From Tennis Court to Moors: Creating a Maleficent Composite

composite premium membership Apr 17, 2022

I love being able to create composite portraits because I don’t have to be at a specific location to create the background I want for my photograph.


For this tutorial, I shot my model on a tennis court! To create the background and atmosphere, I used stock images and manipulated them to my liking.


In the tutorial, I’ll show you how to extract your subject from the original photograph, masking and refining the subject, so they fit right into the composite. To view the tutorial, sign up for my premium membership here.


I began by placing the stock images together and creating the background. Next, there was some refining on the stock graphics to make sure everything looked put together. Then, using the liquify tool, I manipulated the stock graphics to look like they were all part of one image.


Once all of the stock was placed, I focused on making individual adjustments. As you can see, the images were not blurred at the beginning. When blurring images, you want to make sure you don’t go too overboard because then they start looking like blobs. I played around with the curving, but you can use color balance, selective color, hue saturation, or whatever your preference is.


This tutorial shows that you don’t need a studio with all the props or a specific location to create the vision you have for your photograph. This Maleficent composite began on a tennis court! It’s impressive to see the transformation of your photo.


I initially did this tutorial at a live workshop, and everyone enjoyed seeing this composite come together.


If you’re interested in seeing how this composite came to be, you can sign up for a premium membership to watch the tutorial.


Not only will you be able to see this tutorial, but there are over 500  more that can help you create the images you desire step-by-step.


Don’t miss out on another tutorial; become a premium member today!

Happy Editing!

Tara Lesher

Subscribe to get tips and tricks to level up your skills.