seen it at 400 pixels!
Let’s stay on point – the post is about digital montages – not Copyright infringement. Thanks.
Brad given the fact that I am infringed dozens of times a day I don’t trust anyone :)
But the reason I placed this large image on the web is simple. I’ve determined it’s not salable. It was something I did to illustrate the point. If I had expected income from the image, you’d have seen it at 400 pixels!
Let’s stay on point – the post is about digital montages – not Copyright infringement. Thanks.
I love it. Yes I would love to learn the software techniques, but I think that this would be a bit out of the scope of this site. Mind the bit of information that Scott included is fantastic, thanks Scott. Simple subjects and simple backgrounds. This is more than enough to start experimenting and just having fun. I think your post Scott is just spot on, thank you so much for any information.
I love it. Yes I would love to learn the software techniques, but I think that this would be a bit out of the scope of this site. Mind the bit of information that Scott included is fantastic, thanks Scott. Simple subjects and simple backgrounds. This is more than enough to start experimenting and just having fun. I think your post Scott is just spot on, thank you so much for any information.