I am drawn to art that challenges one’s sense of reality. – Jerry Uelsmann, from a show at Michener Museum in Doylestown, PA
Compositing images, i.e., combining images or parts of images, taken at different times or in different locations, gives the photographer an unlimited number of components with which to write a new story, imagined only in the photographer’s mind and not seen until the photographer assembles the pieces. The images can run the gamut from extremely surrealistic to constructed but believable to apparently realistic.
It can be very difficult to tell a story with a single image or the story may express a limited number of emotions or ideas. By compositing images, more complex stories can be told more clearly and effectively. Conversely, incongruous juxtaposition can create a mystery or riddle, a pun or joke for the viewer to unfold individually.
Selection tools, layers and masks in Photoshop greatly simplify the construction of composite digital files in comparison to analog images. This is a very simple composite where the dark brown sand was replaced with a mirrored pattern taken from a rock at the Baltimore Conservatory.
The warm pattern picks up some of the warm colors in the late afternoon clouds. Some bubbles from the original image were added back on top of the pattern. This is a more interesting picture than either of the components separately, yet was a very simple selection and substitution.
In the field I liked the appearance of the barn, and it was made more interesting by fog. On the computer,
the fog wasn’t as strong as it appeared in the field and making the fog more apparent required an uncomfortable (for me) reduction of contrast. By combining the barn with two other images from the same trip, I more effectively expressed my feelings about the barn and, more broadly, about the trip.
Using very simple masking to paint out parts of each image and adjusting the opacity of the individual layers I created this composite reflecting my experience.The background layer is the barn, the middle layer is the spider web and the tree is on top.
This next image is still more complex and came out of my daily commute along Fulton Ave. and Monroe Street in west Baltimore. Those routes are a complex mix of renovated row homes and burned out buildings. This composite tries to capture
some of those contradictions with a wild plant growing out of the completely absent window of a burned out building, juxtaposed with a new, well cared for apartment with bright flowers on the window sill. The chairs, some leaning against the building in denial while others are open and welcoming.
Finally, trying a little harder at social commentary the large background sign advertising free, presumably healthy,
food for children and teens, competing against the ads for relatively expensive crabs, alcohol and confections.
Painters always have the option of creating from their imagination. Photographers now can also fully exercise their imagination with relative ease by creating composite images. As you pursue your usual photographic approach think about collecting images that might not work on their own, but could be combined with other images for a strong and interesting composition. Patterns of all sorts are often useful, as are relatively simple images that provide a back drop or context for a second or third image. Books that I found to be helpful include “Photoshop Compositing Secrets” by Matt Kloskowski and “Adobe Photoshop Master Class” by John Paul Caponigro.
Jerry Uelsmann is a master at surrealistic composites, and he does it the hard way, all analog with multiple enlargers, but his images can really get the creative juices flowing, and many of his images are a lot of fun.
Wednesday: Panoramas