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I was reading this post and i saw that image of the guy jumping while skiing, and I was wondering. How did the photographer did that effect?

It's clear that you need multiple shots with a tripod, but what I wonder is what kind of post-procesing method did he use.

Thanks!

Enrique Moreno Tent
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1 Answers1

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It's actually easy.

You put a camera on a tripod and use manual focus, manual exposure, manual white balance and manual everything.

Then you take multiple shots in quick succession and combine them, because everything that doesn't move quickly is exactly the same in all shots you don't need anything fancy, Photoshop layer masks are probably the best tool for the job but you can even copy-paste the skier from one image to another in MS paint if you have to.

In Photoshop:

  1. Add all images as layers
  2. Starting from the top most layer and working down, right click on layer, add layer mask, than draw on mask in black and white to hide/revel lower layer

Layer masks are the best because they are most flexible and hiding parts of the image is easily reversible

In any editor that supports layers but not masks: (GIMP, Paint.net, etc.)

  1. Add all images as layers
  2. Starting from the top most layer and working down, select the area that does not show the subject and delete it to reveal the layer below.

This method is much less forgiving than layer masks but it's still just a few minutes of work if you shot the images correctly.

In any editor that does not support layers:

  1. For each image starting from the left-most cut a strip of the image that shows the subject but does not include area that has the subject in another image, make sure to end each strip exactly one pixel before the beginning of the next strip (most editors show the cursor coordinates so it is possible, use high zoom to make the right pixel easier to hit with the mouse).
  2. copy-paste all strips one by one into a new blank image, make sure you align them correctly (again, use zoom and cursor coordinates to make it possible to hit the exact pixel)

Very tedious with no room for mistakes, but still not difficult.

Nir
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  • I don't know much about photoshop, so I need something a little more than reading the term "layer masks" :) – Enrique Moreno Tent Mar 12 '13 at 15:45
  • Copy&Paste would be a mess, since I need to find the exact position where to paste the slice – Enrique Moreno Tent Mar 12 '13 at 15:45
  • @Dbugger Have a look at one of the many online tutorials (written or video) on Photoshop around. Layer masks are something very fundamental to Gimp and Photoshop and thus all tutorials cover them. – Unapiedra Mar 12 '13 at 19:13
  • The short explanation (for Gimp, but Photoshop should be the same). 1. Add all photos to your Photoshop (Open as Layers). 2. Go to the layer view. 3. On the top most layer do a right click and click "add layer mask". 4. Use white and black paint and draw in the image, to make things become transparent or opaque. – Unapiedra Mar 12 '13 at 19:16
  • @Dbugger - I've added instruction on how to do this in any type of graphic editor – Nir Mar 12 '13 at 19:43
  • Image View Plus More has a unique mechanic that can do similar things as layers with masks. You put the images into "buffers" (ctrl+1, ctrl+2, etc.). Then you press 1 and 2, which views buffer 2 and has buffer 1 in the undo buffer. Then you can retouch "blendback", where you now brush the person back onto the canvas. Then you can store this in buffer 1 and press 3 and 1, and blendback the person with the brush, repeat. Here is a silly tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq2QVlO5qfs – Michael Nielsen Mar 13 '13 at 08:14