Table Of ContentA D O BE MASTER CLASS
ADVANCED COMPOSITING IN
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CC
SECOND EDITION
BRINGING THE IMPOSSIBLE TO REALITY—WITH BRET MALLEY
ADOBE MASTER CLASS
Advanced Compositing in Adobe Photoshop CC, Second Edition
Bret Malley
Copyright © 2018 by Bret Malley
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Adobe Press Editor: Nancy Davis
Senior Production Editor: Tracey Croom
Developmental Editor: Victor Gavenda
Technical Editor: Scott Valentine
Copyeditor: Linda Laflamme
Proofreader: Kim Wimpsett
Composition: Kim Scott/Bumpy Design
Indexer: Valerie Haynes Perry
Cover Design: Charlene Charles-Will
Interior Design: Charlene Charles-Will and Kim Scott/Bumpy Design
Cover Images: Bret Malley
Notice of Rights
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ISBN-13: 978-0-134-78010-8
ISBN-10: 0-13-478010-8
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed and bound in the United States of America
To Kellen, you will always be my ultimate partner in adventure—
I am so proud and excited to see where you take us next!
And terrified! But mostly excited!
To Erin, you have imparted a whole new meaning to the words
patience, love, and support. I can only hope to do the same in return.
You both are my will, my life, my love.
I am grateful and yours.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments, viii CHAPTER 4 Favorite Adjustment
About the Author, ix Layers and Filters, 62
Introduction, x
Adjustment Layers, 64
Featured Filters, 72
SECTION I: BASICS Conclusion, 81
CHAPTER 5 Photography
CHAPTER 1 Get Oriented, 2
and Compositing, 82
Navigating the Workspace, 4
Inside My Bag, 84
File Format Advantages, 10
Types of Cameras, 84
Organized, Clean, Efficient, 14
Lenses and Sensor Sizes, 89
Workflow Inspiration, 15
Control Exposure, 90
Accessories, 95
CHAPTER 2 Hidden Basics, 16
Edit in Camera Raw, 98
Inside My Toolbox, 18 Shooting for an Archive, 104
All About the Move Tool, 18 Light It!, 110
Selection Tools and Tips, 22 Conclusion, 112
Healing and Cloning Tools, 32
Brush Your Textures, 37
SECTION II: TUTORIALS
Conclusion, 39
CHAPTER 3 Layers and CHAPTER 6 Prep and Organize
Four Projects, 114
Photoshop Muscle, 40
Know Your Composite Style, 114
Nondestructive Super Power, 40
Creating a Photo Palette, 116
Layer Organization, 43
Rating and Filtering Images in
Masking, 46
Adobe Bridge, 124
Blending Modes, 53
Few Pieces, Big Payoff, 128
Smart Objects and Styles, 58
Conclusion, 131
Conclusion, 61
iv ADOBE MASTER CLASS ADVANCED COMPOSITING IN ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CC
CHAPTER 7 Making a Move a Mountain, 193
Super Composite, 132 Practice Cloud Control, 195
Combine the Studio and the Outdoors, 198
Begin with the Background, 132
Complete the Demolition and Decay, 206
Paste the Pieces in Place, 134
Add Atmospheric Perspective, 210
Select, then Mask, 136
Finesse the Final Effects, 211
Adjust Curves and Color, 140
Conclusion, 217
Clone This, 146
Fine-Tune Lighting and Effects, 148
CHAPTER 10 Fantasy Worlds
Conclusion, 151
from Everyday Images , 218
CHAPTER 8 Blending Fire, 152 Gather Your Resources, 220
Anchor the Scene to a Mountain
Prep for the Composite, 154
and Horizon, 220
Handle the Hands, 155
Sky Transformation, 234
Remove Backgrounds Using
Create Dimension, Add a Foreground, 243
Blending Modes, 156
Blue the Vista, 249
Rough Sketch the Fire, 157
Final Touches and Composition Strategy, 251
Browse and Position Your Flames, 159
Conclusion, 256
Blend Smoke and Hands, 171
Blend Textures to Enhance, 175
Play with Color, 177 SECTION III: INSPIRATION
Curve the Mood, 178
Dodge and Burn with Overlay, 180
CHAPTER 11 Mastering
Conclusion, 181
Elemental Textures, 258
Step 1: Fish for Inspiration, 260
CHAPTER 9 Atmosphere, Grit,
