Compositing Techniques in Photoshop: From Concept to Surreal Image

Gabriel Isak uses photography as a medium to create surreal imagery, minimal and graphic in its aesthetic, rich in symbolism and emotion, focusing on themes inspired by human psychology, dreams, and romanticism. His melancholic meditations are crafted primarily through compositing and editing in Adobe Photoshop.

In this two-session online program, Gabriel shares his creative process for successful storytelling using compositing and constructed imagery in Adobe Photoshop. Join Gabriel as he presents the most important tools a photographic artist needs to bring their vision to life. This webinar is for those with basic to intermediate Photoshop skills and is tailored not only to artists and fine-art photographers but also to portrait photographers, landscape photographers, and photographers working in other genres. Participants learn important tips and strategies to elevate the quality of their work and streamline their digital workflow.

In the first session, Gabriel presents a wide range of compositing techniques, including expanding the frame, liquifying the background, and removing unwanted elements to create a clean, graphic background. He demonstrates how to construct a surreal figure with hair flowing over the face, using various brushing techniques to achieve the desired effect. To close the day, Gabriel explains how he incorporates reflective objects into his compositions and how he removes reflections to maintain the surreal quality of his imagery. Throughout the session, he also shares insights on staying organized and efficient in his workflow.

In the second part of the program, Gabriel continues working on the image from day one and finalizes the composition. He covers dodge and burn techniques, cloning and healing tools, as well as how to add a sky replacement using selection tools, where he demonstrates how to refine the edges. To conclude day two, Gabriel demonstrates how he achieves the blue color grading in his work, along with blending techniques and the removal of banding to ensure smooth, polished results.

Each of Gabriel’s programs concludes with a Q&A session. Join this contemporary artist to take your creative compositing to the next level and refine your storytelling through mastery of specific Photoshop tools and techniques.