TRICK OF THE LIGHT: SHOOT-TO-PROCESS COMPOSITING WORKFLOW

In this article, I will show you how I combined five photos in Photoshop to create a composite image, ‘The Messenger’ and how to plan, produce, and shoot your own compositions.

Firstly, what is a composite image? At its most basic, it’s a combination of two or more photos. It can be a useful technique to use in instances where it’s not possible to get the scene you have in mind with a single shot.

For example, in the case of The Messenger, I couldn’t capture in perfect sharpness a subject walking in the dark with enough image quality and only a small kerosene lantern to light the scene. By compositing multiple images together I was able to realise the image.

I’ve found photo compositing one of the best vehicles to transport what’s in my imagination to an actual, tangible image. Furthermore, it’s an excellent way to