Step 2: Get Organized, 262
and Demolition, 182
Step 3: Convert to Smart Objects, 263
Gather Your Resources, 182
Step 4: Mask the Fish, 264
Straighten Up with the Adaptive
Step 5: Scale the Smart Objects, 265
Wide Angle Filter, 184
Step 6: Give the Fish a Froggy Glare, 266
Mask Montreal, 188
Step 7: Harness Fire and Water, 269
Mask the Meadow, 191
Step 8: Warp and Liquify, 271
CONTENTS v
Step 9: Cool the Fiery Fish, 273 CHAPTER 13 Big Store,
Step 10: Control Color but Retain Depth, 274 Big Scenery, 310
Step 11: Brush in Magical Lighting, 276
Step 1: Photograph, 312
Step 12: Glow, 278
Step 2: Build a Photo Palette and
Conclusion, 279
Scaffolding, 313
MASTER VOICES: Mario Sánchez Nevado, 280
Step 3: Sharpen and Reduce Noise, 314
Step 4: Plant a Foreground, Grow Depth, 316
CHAPTER 12 Put Daddy Down, Step 5: Mask the Big Box, 318
Please!, 284 Step 6: Sink in the Scenery, 320
Step 7: Enter Grunge, Exit the X, 324
Preparing for a Composite, 286
Step 8: Turn On the Fog Machine, 326
Step 1: Sketch the Scene, 286
Step 9: Adjust the Final Touches, 328
Step 2: Set Up the Shot, 288
Conclusion, 329
Step 3: Place the Objects, 289
MASTER VOICES: Erik Johansson, 330
Step 4: Select Your Best Images, 290
Step 5: Edit in Raw, 291
Step 6: Set the Stage CHAPTER 14 The Hunt, 334
with a Clear Base Image, 292
Step 1: Use Photography as Inspiration, 336
Step 7: Organize from the Beginning, 292
Step 2: Sketch Alternatives, 337
Step 8: Select from the Chosen, 293
Step 3: Shoot the Subjects, 338
Step 9: Copy and Paste in Place, 294
Step 4: Piece It Together, 339
Step 10: Refine Selections, 295
Step 5: Mask a Group, 341
Step 11: Add the Mask, 297
Step 6: Put Hair on That Mammoth, 345
Step 12: Paint the Mask, 297
Step 7: Adjust Mammoth Lighting
Step 13: Use Clipping Masks for
and Color, 348
Isolated Adjustments, 299
Step 8: Make Additional Alterations, 350
Step 14: Use Clone Stamp to Remove
Step 9: Accessorize the Caveman, 351
Unwanted Fingerprints, 301
Step 10: Cue the Volcano, 354
Step 15: Combine Techniques as Needed, 302
Step 11: Turn Up the Temperature, 356
Step 16: Adjust Lighting and Effects, 303
Conclusion, 356
Conclusion, 304
MASTER VOICES: Christian Hecker, 358
MASTER VOICES: Josh Rossi, 306
vi ADOBE MASTER CLASS ADVANCED COMPOSITING IN ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CC
CHAPTER 15 Family Portrait CHAPTER 16 Epic Fantasy
Magic, 362 Landscapes, 396
Step 1: Brainstorm, 364 Step 1: Lay the Groundwork, 396
Step 2: Set Up Lighting and Gear, 365 Step 2: Work on Scale and Perspective, 400
Step 3: Previsualize and Position , 366 Step 3: Fill in the Scene, 401
Step 4: Shoot Each Vignette, 368 Step 4: Go with the Flow: Convincing
Step 5: Rate and Sort Images in Bridge, 370 Water, 403
Step 6: Gather, Process, and Compose Step 5: Plant the Tree, 407
the Family, 371 Step 6: Build a Cottage, Rock by Rock, 408
Step 7: Mask and Paint, 375 Step 7: Brush in Thatch from Scratch, 411
Step 8: Cloning and Hair Repairs, 379 Step 8: Build a Two-Board Waterwheel, 413
Step 9: Add the Special Effects, 381 Step 9: Cue the Birds, 415
Step 10: Emphasis and Composition, 388 Step 10: Polish the Effects, 416
Conclusion, 391 Conclusion, 417
MASTER VOICES: Holly Andres, 392 MASTER VOICES: Andrée Wallin, 418
Index, 422
CONTENTS vii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you first of all to Victor Gavenda for your the Adobe Press team who worked behind the
brilliance, banter, and frequent benevolence as an curtain to make the magic happen again on this
editor! It was truly a pleasure working with you at book, I wish I knew you all better! All I know is
every stage of this book, even when the edits and that you rock and that I am so grateful for your
comments felt relentless. Victor somehow made dedication and care.
