378 c h a p t e r 9: CREATIVE EFFECTS ■ 5. If you have elected to rotate your image 90°, chances are you will want to crop and use the center square formed by the overlap of the two images. 6. Sometimes you can repeat the process and copy the montage, rotate, or flip it and blend it to create a virtual kaleidoscope (Figure 9.32). Figure 9.32 All sorts of abstract designs—even kaleidoscopes—are possible by combining mirroring techniques, rotations, and blending modes. Try It! Open the image called Flip on this book’s companion website, www.sybex .com/go/photoshopnature , or open one of your own. Duplicate it, and then rotate or flip it to create various effects. Be sure to scroll through the blending modes to see how they affect the montage. Mirror Images Mirror images are very similar to flip montages, except that the two images are side by side rather than on top of each other. This creates an obvious dramatic symmetry that can be quite compelling. Natural phenomena that have strong design compo- nents, such as sand dunes, rock formations, waves, and even trees, lend themselves to this approach. Remember that the center of your image is formed by what is on the edges of your file, so your subject may need to be placed toward the edges of the origi- nal rather than your typical composition. To create a mirror montage, take the following steps: 1. Open your file (see Figure 9.33), and duplicate it by choosing Image > Dupli- cate. This is easier for this technique than simply copying the Background layer, as you did earlier. 607343c09.indd 378 4/11/10 11:08:02 PM 379 ■ DIGITAL MONTAGES 2. Select your original file, and choose Image > Canvas Size to determine the size of your image. Figure 9.33 Open a le you think will work as a mirror. 3. If you are going to create a horizontal montage, double the width of the canvas, but leave the height alone (see Figure 9.34). Anchor the original to the right or left as desired by clicking the anchor arrow . (If you are creating a vertical montage, then double the height and leave the width alone. Anchor the image at the top or bottom as desired.) Click OK. Figure 9.34 Double the canvas size in width if you are creating a horizontal mirror, or double it in height if you are creating a vertical mirror. 4. Select the copy of the image, and drag it onto the original using the Move tool. 5. Select the Background copy layer, and choose Edit > Transform > Flip Horizon- tal (or Vertical). 6. Use the Move tool to align the flipped layer next to the original. 7. When you get close, it’s easier to use the arrow keys on your keyboard to nudge the layer into place. 607343c09.indd 379 4/11/10 11:08:03 PM 380 c h a p t e r 9: CREATIVE EFFECTS ■ Using this technique introduces symmetry that sometimes creates what appear to be odd creatures or faces (see Figure 9.35). These often add to the intrigue of images created this way. Figure 9.35 The symmetry of mirror montages often creates what appear to be creatures in unexpected places. Ph ot o b y EllE n An o n Multiple-Subject Montages So far, we’ve been describing a variety of ways to combine two versions of the same image, but it’s also possible to combine two different images. One approach to com- bining two different images is to have one image provide the texture and have the other provide the subject matter. You can stack one on top of the other, rotate, or flip one as desired. And of course, the effect is going to vary dramatically depending on the way you combine the two images. You could simply reduce the opacity of the top image and leave it in Normal blending mode, or you could choose any of the other blending modes. Note: Shots of wood, tree bark, textured glass, frost, rocks, snow, rain, and lots more can be used as texture. Figure 9.36 shows a flower image and a shot of the rain on the greenhouse wall. The greenhouse-wall file was dragged on top of the flower using the Move tool. Scrolling through the blending modes, the image jumped to life in the Difference mode. However, the flower was a little too unrecognizable, so we added a layer mask to the second layer and used it to reveal the center of the original flower in the layer below. There are no simple rules or absolutes to follow when creating montages. You are the artist, and you have to decide what works and what doesn’t. It’s your chance to apply all the knowledge you’ve gained in the previous chapters! 607343c09.indd 380 4/11/10 11:08:03 PM 381 ■ DIGITAL MONTAGES Figure 9.36 Combining two very dierent shots in the Dierence mode led to this striking image. Ph o t o b y EllEn An o n 607343c09.indd 381 4/11/10 11:08:05 PM 382 c h a p t e r 9: CREATIVE EFFECTS ■ For example, you could add texture to a multiple exposure by taking the follow- ing steps. (We’ll cover creating multiple exposures in the next section of this chapter.) 