"SandraDPhotography"

My Life in Pictures! Click on Any Photo to make it Larger!

~ There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer. ~Ansel Adams




Tuesday, April 29, 2008

My first attempt at layers!




Amazing, I am actually on theme with water!

My pic today is kinda lame, but I've been wanting to give this a try! Layers! I set up my tripod in the bathroom and snapped a few different pics of my little guy, Grant, taking a bath! I got the three stages of bathtime.... playtime, washing up and drying off! A little noisy, I forgot to change my ISO, it was at 400. I can't wait to do something similar with my kids in the pool!
ETA: I had so much fun with the layers that I decided to take my 13 year old dd outside and do the top photo in my backyard! I am so excited about it, she thinks I am the coolest Mom ever and has it posted on her MYSpace now!!!! I added this photo at 8pm tonight, I wonder if anyone will see it!
Instructions for creating the above photos ~Layering~
I have never written a tutorial before, forgive me if my instructions are unclear, I am self taught in photoshop so I don't know all the correct terminology.
Layers:

1. set of your camera and tripod and be careful not to move it through out your entire shoot.

2. shoot different pictures of your subject in different poses, try not to overlap their positions

3. next upload your photos and open in photoshop. I have photoshop element 6.0 so these directions are based on using that program, but I am sure it will work just as easily in all photoshop programs.

4. Go to file and open as many pictures as you would like to layer.

5. open the first picture to fit workspace

6. drag photo #2 from the picture bin onto your workspace photo and resize it dragging the corners and edges to overlap exactly over photo #1.

7. go to the layers palette and change the opacity of the top layer to around 50% or where ever you can see both photos. If the photos do not line up perfectly you can drag the top photo to adjust the lines and overlap exactly.

8. Next simplify your top layer (go to the layers bin, right click on the top layer and select "simplify layer"

9. choose a soft brush and erase at full strength. Erase entire photograph except the subject on the top layer.

10. when you have completed your erasing, go back to the layers bin and change the opacity of the top layer to 100%

11. Voila it's magic! Both subjects should be on your photo

12. Next, right click on the top layer in the layers palette and flatten layer

13. to add more subjects in different positions, just repeat steps 6-12

19 comments:

April said...

great job doing layers..that looks great.

Angela2932 said...

Great job with the layers,and blending the photos together! It looks like you have triplets! Such fun!

Stacey said...

You did a great job. I love the composition in this shot. It is so much fun.

Tera Fraley said...

How cool, Ive always wondered how people did those. They look neat!

me said...

THat is a very cool shot! I need to figure that out. I also LOVE your tub~!

For Over 29 Years... said...

Really cool! Great job.

pat said...

Geez, here I thought you had 3 kids...not too observant tonight. Great job with the layers!

Christiana said...

Cool. I've never tried that. Love that mohawk!

Gypsy Girl(Brenda) said...

Great job on the layers. Love his hair to cute.

Becky said...

That is so cool. I find this technique very impressive! Your bathroom is really pretty too.

Tricia said...

Great job with the layers. Looks great.

Mom2Drew said...

Can you do a step by step instruction thing to this...I really like the outcome!

Donnah Ciempka said...

Very clever!

Jen said...

This is sooooo cool! I'm with Heather... I need step by step instructions because I HAVE to try this!

Jess said...

These are great! You rocked those layers girl! :)

Sandra Collins said...

the layers are awesome - gonna have to play with my girls this week and try it

C said...

These are so fun!! Love them! Great job here and wow, maybe i might try this sometime! TFS!!

Suzy said...

OMG these are to cool! I'm going to have to try it now! Woderful work!

Nina said...

interesting i want to try that

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This is Me... Sandra D....

This is Me... Sandra D....

About Me

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Tucson, Arizona, United States
I'm just a 33 year old Mom who loves to take pictures for FUN. It is my passion, my hobby, my theraputic outlet! I practice on anyone who will let me! I enjoy the artistic side of photography and the post prossessing the most! I love to make things look different from what people are normally used to seeing!

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