The Long Wait

[Rebel]

Just a bit of fun this one, I wanted to have a go at a composite.

The bus stop is opposite my old primary school, the giraffe and suitcase are stock photos.

I know the image isn't seamless, but I have been looking at photo collage artists and I kind of like that look. Where you can tell that its an obvious composite if you like.

Here is my effort:

[Shadowman]

Nice effort, I would consider adding a bit of shadow underneath the giraffe and suitcase.

[John 2]

Nice effort, I would consider adding a bit of shadow underneath the giraffe and suitcase.

That's all that gives it away Matt (that and the fact that as we all know, Giraffes favour backpacks). Nice effort.

[ionian]

Nice concept Matt, time to get creative with the burn brush to give it some shadow. Go gently, it's a diffuse light.

Incidentally I tried something similar recently, adding a car to an image, and I could not get it to look natural for the life of me. Maybe I should have used a giraffe!

[Rebel]

Thanks guys, I am struggling with where to position the shadows? Any ideas?

[ionian]

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/...mage/556482507

Like this but more diffuse and slightly wider; paint it in on a separate layer(copy the background) then add a mask (all white) and change the opacity of the layer until it looks natural. You can paint over the top of the mask with a low opacity black brush (like 5%) to hide detail where needed .

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/...aphy/157043675

The key to the suitcase is darkness immediate on the bottom and underneath, then rapidly getting lighter. It needs to be small but define the light.

[Rebel]

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/...mage/556482507

Like this but more diffuse and slightly wider; paint it in on a separate layer then use a mask to hide everyone else and change the opacity of the layer until it looks natural. You can paint over the top of the mask with a low opacity brush (like 5%) to hide or bring out more detail.

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/...aphy/157043675

The key to the suitcase is darkness immediate on the bottom and underneath, then rapidly getting lighter. It needs to be small but define the light.

Great! I'll check that out later

[IzzieK]

Look at your original shot of the bus stop to see where the sun is shining and where the shadow is supposed to be then work from there so it is not too obvious../

BTW, I'd rather that the business bag's handle be dangling on his mouth.

[Rebel]

Look at your original shot of the bus stop to see where the sun is shining and where the shadow is supposed to be then work from there so it is not too obvious../

BTW, I'd rather that the business bag's handle be dangling on his mouth.

Theres no sun Izzie, its overcast day.

I did think about the bag dangling from its mouth

[IzzieK]

Theres no sun Izzie, its overcast day.

I did think about the bag dangling from its mouth

The grade or level of a shadow does seem to deteriorate on an overcast day so it only follows that your giraffe should have just a sliver of shadow not a whole heap, if you follow my line of thought.

[Wavelength]

Really funny
I would remove the chewing leaves from the gentleman's mouth; it makes him a less serious traveller