Composite Images and Matte Painting
Imaginary worlds can be incredibly beautiful. In our imagination we can visit the world of Harry Potter, cast a spell and save the day. I definitely enjoy creating new worlds and scenery using subjects of my very own photography sessions.
For me it always starts with an idea. Sometimes I create photos specifcally to be used for a composite image, and occasionally I spot existing, often candidly shot, photos that I feel can be used to create a compelling story.
The epic fight photo below was created using one of the shots I took on a sunny day at Toronto Islands in the fall. It occured to me that the pose of the girl on the right is quite combative, so inspiration came and I created a composite image based on that.
Creativity doesn’t wait for that perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones.
How I Create Composites
As with everything else, I find that, when it comes to composites, practice makes perfect. Well, if not perfect, then at least much better than last time. There are a few key skills required to get it done succesfully: color matching, masking and blending the layers so that everything matches. You can think of this process in the same way you think about VFX. Hey, matte paintings were used up until the early 2000s for the production of movies. Now a lot of this work is pure CGI, but the art refuses to die. I think it is definitely more fulfilling to create an image yourself, instead of trusting a computer to do it. Besides, it is arguably a lot more fun this way as well!
There are often different ways one can approach the creation of composites. It all depends on the purpose of your creation and message you wish to convey. Cometimes I find myself taking a more detailed approach, and then occasionally I go for a more grotesque image for comedic effect. The image below was meant to be a carricature of sorts. You can tell that the added effect are a bit over the top, and the look is almost childish. There is quite a bit of contrast with the other octopus monster encounter you saw earlier in this post. I still think that, no matter what, the most important thing is to have some fun with your creative ideas. You never know where they will take you.
