First Steps In Compositing

My friend Tom recently got some photographic lighting gear, and I became one of the his "models"  for trying out both the equipment and his technique. Plus I gave his birds a break from his "torture by flash" sessions.  

Besides, I had recently bought a Matt Kloskowski's book on Compositing, so I was more than eager to test out some of the concepts that I had learned.

I am in the beginning stages of this Compositing journey, and below are a few of my earliest Composited images.

Puebla Church + Studio Shot

I shot this image of the man kneeling in prayer at a church in Mexico. He was quite frail, and his son had to literally carry him into the church.   I quietly moved out of the aisle and let them pass.  They headed to a side alter in this very large church.  Other than his obviously failing health, wondered what he prayers were.  Moments later while he settled into conversation with his God, and set my camera on silent and took the picture.

Back at home, in Photoshop, I proceeded to piece together the image which Tom had taken with the one of the kneeling man in the church.   I wanted the image to have a kind of solemn "enveloped with the light from above" feel.   I think that I achieved that, what do you think?

In the next image, I was going for a dark stairway look.   I also like B&W photographs, so I combined both within this picture.    The bored guard at the library forbade me from taking any pictures inside the library, but allowed pictures from the outside stairway, so that is what I did.  My forbidding posture, was homage to the guard, one of many "Mr No" that I met that day.

Puebla  Library Stairway +  Studio Shot

Another church themed composite.  This one, the church caretaker was extremely gracious and allowed me to take my tripod inside and take several pictures.

Puebla Church + Studio Shot

These composites are very time consuming to make.   Each took me more than 4-hours to create.  But that is one of the things that attracts me to this form of photography.   Nothing is better than settling in and spending quality time doing something you enjoy.   Besides when its 115 degrees outside, what could be better. 

In a follow-up post, I will be showing some of the pictures I took of the churches in Puebla and Mexico City.

Cheers
D.