how to make a composite look real in photoshop

[Mark von Kanel]

In my Project 52 thread im trying to learn how to composite at the moment. Find the tread here.

Project 52 (sort of, maybe Mark VK)

i wont explain the process ive carried out so far, its easier to have a look at the thread but ive hit a bit of a problem and havnt managed to google my way out of it yet ive composited (is that a word?)a bike on to a background but it doesnt look "real" if you know what i mean....

how do i get it to look right?

Ive started this thread to hopefully gain the attention of those not reading the project 52 stuff

[chauncey]

Which version of PS are you using? Saving large images requires saving in .psb format.

OK, I'm looking and I'm seeing some problems...specifically in the colors in the bike. Somewhere
you've picked up some brown colors that aren't in the original???

Am not sure what your goals are so I will only refer to this image, is it simply to move the bike closer
to the foreground thereby creating more distance from the crates? If that's the goal...include the street
in the selection so you'll have a realistic base for the bike.

Keep the crates in your post #40 of your previous thread...select the street only in your #38 and pull it
into your #40 numerous times, side by side, while blending them together to match-up size wise.
While your doing the street, bear in mind that you will need to do some perspective alterations from the
front to the wall.

Apply the blur, lens blur/Gaussian blur/whatever, to this new background making sure to apply a gradient.
Resize this new background image to fit the bike/street then pull in the bike.
That should give you an idea as to the steps involved.

[Shadowman]

I would expect some sort of shadow beneath the bike, however you may be going for a different look. The composite looks fine.

[Mark von Kanel]

Which version of PS are you using? Saving large images requires saving in .psb format.

OK, I'm looking and I'm seeing some problems...specifically in the colors in the bike. Somewhere
you've picked up some brown colors that aren't in the original???

Am not sure what your goals are so I will only refer to this image, is it simply to move the bike closer
to the foreground thereby creating more distance from the crates? If that's the goal...include the street
in the selection so you'll have a realistic base for the bike.

Keep the crates in your post #40 of your previous thread...select the street only in your #38 and pull it
into your #40 numerous times, side by side, while blending them together to match-up size wise.
While your doing the street, bear in mind that you will need to do some perspective alterations from the
front to the wall.

Apply the blur, lens blur/Gaussian blur/whatever, to this new background making sure to apply a gradient.
Resize this new background image to fit the bike/street then pull in the bike.
That should give you an idea as to the steps involved.

Wow thanks Bill means starting almost from scratch but some great pointers there the main one being when i make the selection to include the ground which will also include said shadow.....im using CS5

[Polar01]

Where is the light?

Cheers: Allan

[cuilin]

you need a shadow that matches the light on the bike. and the shadow should connect with all points that would be touching the ground. you'll also want to get the light and tones of the bike to match the background. the background has very muted tones and even, ambiguous light. the bike on the other hand has light and shadows.

here's an example of one that i did a while back. the ground, background and car are from 3 different stock images.
the car appears to be lit from the top, probably by the sky, the shadow on the ground is directly under the car and holds the same shape of the car, as seen from above. the background, ground and car were brightened or darkened as needed to blend, then all 3 components were given muted, sepia(ish) colors to help blend them even further.

[mknittle]

you need a shadow that matches the light on the bike. and the shadow should connect with all points that would be touching the ground. you'll also want to get the light and tones of the bike to match the background. the background has very muted tones and even, ambiguous light. the bike on the other hand has light and shadows.

here's an example of one that i did a while back. the ground, background and car are from 3 different stock images.
the car appears to be lit from the top, probably by the sky, the shadow on the ground is directly under the car and holds the same shape of the car, as seen from above. the background, ground and car were brightened or darkened as needed to blend, then all 3 components were given muted, sepia(ish) colors to help blend them even further.

Nice work Beth, I checked out your website. very interesting work. I think the boat in the bath tub is my favorite.

[Mark von Kanel]

Hi Beth ,

thanks for the tips, i love your work and can only aspire to such PP ability!

Interesting comments on the light because the composite is actually made from the same shot.....

[Loose Canon]

I guess I would have almost nothing to add to the sage comments you have received Mark!

Well, okay! I’ll add this:

The shot looks like what it is at this point. A scooter superimposed on another scene. The bike isn’t grounded in the shot. It looks like it is floating.

