How to Edit a Miniature Composite Image in Photoshop
In this video we will be learning how to edit a miniature composite image in Photoshop. We will be particularly focusing on creating realistic looking shadows since that’s one of the most important parts of a miniature composite. Here’s the video:
Video Summary
This Photoshop tutorial by Creative Pad Media explains how to create a realistic miniature composite effect by scaling a subject and adding essential shadows.
Key Editing Steps:
- Scaling and Positioning [00:22]: Use the Transform tool (Ctrl+T / Cmd+T) to resize the subject. Proper alignment is crucial to ensure the miniature person appears to be interacting naturally with the large objects, such as a camera lens [00:57].
- Refining Selection [02:04]: Clean up any rough edges from the initial selection by painting black on the Layer Mask to hide unwanted boundaries.
- Creating Realistic Shadows: * Retrieving Natural Shadows [05:39]: For areas like the feet, the original shadow from the source image is used to ground the subject.
- Artificial Drop Shadows [15:40]: For objects like the lens cleaner, a shadow is generated using the Drop Shadow option in Blending Options. This adds 3D depth and ensures the object appears to be touching the surface [16:03].
- Shadow Manipulation [17:20]: The process concludes by preparing to add a third, manually manipulated shadow to match the light source in the scene.
Important Links
Link to download the images used in the video:
This video is from our Trick Photography course, which has 35 videos and 5 hours of content. Use the link below to access the full course on Udemy:
