How to make a multiple image on Photoshop

First you need to open all the photographs that you want to make your multiple image from in layers. One of the ways to do it is to open them as a stack of layers. In order to do it, click on File --> Scripts --> Load files into stack.

In the window "Load Layers" that appears click Browse to select the files you want to open.

Choose the ictures that you have shot for the multiple image, then click Open and OK.

Once you have done this, you should get all your pictures open as separate layers. If you do not see the layers window, click Window --> Layers.

In order to hide certain parts of the layers you need to apply layer masks for all of the layers besides your chosen background. Click on one of the layers and select Layers --> Layer Mask --> Hide All. Repeat it for all the other layers.

Now you should have the layer masks filled with black color next to your layers. The layer that you see now on the screen should be your background layer.

In order to reveal part of a layer make sure that you are working on the layer mask (you should click on it and see a thin frame around the mask) and using a WHITE brush with opacity of 100% paint on the image. One of the hidden layers that you are working on should start to become visible. When you want to hide some part of the layer use a BLACK brush on the layer mask.

After you reveal all the parts of one layer you have to repeat it for all of the other hidden layers in order to finish your multiple image.

Things to remember when working on layers/layer masks:

• Make sure that the layer or layer mask you want to work on is active (thin frame around it)
• When working on a layer mask make sure that you are using either black or white brush in order to hide or reveal the layer.

Final Multiple Image Evaluation

Full size version of the image

I have created my final multiple image by merging four separate photographs I have taken using a camera set on a tripod. I have used the tripod in order to have the pictures taken on exactly the same background so I could merge them easily in Photoshop. I did not change any exposure settings during shooting because I wanted all of the photos to have the same brightness. I have changed my original plan, which was based on fashion shoot in a studio. In the end I have taken the photographs outside, on a sunny day, with trees and bushes as background, but I kept the idea of one person acting as a model and the other one as a photographer.

Good points of my final work are:

• People on the photograph seem to interact with each other
• Colors are saturated quite strongly due to local color corrections I have made for grass, bushes and sky
• A person in front of the photo is partially out of the frame, what creates a sense of movement and makes the image more dynamic

 Some of bad things I can say about my multiple image include:

• I have deleted a shadow of the first person on the right side of the picture. It can be overlooked easily when not paying attention to details, but once noticed it makes the photograph look manipulated
• Some parts of the frame lost details in shadow areas due to strong sunlight

I could have improved my work by spending more time on post-processing of the picture in order to get more details in shadows. I could also have thought about deep shadows caused by the sunlight during shooting and tried to overexpose the frame a little so I got more details in dark areas. By looking at the photograph now I noticed that I could have done it without fear of getting the entire frame overexposed because I have enough details in bright parts. I could also have spent more time on getting the shadow of one of the people correct. I had to remove this shadow because it collided with the background picture and I could not place the shadow underneath.