Real World Compositing with Adobe Photoshop CS4

Finding Inspiration

One of the most challenging aspects of building a composite scene is knowing what you want to achieve. You may be working from a professional brief where the ideas have already been laid out for you or even sketched as part of a storyboard. Often, you will start with only a simple concept from which you must build a believable image. The goal is to bring together elements from different images to create something completely new.

Let the ideas flow. Your project could be something as simple as adding color and drama to otherwise empty skies, as shown in Figure 2.1, or something more complex such as creating a surreal landscape where the local wildlife wears top hats and drinks lattes while reading People magazine! The key is ...