Part VI: Artistic Effects

Using Multiple Images to Create a Photo Collage

You create a photo collage by combining two or more photos in a single image to tell a bigger story than any of the original photos by themselves. Photo collages can be used for a number of purposes. For example, collages can showcase a photographers work or tell a specific story for a magazine article. Photo collages can be created in Photoshop in several ways. Figure 21.13 shows some examples of photo collages.

FIGURE 21.13

You can create collages to tell a bigger story in many ways, including these three.

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Although all photo collages are different, all seem to have at least a few basic elements that should concern you:
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Background: Because we are using multiple photos in the collage, you must have a common background to place the photos on. The background can be either blank or one of the photos. If you want a photo to be the background, you need to crop or size that photo to the correct size of the finished collage. Which method you use is determined by the requirements of how the collage will be used. Size: Because we are dealing with multiple photos, typically the photos need to be resized. For example, one of the collages in Figure 21.13 shows a full-size background photo with three smaller photos on top. Layout: Another important part of a collage is the layoutthe position and angle of each photo. The angle can make all the difference to the look of the collage. Photoshop makes it easy to rotate and move images in a collage. Layering: Layering is different from layout and is specific to collages. A collage is really a 3D photo. Layout provides the first two dimensions, and layering provides the third. Photoshop allows you to stack multiple photos on top of each other and quickly adjust which image is closest to the top by dragging and dropping layers in order in the Layers panel. Shape: Typically, the shape of a photo is rectangular. Many collages keep the original shapes of the photographs. Usually, a layout with square, crisp edges gives a collage a professional look and feel. But sometimes, changing the shape of images in a collage is a better option. You can achieve a homey, scrapbook look by using selections and vector shapes to change the shape of the images in a collage. Layer Styles: Adding layer styles such as borders, bevels, or drop shadows to the individual photos makes them pop, giving them a three-dimensional look and distinguishing them from one another.

Before you create a collage, make any color corrections or other image adjustments to the individual images you are planning to use in the collage. Making these changes is much easier in the original document with fewer layers. Use the following steps to create a collage of multiple photos:
1. Create the background.

If you want a specific photo to be the background, open the photo and crop or size it to the correct size of the finished collage. If you are creating a background, start with a new document and add any color, patterns, or other elements you want.

Tip
When creating a collage on a created background, it is best to create the background as big as possible. This allows you to bring the images in full-size to keep as much detail in them as possible. You can always resize the image down after the collage is created. This wont work when you use a photo for the background, however, because you are limited to the size of the photo. n

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2. Add photos to the background.

The easiest way to do this, especially if you have several files, is to create a collection of the files you are planning to use in Bridge and then use Mini Bridge to drag them into the background document, as shown in Figure 21.14. The photos are added to the original document as layers, and you can move and resize them as they are placed.

FIGURE 21.14

You can drag multiple files from Mini Bridge into one document, and they are placed as separate layers.

3. Select the layer containing the photo you want to work with.

With multiple images on multiple layers, it is more important than ever that the Layers panel become an integral part of your workflow. Figure 21.15 shows a Layers panel with 19 layers representing different images placed in a collage.

Cross-Ref
Learn how to optimize your use of the Layers panel in Chapter 10. n

4. Tweak the size and placement of your images.

Although you were given the opportunity to resize images as they were placed in the document, seeing them all together and making other changes, such as the shape of the image, usually means you can continuously tweak size and placement. You can move the selected image using the Move tool, or resize or rotate it using the Edit Free Transform function.

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FIGURE 21.15

Using several different images can mean a layer-heavy document.

5. Adjust the order of the layers in using the Layers panel.

If your photos overlap each other, you may need to adjust which photo is on top. To change which photo appears on top in the image, drag the photo layer higher or lower in the Layers panel.
6. Change the shape of each photo.

If you want your photo to be a different shape than the (probably) rectangular image you brought in, change the shape by creating a selection inside the image and deleting the unselected pixels or creating a mask to hide them as shown in Figure 21.16.

FIGURE 21.16

Changing the shape of an image is as easy as creating a selection and deleting extra pixels or creating a mask to hide them.

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Tip
You can use a vector shape (either a preset or one youve drawn yourself) to create a path and use the Paths panel to create a selection. You also can use a vector shape to create a clipping mask. If your Layers panel is full of image layers, you can create a Smart Object from each image and change its shape in the original file. n

7. Use Layer Styles to add borders, bevels, drop shadows, or other elements to your photo.

These elements change as you change your photo. If you were to transform your photo, for instance, the effect would change with it. The changes add depth to individual photos, as you can see in Figure 21.17.

FIGURE 21.17

Adding both bevel and stroke layer styles to this photo gives it depth.

Tip
You can add the same Layer Styles to each layer by right-clicking the layer style, copying it, and then rightclicking on each layer and using the menu option to paste the layer style. You cant use the hotkeys for this operation, because the hotkeys copy and paste the layers themselves. You can assign hotkeys to this function, however. n

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