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Creative Collage with Adobe Photoshop CS3

June 2 - 6, 2008 • Lepp Institue of Digital Imaging • Registration Info

Although photographers have long combined different photos to create new images, the digital darkroom has elevated the multiple-image collage to a new level. In addition to surreal fabricated realties or image blending to tell a story, the photographic collage is also uniquely suited to portray the more intangible world of ideas, memory and emotion.

In this workshop, we will be using Adobe Photoshop CS3 to explore the multi-faceted art of the photographic composite. Our explorations will range from combining two or more exposures of the same scene to control contrast, to the creation of surreal, photo-realistic flights of fancy created from multiple originals, as well as using multiple exposures to control contrast and high dynamic range (HDR) composites.

The extended 5 day format allows for plenty of time for participants to explore personal collage projects, applying techniques learned in the class to their own images with the supervision and help of the instructor. Nearby locations for photographic inspiration include the rugged coast of Montana del Oro State Park, Sweet Springs Reserve on Morro Bay, and the Los Osos Oaks, a twisted, tangled and moss festooned "haunted forest" of mysterious beauty. Bring your camera and your imagination for a week of creative exploration!

Some of the topics for this class include: • Essential selection, masking and knockout techniques • Layers, Layer Groups & Layer Clipping Masks • Simple collages based on image overlays, blending modes • The Advanced Blending Options • Precision collage control with Layer Masks • Image transformation tools including Free Transform and Warp • Using Smart Objects to non-destructively transform or warp • Creating a collage from different source photos • Multi-exposure composites to control contrast • HDR (high dynamic range) Imaging • Matching color and lighting between images • Photographic considerations for creating images specifically for a collage. Please note that this is not a beginning Photoshop class. You should have a working familiarity with both Photoshop and computer basics on either Windows or Mac . All example images used in the class will be provided to you.