Photo montage is an art of visual persuasion. One has to convince the viewer that all the ‘alien’ pieces on canvas fit together properly. This is to be applied for realistic photo montage, the type I’ve been trying to make through out the years. In order to achieve that, one has to have three main photographic elements set properly:
1. Light. The background image, and the integrated objects have to be photographed in the same, or as close as possible, light intensity and angle. For example, if your shoot your background image in 6P.M. sunny daylight, other objects should be photographed in the same manner. Of course, it often happens one can’t do all the same day, or location, in that case, choosing artificial light with exact angling could be an answer.
2. Shadow. Intensity and angle of the shadow have the same importance as the light, in order for the photo montage to look realistic. The easy part about it is, once you get your lighting set properly the shadow comes right naturally. If it happens so that some element are shot in different lighting, one has to adjust shadows physically, by painting it, or imitating some other way.
3. Camera angle. Camera angle, or perspective also have a crucial importance for a photomontage to look realistic. One has to pick a proper angle while taking photographs of integrated objects. I sometimes make a few lower, or higher angle shots, then choose which suit best.
Once these three photographic nuances are followed, making a realistic photomontage goes smoothly and makes the process more joyous.
For an example I’ve picked one of my favorite images ‘Heavy knowledge’, elements for which were photographed in different circumstances, but has mimicked the natural light as close to perfection as my imagination can allow:)
