For as long as there have been cameras, there have been rulebreakers. In 1857, Oscar Gustav Rejlander stunned the art world–and sparked a controversy–by revealing Two Ways of Life, a composite picture made up of over 32 negatives. It took him six weeks to conceptualise, and it earned him a nickname: “the father of art photography.”
Ever since, there have been artists who use the camera not only to capture the world as it is but how it could be, using elements from many different images to create one (often surreal or supernatural) scene. The tools are far more accessible and advanced than they were in 1857, allowing today’s creatives to break boundaries and invent new worlds.
“When making a composite, you have to have an idea and the imagination to visualise something that isn’t there in reality.”
“There is a big difference between ‘shooting a photo’ and ‘creating a picture,’” the fine art photographer Andreas Kremer, who creates dystopian worlds as part of his ongoing project The Last Resort, explains. “When making a composite, you have to have an idea and the imagination to visualise something that isn’t there in reality.” This brings us to our first tip.
1. Have a crystal-clear concept
A good composite starts with a great idea, so take the time to flesh yours out. Concepts tend to work best when they’re simple but profound. Daisuke Takakura, for example, is best known for his pictures of cloned models, each representing a different facet of their personalities, in conversation with each other.
He uses the same model, spending hours photographing them as they move around the space and change their expressions. The process is collaborative, based on a dialogue between the artist and model, and informed by the model’s inner life. Sometimes, he builds a short story, text, or image board to help in the creation of the picture. For that reason, every image is unique and personal to the individual.
It’s an idea we can understand immediately, but it’s also one that probes at larger questions about how we define ourselves. “Beyond a composite being technically ‘correct’ or interesting to look at, I think it is important to make sure that the concept is well-developed,” Daisuke says.
“I always sketch out my idea to decide how to arrange the composition and see what might make the story stronger.”
2. Sketch your ideas
One way to refine your concept is through storyboarding and sketching. “When concepting and shooting my composites, I like to use a storyboarding process where I’ll first consider the subject, story, setting, pose, props, wardrobe, lighting, camera settings, perspective, and framing,” Hayley Roberts, a conceptual fine art photographer and the founder of the Creative Photo Folk, says. “I always sketch out my idea to decide how to arrange the composition and see what might make the story stronger.”
3. If possible, shoot everything at the same location
Shooting all your components at once isn’t always possible, but it eliminates some of the common “mistakes” you see with composites, including mismatched image resolutions or mismatched lighting. “A good trick that I always try to follow is to shoot all your elements at the same time, in the same location,” the fine art photographer Nicki Panou suggests. “This way, it is easier to edit them later. It also helps to have a clear idea of what your composite will look like before you shoot. Plan your photoshoot accordingly, and ensure you have all the necessary elements for your composite.”
4. Keep the lighting consistent
The main benefit of shooting everything at the same time, in the same place, is that your lighting will be consistent throughout the image. But sometimes, it won’t be possible to shoot everything at once. In that case, pay special attention to the direction, quality, and temperature of your light source(s) and try to replicate them as closely as possible.
This is easiest to do with artificial lighting, as natural light can change quickly and dramatically. “If you are working with sunlight, even if you composite photos you took yourself with the same camera angle just fifteen minutes apart, the intensity of light and the length or angle of the shadows can be different,” the fine art photographer and video artist May Parlar tells us. “It can be done, but it requires a lot of attention to detail and double checking.”
5. Beware of shadows
Without consistent lighting, you can end up with shadows that don’t make sense and break the illusion of an otherwise well-crafted image. For that reason, it’s important to watch how and where the shadows are falling; while it’s always best to get it right in-camera, you might be able to save some images in post.
“Unrealistic shadows easily ruin a good composite,” Hayley Roberts tells us. “I saw an image recently where a chandelier was casting a shadow against a wall, which, in that particular scenario, defied the rules of physics because the chandelier is its own light source.”
6. Take all the photos from the same height and angle
As with the lighting, the angle/perspective needs to remain the same for the final image to be believable. “Mismatched perspectives is another easy mistake to make, so try to photograph all your components from similar heights,” Hayley suggests. “This is a hard one to get right and requires a lot of practice because it’s not so easy to spot.”
7. Shoot high-quality, high-resolution photos
“If you want to create realistic images, that means that people shouldn’t recognise it as a composite work at first (and maybe even second) glance, so quality is key,” Andreas Kremer explains. “If just one component is lacking in quality, you will recognise that in the overall image, and you’ll miss the effect, especially if you want to print large scale and exhibit your work.”
8. Take your time
Andreas begins by developing a clear idea, creating a mood board, and finding and shooting photographs to build the picture in his head. But even when that’s done, much of his time is spent on reviewing and finessing, perfecting the tiny details, and seamlessly blending components from different images. He’ll look to see if anything is missing; if needed, he’ll go out and shoot more components to fill in the gaps. “Compositing requires a lot of work on the details–days, weeks, and maybe months,” he says.
“It’s really worth learning the process of selecting images accurately and taking the care to do so. This is a time-consuming process, but it’s worth it.”
9. Mind your selections
“The most common mistake I see is that the subjects aren’t cut out properly,” Hayley says. “It’s really worth learning the process of selecting images accurately and taking the care to do so. This is a time-consuming process, but it’s worth it.”
You can learn more about cutting out images in Affinity Photo by watching this tutorial.
10. Stay organised
May Parlar creates single images out of anywhere from a couple to several hundred different photographs. The more complex the project is, the more essential organisation becomes. “I can’t overemphasise the importance of organisation and a clean work layout,” May says. “Things that seem so simple or unimportant, such as naming all your layers, can make a huge difference in your workflow.”
11. Practice, practice, practice
This was, far and away, the most frequently mentioned tip shared by the artists we interviewed: practice and experiment. “My suggestion is to keep learning new techniques,” the artist Alice Zilberberg tells us. “I played around with image compositing a lot before I arrived at my style. I think it was these many hours–and years–that led to me perfecting my approach.”
“I played around with image compositing a lot before I arrived at my style. I think it was these many hours–and years–that led to me perfecting my approach.”
12. Use your own photos where possible
Another thing: the artists we spoke with shoot their own photos–and recommend doing the same, for technical reasons and so you have all the rights to the images. Alice still likes to mix it up and try different things, using pictures she’s photographed around the world: “I like to experiment and do what’s best for the particular image. Sometimes, something I planned out may not work out quite like I imagined, while some other works may surprise me as I’m working on them.”
About the contributor
Feature Shoot showcases the work of international emerging and established photographers who are transforming the medium through compelling, cutting-edge projects, with contributing writers from all over the world.