the intense time commitment (understatement)
To my colleagues and students at Chemeketa
of writing feel more like an epic adventure/action
Community College, thank you for your patience
movie—complete with a witty and encouraging
and understanding of my relapse into a (fast-
sidekick. I may have been the sidekick, the more I
talking) zombie, with my consistently dazed look,
think about it, and him the lead! Victor also began
and my incoherent sentences from many sleep-
this entire process by being my first contact with
less months of working on this book! You have all
Peachpit during the first edition; I am so grateful
been encouraging, supportive, and inspiring—so
for that encounter!
thank you!
Thank you, Scott Valentine, for pointing out things
Special thanks to the Winder Family for sharing
that should have been obvious as well as some
your powers with the rest of the world in Chap-
things I never knew about in Photoshop—it’s
ter 10. Thanks to lighting Jedi Jayesunn Krump
great to always be learning at every stage, so
at www.JKrump.com and model Miranda Jaynes
thank you, Scott, for being part of that! Thank you,
for your contributions and support in the first
Linda Laflamme, for your keen editing mind, for
edition. Thank you to the featured artists, Josh
your spot-on advice, and for nearly co-authoring
Rossi, Erik Johansson, Christian Hecker, Holly
(or so it felt) the first edition of this book with all
Andres, Mario Sánchez Nevado, and Andrée
your strategic edits and forethought—you are bril-
Wallin. You are all so talented and inspiring, and I
liant as ever! Thanks to both of you, Tracey Croom
hope readers will follow you and keep a close eye
and Kim Scott, for bringing your awesome layout
on all your future work like I do! To the rest of my
and production skills and knowledge to this book!
family, thank you (with copious amounts of love!)
Thank you to Kim Wimpsett for a final editing pass
for your support over the months, your patience,
catching what the rest of us somehow missed
and just being there through it all! And again,
regardless of how many times we read it all! Thank
thank you Kellen for the wonderful dream and
you, Nancy Davis, for assembling this team and
Erin for making it possible. And thank you, Mom,
getting the ball rolling on this second edition
for telepathically crossing the finish line with me
project to begin with! I know it was an uphill push,
(again!). Your unconditional support and love is
but like any Photoshop master knows—gravity is
felt in every action and accomplishment I do (and
meant to be defied! And thank you to the rest of
survive). This is no exception!
viii ADOBE MASTER CLASS ADVANCED COMPOSITING IN ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CC
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bret Malley is an educator, professional photographer,
author, and Photoshop expert specializing in imagina-
tive, surreal, epic, and often magic-enhanced image
creation. He is a full-time college professor in visual
communications and teaches a range of classes and
topics, including photography, design, motion graphics,
and Adobe Photoshop. With an MFA in computer art
from Syracuse University, Bret is a regular guest expert
on Photobacks TV and also speaks at national events
and teaches online classes (through CreativeLive.com
and Craftsy.com). Whenever he is not teaching, lead-
ing international photography tours, creating personal
works, or out adventuring around Oregon with his wife
Erin and son Kellen, Bret is also squeezing in commercial
work across the United States. See more of Bret’s work
at www.BretMalley.com.
Bret is also an Irish bodhran drummer, hiker, juggler,
snowboarder, filmmaker, traveler, didgeridoo player,
and cat lover. Bret sometimes wonders why people
always mention their pets in these kinds of third-person
descriptions. He also likes to abide by some conventions
from time to time.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR ix
