This article is a slight deviation from describing different types and genre of photography. My other blog posts explore all those topics thoroughly.
Composites are a unique type of presentation of an artist’s creative work where photos or groups of photos are massaged onto a digital canvas to produce a singular piece of art. The resources for this work are already in a photographer’s toolbox: computer editing software. Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom are but two of the most common computer apps available for photo editing; there are certainly others.
Post-processing with photo editing software is a daily undertaking for today’s photog. Sitting down at one’s computer to do some digital processing is an integral part of the photographer’s craft. Mastering the techniques that allows him to bring his photos to life gives him all the tools he needs to create an amazing composite. From the careful placement of different photos to using blur effects, adding typography, blending a grunge layer, or the judicious use of vignettes, the composite begins to take shape toward his vision of the piece he wants to bring forth.
A composite can be as simple as taking a single photograph and overlaying an interesting texture to give the photo a retro or maybe a painterly look. Or it can be a wildly complex project of layer upon layer of photos, textures, graphics, colors and vectors to become a piece of art unlike anything in the world; because it was created from a blank canvas and comes to life as an artist’s spontaneous expression.
Ansel Adams said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” One “makes” a photo with his eyes, mind, and camera. Composite artistry is something that is made from a photographer’s skills in post-processing. This type of creative expression derives from the knowledge and practice of the photographer’s craft and is an outgrowth of his desire to create photo art.