Mark, this bears repeating over and over and you'll need this when you get home and bust out your lights:

Light illuminates, shadow defines.

Also compliments on the bike clip. Excellent selection. The pen tool is the best thing since sliced bread!

[Mark von Kanel]

Also compliments on the bike clip. Excellent selection. The pen tool is the best thing since sliced bread!

Yes it is takes a little time to get used to but worth the effort. Theres a great tutorial on PHLearn's website which really helped.

The shot looks like what it is at this point. A scooter superimposed on another scene. The bike isn’t grounded in the shot. It looks like it is floating.

calling a Harley a scooter!! WOW your living dangerously.... Go wash your mouth out with soap and stand in the corner with your naughty cap on

[Loose Canon]

calling a Harley a scooter!! WOW your living dangerously.... Go wash your mouth out with soap and stand in the corner with your naughty cap on

Over on this side of the pond bikers call their Harley's (and there is no other REAL bike) scooters, putts, sleds, hogs! Had I called it a rice rocket, crotch rocket, rice burner I would already be a dead man!

[Manfred M]

Mark - now that you've done the easy part; it's down to the details.

As Terry, and others, have pointed out, it's all about the light, shadows and PoV. We humans have a lifetime of experience looking at things and the "little things" will tell us that it is a "fake".

1. Light - direction, quality, quantity need to match in all aspects of the photocomposite. The reflections on the chrome part of the bike tell us something about the light that is in the scene. This gives away your little "lie"; the light is different from the light hitting the background.

2. Shadows - these anchor your object to the ground, so even faint ones will tell us that the bike is sitting on the ground and not floating in the air. Just to complicate things, the shadows need to reflect the direction of the light, or again our brain gets suspicious.

3. This must match as well. It looks like the background was shot straight on, while the bike has been shot slightly from above. Again, our brain sees this and starts wondering about what is "wrong".

A couple of other thoughts:

1. Edges - a very soft feather on the cutout tends to blend better. The amount will vary based on the size of the images. If you look at this type of transition in a real image, closeup, you'll see what I'm getting at here.

2. Image quality - the images being put together need to have the same overall appearance, from a resolution standpoint. The bike looks crisp, but the rest of the image doesn't.

[Mark von Kanel]

Thanks everyone for your help. im going to go away and re process the image, Those of you that think the light is different on the bike to that of the background are actually wrong! both the background and the bike are from the same original image!

Its actually my disgraceful editing that has mad the lighting seem different!

[jcuknz]

Hi Beth ,

thanks for the tips, i love your work and can only aspire to such PP ability!

Interesting comments on the light because the composite is actually made from the same shot.....

It matters not that it is right but that it 'Looks Right'



There was a man standing on the bridge pillar but fortunately I had a shot of the railcar from further back to provide the area obscured by the man in the shot I wanted. I use PSP which maybe a help, I think so anyway Also the area under the bridge comes from a third shot.

[Mark von Kanel]

Well thanks to you guys ive got this far... which is a great improvement, its still not finished, i cant figure out how to apply an adjustment layer to just one of the layers, but im tired now so its time to pack in and have another go tomorrow.

[mknittle]

Looks tons better Mark.

[chauncey]

i cant figure out how to apply an adjustment layer to just one of the layers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip45A7kZoFM

[Stagecoach]

Getting much better Mark.

Your vertical background is 'blurred' but the paving adjacent to it is sharp. Perhaps a bit of blurring with a gradient if it's on a separate layer?

[cuilin]

Hi Beth ,

thanks for the tips, i love your work and can only aspire to such PP ability!

Interesting comments on the light because the composite is actually made from the same shot.....

thanks. even if they're from the same image, is the light the same on the bike and the crates? for example, if the crates were from the background and were completely in shadow while the bike wasn't then they'd be in different light and you'd expect to see shadows and highlights on the bike that you wouldn't expect on the crates. but you would see that shadow in the original source image and it would make sense to your brain. if you don't see that shadow but the crates and the bike are still together then it doesn't make sense. it could be a million different situations, but once you know what details you're looking for you can start piecing the images together in a cohesive manner.

[Shadowman]

Mark,

Much better.