Project 52 (sort of, maybe Mark VK)

[Mark von Kanel]

Well ive about had enough so im going to the pub!

Ive merged my bike and my big background and come up with this.... think i need to reduce the background image size without cropping the image..... havnt a bloody clue.... job for tomorrow! Cheers everybody!

[IzzieK]

Ouch! No...! this looks like a vehicle in Liliput...sorry...

[Mark von Kanel]

Ouch! No...! this looks like a vehicle in Liliput...sorry...

Dont worry izzie this isnt the intended result, i just wanted to show my mistakes as well as successes...

[Mark von Kanel]

OK so i sussused out how to re size the image, its done, strangly enough in the image size option in PS.... i know your thinking "derrr!" but i was tired.... now ive done the composit and i think ive achived separation from the background, BUT it looks very much like a composite.

Does anyone know how to make a composite not look like a composite?

[Geoff F]

Sometimes, very slightly blurring sharp edges can help a placed image layer to blend in a little better. But in this case I think that a lot of the problem is the obvious difference in sharpness between the bike and the floor

[Venser]

Does anyone know how to make a composite not look like a composite?

You have to go in knowing this is what you're going to do. After that, it's mainly controlling the light. Once that is nailed, everything else is quite easy. If the lighting is off between two images, it takes real skill to stitch them together.

I just did my first entry into this 52 week project. All mine are going to be composites. I'm not the best, but feel free to ask anything you want. I'll answer to the best of my knowledge.

[IzzieK]

Mark...you are too funny...to make a composite not look like a composite depends on the blending you are using...try different ones until you find your niche. Also another nit from me...you forgot the shadow on the ground...your bike looks like it is floating on air...ready to pounce???? Maybe a shadow will make a difference, eh???

[Mark von Kanel]

Well thanks to some info from bill and the others in another thread i started to gain some attention i managed to get some advice!! heres the result so far, and i think im getting there!

[Mark von Kanel]

Mark...you are too funny...to make a composite not look like a composite depends on the blending you are using...try different ones until you find your niche. Also another nit from me...you forgot the shadow on the ground...your bike looks like it is floating on air...ready to pounce???? Maybe a shadow will make a difference, eh???

yup it was the shadow causing the problem! another lesson learned

[Mark von Kanel]

Sometimes, very slightly blurring sharp edges can help a placed image layer to blend in a little better. But in this case I think that a lot of the problem is the obvious difference in sharpness between the bike and the floor

yes your right Geoff, think the new version ids much better!

[Mark von Kanel]

You have to go in knowing this is what you're going to do. After that, it's mainly controlling the light. Once that is nailed, everything else is quite easy. If the lighting is off between two images, it takes real skill to stitch them together.

I just did my first entry into this 52 week project. All mine are going to be composites. I'm not the best, but feel free to ask anything you want. I'll answer to the best of my knowledge.

LOL im not finding any of this easy but bit by bit ill get there! its alright knowing your your trying to achieve but thats not much use if you dont know how to achieve it, which is what im trying to learn looking forwar to seeing your stuff and hoping to learn from it all

[purplehaze]

I'm very impressed, Mark. To my eye, on my laptop, it doesn't look like a composite at all. Congratulations on your perseverance.

[Mark von Kanel]

I'm very impressed, Mark. To my eye, on my laptop, it doesn't look like a composite at all. Congratulations on your perseverance.

Thanks Janis, a little more work will sort it, the exposure on the bike doesnt match the background so i need to sort it out, im sure ill get the hang of it all eventually. There are some great tutorials on a site call PHLearn the one on the pen tool is really good, and having learned it, i dont think ill be using anything else to make selections.

[wilgk]

Well done!
I have found the slight blurring of the edges is a good tip & the shadow helps to anchor the newcomer to the party!

[Mark von Kanel]

Ok this will be my last post to project 52. Not because im quitting, but because the posts arnt getting the attention of the wider forum. Ive noticed that only the regulars comment here and when they dont have the answers that you need your stuck.

The shadow problem was a good example, i had to re post in a separate thread to get the advice that i needed to go forward

Dont get me wrong, i thing the project 52 is great and will keep it as an ethos, but to get the help that i need im going to post separate threads titled to grab the attention of those that can help me.

Now somebody suggested Fog....

So here it is, my final edit with this image!

[mknittle]

On going threads are like that lots of people look but only a few comment. I have a "build thread" on a dodge diesel message board that has around 30,000 Views but only 300 comments in a little over a year.

The way you are going starting separate Threads for questions is the way to go. I would encourage you to keep the Project 52 thread going. Many will likely drop out, as that happens your thread will get more followers. Right now with so many starting it is tough to keep up unless all you do is sit in front of the computer.

By the way the fog is a cool.

[IzzieK]

Ok this will be my last post to project 52. Not because im quitting, but because the posts arnt getting the attention of the wider forum. Ive noticed that only the regulars comment here and when they dont have the answers that you need your stuck.

Same here...Not that I am complaining (I am complaining, what am I talking about?!) about the ones who responded to my posts but I was having a conversation with just two people towards the end of my last Project 52. I have a learned a lot from Janis and Terry and Frank -- I truly appreciate them taking the time to look and comment or critique but I really like to learn what I had embarked on myself to do because it was really the first time I seriously did studio lighting. I was just telling a member here in a private email that perhaps I should not continue and just post an image in separate post so it might get more attention. This Project 52 seems to be not getting too much attention...