Multiple exposure

[Andybazyoung]

Hi all you experts,
I have a task to complete...
I have 3 photographs of a person in different poses/positions set in an archway & want to put them all on one photograph.
To take all 3 shots I set my camera on a tripod & didn't change settings, as instructed but then I came unstuck & things got a bit messy..... Finger trouble!
I have photoshop CS6 & got lost amongst layers. Probably pretty basic stuff & possibly can't see the obvious!
Any thoughts & assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys,
Andy

[PhotomanJohn]

Andy - Exactly what are you trying to do with these three images? Do you want the three poses superimposed or just side by side or what?

John

[Andybazyoung]

Hi John, I would like the archway with, left side one pose, middle another pose & the right side yet another pose. I have seen similar photographs of the same model in 2 or 3 different poses in the same photo.

[Manfred M]

Andy - it would help if you posted the images you are referring to. It's not easy to do without seeing what you are.

[Andybazyoung]

Yes, I thought that would have to happen. I will have to do that tomorrow now as I'm off to bed after finishing prep work. I will post them tomorrow,
Thanks Manfred

[Geoff F]

Just a thought, Andy, are you Auto Aligning the layers. You can get quite a bit of variation between shots even when shooting on a tripod unless you use cable shutter release. I get similar problems when taking multiple shots of insects for stacking into one final image.

But I suspect you may have a different problem here, or an additional issue, and need to do some masking, or extraction and pasting, to get the result you desire. Which is where things become really sticky - but possible.

[Andyjo]

You could do this quite easily. Take your three exposures of the person and the archway.

Download Gimp. Have a look at this tutorial which is excellent - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz-YeRoVDZ4

Hope that helps

[benm]

Put each image on its own layer. Apply "Blend Overlay" to all layers except the bottom one. (So in your case you would apply it twice, once to each of the two upper layers). "Blend Overlay" is the term used in Pixelmator; other programs may use somewhat different language.

[Colin Southern]

Assuming that the camera's position is fixed, just take the 3 shots and then in Photoshop click on FILE -> SCRIPTS -> LOAD FILES INTO STACKS. Then use use a soft brush to erase the bits you don't want (click image for big view)



And with a minor variation of the theme ...

[Andybazyoung]

Thanks Colin, I will try that & let you know if it works.
Andy

[Colin Southern]

Thanks Colin, I will try that & let you know if it works.
Andy

You're welcome Andy.

In theory it sounds simple, but in practice a few things can bite you;

- it helps if you can visualise things in advance a bit in the placement of your subjects when you shoot - I find it helps to pick something in the background and then make sure the subject is placed relative to that (eg if you want to photograph your "twins" at the table then note the stain on the curtain in the background then keep the child to the left of it for the first shot and then to the right of it for the 2nd shot etc)

- Be aware of shadows / lighting (you'll see what I mean ).

[Andybazyoung]

Hi Colin & Geoff,
There seems to be so many ways of layering images & getting the result I was looking for, or at least the principle behind getting a result!
I followed Colin's suggestions, something I had done before with a set of macro flower images & never thought it would work with the images I wanted to process. You, of course, were right. There are many, many pitfalls & I fell in most of them.
Anyway, I took these images seconds behind each other but was still amazed at the lighting difference in each image and set.
I am aware the images selected are not of the best quality but I was more interested in the process this first time. (Go to edit, selected scripts & erase away) Well, not so easy!!!
Thanks to you all for helping & feel I have a basic knowledge now with some way to go....
Regards
Andy

[Manfred M]

Andy - rather than erasing, look at using a layer mask. This is a non-destructive technique where you hide and reveal items by block or letting the image through the mask. Unlike erasing (even when using the history brush), this technique is superior, as the mask, rather than the image is the only thing you edit.

You can go back and tweak things anytime.

[Andybazyoung]

Manfred, I wii certainly look at that.
Thanks

[Colin Southern]

Hi Andy,

Keep in mind too that you don't need to keep the layers locked - you can move them around to re-position things.

[jcuknz]

The other useful feature you probably have in CS is to reduce the density of a layer so you can see the layer below it.... I use this in lining up handheld panoramas amongst other things.

[chauncey]

Aah...when did things get messy...during the shoot or in PP?
Don't overlook "Merge to Panorama"...sometimes it will include more than one subject in your initial merge.
Using layers, as has been discussed, is but one way to work...using the clone stamp tool will work as well.
I used this method before learning all that layers stuff. Simply open your three images, not in layers>clone areas from one image to another. This works well, only if your subjects are from a consistent background.