Photoshop Compositing Secrets - Matt Kloskowski [2]
Contents
CHAPTER 1
Selection Secrets
A Compositor’s Best Friends
Adjusting the Selection
Extracting Hair
Refining Hair
The Best Background Color for Selecting & Extracting
CHAPTER 2
Basic Composite
Planning Ahead
Prepping the Background
Prepping the Portrait
Creating the Composite
CHAPTER 3
Creating Motion
Prepping the Background Image
Prepping the Motorcycle Image
Creating the Composite
CHAPTER 4
Senior Portrait
Prepping the Background
Prepping the Basketball Player
Creating the Composite
CHAPTER 5
Professional Office
The Setup
Prepping the Portraits
Creating the Composite
CHAPTER 6
Family/Group Portrait
The Setup
Prepping the Portraits
Creating the Composite
CHAPTER 7
Studio Sports Portrait
Prepping the Background
The Portrait Setup and Extraction
Creating the Composite
CHAPTER 8
Live Concert
Prepping the Background
Selecting the Portrait and the Arms
Creating the Composite
CHAPTER 9
Multiple-Exposure Action Photo
The Setup
Multiple-Exposure Action Composite (The Easy Way)
Multiple-Exposure Action Composite (The Not-Quite-as-Easy Way)
CHAPTER 10
Movie Poster
The Setup
Prepping the Background
Selecting the Samurai
Creating the Composite
CHAPTER 11
Ultra-Grungy/Edgy HDR Background
Creating the Background
Selecting and Preparing the Portrait
Creating the Composite
CHAPTER 12
Sports Template
Creating the Background
Adding the Athletes to the Composite
CHAPTER 13
Single-Photo Composite
Single-Photo Composite
Single-Photo Composite Optional Trick #1
Single-Photo Composite Optional Trick #2
CHAPTER 14
One Person, Multiple Poses
The Setup
Creating the Composite
CHAPTER 15
Adding Illustration
Extending the Background
Creating the Composite
CHAPTER 16
Advanced Commercial Compositing
Brainstorming for a Commercial Composite
Creating the Background
Creating the Composite
Where to Go Next
INDEX
Introduction
Photoshop compositing has really blown up over the last few years. You see composites everywhere from magazine ads and covers, to movie posters, to athletic portraits, to, well, just about any kind of portrait. It really is everywhere. Clients and customers are very aware of Photoshop now and know what can be done, so they’re requesting more from photographers and designers. As time goes on and the creative boundaries of photography and Photoshop continually push the envelope, even our own judgment and tastes have risen to new heights, because we know (and see) all of the possibilities. The good news is that, today, it’s easier than ever to get into compositing.
For starters, the photography and lighting side of compositing has become much simpler to work with. Once you have the camera, lens, and memory card, experimenting is basically free. You can take as many photos as you need in an attempt to get the right one to work for your composite. Not only is the photography part easier, but the Photoshop part of the equation has changed big time. See, one of the key areas of compositing starts with a good selection. If you don’t make a good selection, your composite is never going to look real. Before Photoshop CS5, selections used to be a royal pain in the a$$. But with the new Refine Edge technology in CS5, selections that were nearly impossible (or really time consuming) can happen in about 3–5 minutes. To me, that’s a game changer in both the quality we get from our composites, and the time we have to invest in them.
The hardest part of the entire compositing process is, honestly, the creative side. No amount of technology will change that, though. But, to me, it’s my favorite part and I hope it becomes yours as you read through this book. Let me first say that I love photography and I love capturing a beautiful photo right out of the camera. Whether it’s a landscape or a portrait, there’s something wonderful about making a great photo that looks awesome as soon as you open it on your computer. Hit Send,