• Home
  • Blog
  • How to Photoshop Photos Together – Beginner’s Guide to Compositing

How to Photoshop Photos Together – Beginner’s Guide to Compositing

How to Photoshop photos together is a process known to many photographers simply as compositing.

In this guide, we’re going to walk you through what compositing is. We’ll also show you can offer your photography once you’ve finished your basic editing.

But by the end of this guide if you want to learn more about how to Photoshop photos together then you’ll love our iPhotography compositing course.

If you’ve got a good understanding of Photoshop, you’ll be able to add further skills through this course. We’ll show you how to blend multiple images through lighting, colours, textures and other adjustments.

Photoshop Composite Photography Course by iPhotography.com

What is Compositing?

‘Photoshopping’ photos together is what others called compositing and we (as photographers) have been doing it for years.

Even back in the film days it was possible to composite two pictures together. We even wrote about a famous portrait that was actually a composite.

It’s not cheating or lazy to composite images together, in fact it takes a deeper level of creativity we believe to see an opportunity to enhance a story (or create one) that doesn’t already exist.

If you like building photos from scratch (creating a background, adding props, choosing lighting etc) then you could really enjoy compositing.

You can Photoshop two photos together or more. It’s always best to start with an idea of what you want the outcome to be and then hunt down the relevant components. Whether you’re shooting all the shots you need or taking them from free stock sites just keep in mind these key points;

• Look to match lighting directions.
• Make sure elements don’t jar in style or time periods.
• Match up shots that are taken at the same angles.

Abstract structure,Product showcase background,Long tunnel.3D rendering
iCAMERA photography book cover advert

Download our Latest FREE Photography Book

Do You Always Need Photoshop for Compositing?

No. But it helps.

Honestly, if you’ve got an alternative editing platform that gives you tools such as layer masks, local selections, colour adjustments and lighting effects then you should be fine to give compositing a try.

Software such as Lightroom wouldn’t be suitable as it’s geared up more for photo editing.

Affinity Photo, GIMP, Pixlr X (and E) and Photpea would be some of the most suitable alternatives when learning how to ‘photoshop’ photos together.

If you want to learn Pixlr X, then iPhotography has a tutorial you can access once you’re here.

What Composite Effects Can I Create?

Once you know how to Photoshop photos together then the possibilities are literally endless. Literally.

With the number of photos in the world, creating combinations – conceptual, surreal or photo realistic – means we’ll never run out of resources. It’s just our creativity we need to stimulate to begin a new project.

Here’s a little showcase of some of our favourite composites to give you a little inspiration. Check out our Pinterest board for more ideas.

Photoshop Composite Photography Course by iPhotography.com

How Can I Learn More About Photoshop Compositing?

Don’t worry we got you. iPhotography has its own compositing course where you can learn how to Photoshop photos together. We’ll give you the background on how to select the best shots (and where to find them for FREE). Click here to discover more about this Photoshop course.

There’s great advice on how to cut out and merge your images as well as making those vital lighting and colour adjustments to bring the whole effect together.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

FREE Photography Course

Become a confident and competent photographer in less than 30 minutes!

Photoshop Elements Course

Unlock your creative side with a complete course on Photoshop Elements 2024!

Black Friday Exclusive Combo

Join our Wildlife Photography course and get our brand new Safari Photography course included!