1. Open an image you want to use as the background and another that you want to use as a texture. We’ll use a multiple exposure of some trees and a shot of an adobe wall, shown in Figure 9.37. Figure 9.37 We’ll combine this multiple exposure with a texture shot of adobe. Ph o t o b y EllEn An o n 2. Drag the texture shot on top of the other layers by using the Move tool. 3. Reduce the opacity of this layer in the Layers panel so that it provides a subtle, but not overpowering, texture. Often you may be in the range of 10% to 20% opacity, but of course, this varies depending on the particular images you’re using. 4. Consider changing the blending mode of the texture layer. In our example we used the Difference mode, but you may want to use any of the blending modes, including Normal! 607343c09.indd 382 4/11/10 11:08:06 PM 383 ■ DIGITAL MONTAGES The final result (see Figure 9.38) may be subtly or dramatically different than a straight shot, and it is this unexpected texture that captures your viewer’s attention. Figure 9.38 Combining a texture with a multiple exposure resulted in this abstract but recognizable tree image. Ph o t o b y EllEn An o n On occasion, we have combined all of the techniques discussed so far into one image. Figure 9.39 is the result of two totally different images of sand dunes montaged together and then mirrored horizontally. Note that unlike in the previous examples, two different images were combined equally as the foundation for the montage. That entire montage was then duplicated and mirrored vertically, and the image was cropped. Figure 9.39 Almost all the techniques described so far in this section were combined to create this dramatic image. Ph o t o b y EllEn An o n Note: Montages can also consist of two totally different images combined using blending modes or opacity. For example, you could add texture to a multiple exposure by taking the follow- ing steps. (We’ll cover creating multiple exposures in the next section of this chapter.) 1. Open an image you want to use as the background and another that you want to use as a texture. We’ll use a multiple exposure of some trees and a shot of an adobe wall, shown in Figure 9.37. Figure 9.37 We’ll combine this multiple exposure with a texture shot of adobe. 2. Drag the texture shot on top of the other layers by using the Move tool. 3. Reduce the opacity of this layer in the Layers panel so that it provides a subtle, but not overpowering, texture. Often you may be in the range of 10% to 20% opacity, but of course, this varies depending on the particular images you’re using. 4. Consider changing the blending mode of the texture layer. In our example we used the Difference mode, but you may want to use any of the blending modes, including Normal! 607343c09.indd 383 4/11/10 11:08:07 PM 384 c h a p t e r 9: CREATIVE EFFECTS ■ The ways to combine images in Photoshop are infinite. The only limit is your imagination! Try It! Open the images called Texture and Flower on this book’s companion website, www .sybex.com/go/photoshopnature , or open two of your own images, and practice combining them using various blending modes. Remember to reduce the opacity of the texture layer so it doesn’t overpower the image. Digital Multiple Exposures Ever since Ellen was exposed to some of Freeman Patterson’s in-camera film-based creative multiple exposures, she decided there had to be a way to create the same effect digitally. Although some methods were available on the Internet, none worked reli- ably and well. It took some time and experimentation, but at last she figured out how to create multiple exposures of as many images as desired in Photoshop. Since then Nikon has offered the ability to create multiple exposures in some of its cameras, but most other camera manufacturers have yet to follow suit. For those not familiar with Freeman’s techniques, he uses film and takes mul- tiple images (9, 16, or 25), moving his camera slightly between shots. Sometimes he moves the camera in a vertical or horizontal direction, depending on what would be a natural movement for the subject. Sometimes he zooms the camera between shots, and at other times he combines zooming the camera with rotating it slightly between shots. The results are artistic, soft-abstract renditions of familiar subjects (similar to Ellen’s image in Figure 9.40). Figure 9.40 Multiple exposures can render familiar subjects in pleasing, artistic, abstract ways. Ph o t o b y EllEn An o n 607343c09.indd 384 4/11/10 11:08:08 PM . 9.34). Anchor the original to the right or left as desired by clicking the anchor arrow . (If you are creating a vertical montage, then double the height and leave the width alone. Anchor the. combine images in Photoshop are infinite. The only limit is your imagination! Try It! Open the images called Texture and Flower on this book’s companion website, www .sybex.com/go/photoshopnature ,. earlier. 607343c09.indd 378 4/11/10 11:08:02 PM 379 ■ DIGITAL MONTAGES 2. Select your original file, and choose Image > Canvas Size to determine the size of your image. Figure 9.33 Open a le you think