When I was a kid I would pin a red bath towel around my neck and jump off the fence—because I was convinced that if I could just believe hard enough, I would fly—like Superman. I have been chasing that dream and story ever since.
Storytelling is an integral component of creating amazing composite artwork through photography and Photoshop. Understanding the story of what you seek to create will help you visualize the world of your composite before you ever pick up your camera. This is not just applicable to the complex composites of fantasy and superheroes; this applies to all of our image-making.
We make more composites as photographers than we give ourselves credit for. When you add a texture to an otherwise boring background in a portrait, you are compositing. When you do an infamous face swap in a group photo so everyone's eyes are open, you are compositing. When you create a breathtaking high school senior sports "montage" that becomes the cornerstone of your senior portrait revenue, you are creating a composite.
In this class, we will work to understand how to identify and create the story of our future artwork by deciphering the art of writing and that of Hollywood filmmaking. Key elements of design will be explored and that will become the foundation that will take us into Photoshop where we will learn the tools to create the stunning artwork of our imaginations.
David is an award-winning photographer, Photoshop artist, and educator who specializes in unique portrait and photo manipulation art. Through his brand Reality Reimagined, his artwork spans the genres of fantasy, glamour, fashion and all of the stories found therein. In 2018, he received the Grand Award from the Shutterfest image competition and was nominated for a Grand Imaging Award in 2019 by Professional Photographers of America. He continues to offer weekly education in photography and Photoshop artwork through hisYouTube channel, as well as teaching at national photography conferences. The center of his universe is his wonderful wife, Bethany, and his son, Sebastian Charles. They remind him to never be afraid to fly. Together, they travel the world and continue to explore all the imaginative possibilities of Reality Reimagined.