28 Aug

What is a Composite Image?

What is a Composite Image ?

A number of different pictures are combined to form a composite image. Though multiple layers are used to merge the photograph to form a single image, the viewer will only see the combined image, and will not be aware that multiple photographs were used. A composite image differs from a collage which usually has a story or theme. The collage consists a number of images which are placed together to convey the theme, each image remains separate. On the other hand, elements from different pictures are combined to create composite images. The different elements are integrated in a seamless manner to create the final composite image.

One of the most widely used composite images used in the media are head swaps. Some of the composite images are simple, since they only combine a few images together. In other cases, the photo editor may decide to create an extremely complex image, using hundreds of images and layers. All forms of photography are using composite images. A business can reduce the cost of creating images for portraits, advertising campaigns and other applications using composite images.

One example of how composites are used is when a company wishes to feature models wearing their outdoor clothing walking in a forest, when there is a rain storm in their advertisement. Taking photographs of the models in the forest when it is raining will be expensive due to the travel and other expenses. There may also be delays since weather is unpredictable. Hence it may be cheaper to photograph the models wearing the clothes on a blank screen. The photo of the models can be combined with images of rain, mist, forest to form a composite image, which appears to be realistic.

Corel Paintshop Pro X9, Photoshop are some of the programs which are used to create composite images. The person creating the images should be skilled in Photoshop and be proficient in its various features like clipping tools, layer masking and more. Only skilled professionals can create high quality composite images. A Youtube video created by Erik Johansson has a demonstration of a few of the the most complex composite images being created till date.

If you enjoy having complete control over light, color, composition, and atmosphere, photo compositing is the answer. Blending photos engages the imagination and makes it possible to tell a complete story with a single image. Furthermore, for those on tight budgets, compositing eliminates the expense of taking a model and crew on location. If you’re open to using stock photos, it’s possible to place the model in virtually any setting without stepping foot on a plane. Since creating a convincing composite can be challenging, here are five tips to improve your odds for success.

Don’t include the feet

When feet come into contact with the ground, it’s harder to achieve a believable composite. Therefore, unless you’re up to the challenge, create composites where the feet are cropped out. If you must include them, use a black-to-transparent gradient to darken the feet and make them less noticeable. Additionally, be sure to capture the model and background from a similar distance and height using a fairly consistent focal length. As an added measure of realism, add a small dark shadow just below the feet where they make contact with the ground.

Light the subject properly

How the subject is lit is crucial to the success of the composite. A three-light set-up, with two directional edge lights and one front fill light, provides a pair of distinct advantages. First, the edge lights separate the subject from the background making extraction much easier. Second, light striking the model from three sides makes it possible to believably drop the subject into almost any background. When shooting, position the model and lights in front of a white seamless backdrop and move them far enough away so that the backdrop becomes light gray due to light falloff. Light gray is the ideal color for extraction.

Make great selections

Nothing screams “photo composite” more loudly than a poorly extracted subject. To sell the composite, selection edges must look realistic. Fortunately, Photoshop CS5 and later make it easy to produce perfect selections. Using a combination of the Quick Selection tool and the Refine Mask feature, it’s now possible to select even difficult subjects such as hair.

Balance the color, contrast, and saturation

In order to make a subject appear as though it belongs in front of a background that was photographed in an entirely different location under potentially different lighting conditions, it’s important to balance the color, contrast, and saturation. The best way to accomplish this is by using Photoshop’s Color Balance, Curves, and Hue/Saturation adjustment layers. To limit their effect to only the subject, use a clipping mask. When the composite is nearing completion, filters such as Nik Color Efex Pro’s Bi-Color, Bleach Bypass, Film Efex, and Tonal Contrast are awesome for unifying the overall scene by creating consistent color, contrast, and special effects.

Wrap light around the subject

In the real world (especially in backlit scenes), light bends subtly around a subject’s edges. In a composite, wrapped light adds drama and ties the subject and background neatly together. Although there are several methods for wrapping light, the simplest (and often most effective) is to add a layer above the subject and paint with a large, soft-edged white brush in the spot where the backlight meets the edge of the subject. To tone down the light’s intensity, simply reduce the layer’s opacity.

Composite Image Editing Service Provider

ImageworkIndia is a professional composite image editing service company that has been operating with several worlds known media, fashion, printing, e-commerce, photography, and different artistic agencies for the last five years. we’ve 120+ trained image editors who are overtimes giving their best efforts for the most effective composite image editing expertise. Currently, we are able to provide you 1000+ images per day and therefore the expected work time is 12-24 hours.

We offer you are quality and very helpful with your business requirements, we will also ensure we give you fair prices are quotes for services given that you can comfortably afford once you choose us as your background removal service provider. If you want to learn anything else related with our business including the other solutions we provide or the way to link with us when hunting for a composite image editing service provider in the world, kindly contact us now for a consultation and quote on the various solutions we offer. Clipping magic alternative image work india

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composite image,What is a Composite Image

2 Comments

Albert S. Sandoval

Posted at 4:41 am, October 1, 2019

This is not definition rather explanation is really awesome easier to memorize. Learners need this kind of lesson as if they can be profited following instruction. Thank you.
- Image Work India
  
  Posted at 4:04 am, April 14, 2021
  
  Thanks for your positive response