Thursday, July 10, 2014

Tutorial Creating Composite Photographs in Filterstorm Neue

Aloha dear reader, 

First, let's begin with a definition of a composite photograph:

A composite photograph is one that has been created by superimposing two or more separate photographs (or smaller parts/sections of other photographs) and can also include other elements such as textures and overlays.

After recently uploading a couple of composite photographs created using Filterstorm, iPhone photos and Stackables layers, I had a few requests about how I achieved these effects, so I thought it might be helpful if I created a very basic tutorial to demystify the process.

Before we begin, I would like to recommend you get a stylus pen, I use a Targus brand, with a rubber tip, there are lots of different types of styluses, I suggest you start with one that feels good in your grip, but you might need to experiment as to whether you prefer the rubber tip or a more pen like tip.  I am used to the grip on the rubber tip and like the feel of it better than the other ones I've tried. 

You'll also need to get Filterstorm Neue https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/filterstorm-neue/id728479183?mt=8 from the App Store if you haven't already.

Step 1

. Open Filterstorm app on your iPhone

Step 2

. Select Photos and then select Camera Roll
. Select your first iPhone photograph for editing

You should now see your image on the screen with a menu list of options down the left hand side of the screen.

You can zoom in and out of your image by using two fingers to pinch together (to zoom out and make smaller) or move fingers apart (to zoom in and make larger). 

Step 3

. Select 'Edit' from the left hand menu
. Scroll down the menu and select +Image
. Select Camera Roll again
. Select the second image you want to add to the first image

Step 4

There are a couple of different ways I achieve superimposing my second image.  Here's the first way:

. With two fingers, you can now pinch the first photograph, to move it into the location you are happy with in relation to the second photograph.  You are looking at the composition here and figuring out where the placement should be.  This is where you put to use all that you've learned regarding composition.  You need to take into consideration where the place of say, a figure, should be, in relation to the first image.  In my case, with the adding the boy, I needed to pinch my first image smaller, and move it to the left, so that the boy would be large enough and positioned on the right hand side of the first image.

. Once you feel that you've accomplished the correct positioning, select the brush tool.  You will notice that the second image you imported has disappeared, but it's actually still there in the layer beneath the first image.

You should now see a set of Masking Tools now, you need to select the first brush in the set on the left hand menu.  You can now (or at any time) adjust the strength of the brush (size and opacity) in the sliders at the bottom of the screen.

Using your stylus pen, begin 'erasing' the first photo to reveal the part of the second image that you want in your composite photograph. After this, you can zoom in by pinching your fingers apart on the screen.

Once the elements are revealed from the second image, it's time to select the eraser or the third 'brush' from the menu on the left hand side of the screen. 

To adjust the strength of the eraser brush, select the 'cog' and the sliders will reappear in another window that opens on the right hand size of the screen, to adjust size and opacity.  After  you've adjusted to the strength you need, it's time to erase the parts around the second image, to make it look perfectly blended with the first image.

Step 5

When you are happy with your composition, select the 'tick' or 'check' to apply changes.

Step 6 

. Finally, select 'edit' from the left hand menu
. Then select 'export', you should see another menu open on the right, from here you can select 'Get Image Size' to find out how the edits affected your file size and then select 'Save Image'.
. You should see another menu appear from the bottom of the screen and from here you can select 'Save Image'.

Step 7

. Go to your native Camera app on the iPhone to check that your new composite photograph has been saved to your Camera Roll.

I hope this helps those of you who are interested in trying out this technique with your iPhone photos!  Feel free to share this post with the link, on your favourite social network platform and be sure to visit me at the links below to see more of my art and photography!  Have an aloha kind of creative day!  

Karin


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