Heads Up Composite Tutorial

    Easy as pie!

    Just take two shots...one with helper's hands holding the head steady then one holding the arms underneath. Paste one on top of the other (I chose the one with the best facial expression for the bottom layer, then just pasted the other image on top). Then all you have to do is erase back the top layer to reveal what you want to show through from the bottom!

    A safer way to do this so you don't have to worry about messing up is with a layer mask and just paint back what you want to show through with black. I just erase :P

    You need to do all this combining BEFORE you edit your image. Then just flatten and process as you normally do!

    Hope this helps someone :)

    Final Image:
    www.flickr.com/photos/bcjag76/5449117336/

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    www.brandyjaggers.com

    Comments and faves

    1. ★

      viyan1, MissSmile, ashleybatemanphotography, picsbymic, and 360 other people added this photo to their favorites.

    2. Olga Gorchichko (27 months ago | reply)

      thanks for sharing! and great result!

    3. Kelly Beach Photo (27 months ago | reply)

      awesome! Thanks so much! :) Love the colors in the shot too!

    4. By Evy Photography (27 months ago | reply)

      Thanks for sharing, fantastic shot and love the background used

    5. Rogan's Photography (27 months ago | reply)

      Thanks for posting! I still haven't gotten this shot, but I am due in May and I WILL get it then, lol!! BTW, I love that you aren't afraid to tell others how to achieve this shot safely!!!!

    6. josie's 3rd { sheila } (27 months ago | reply)

      bless you for showing this (:

    7. monachicho (27 months ago | reply)

      Awesome, thank you for sharing this!

    8. Michelle Dion ~ (27 months ago | reply)

      Wow that is cool!

    9. tajwhite25 (27 months ago | reply)

      thank you sooooooooooo much for sharing this!!

    10. ange-ella (27 months ago | reply)

      Great set up and fantastic result!

    11. ♥ Alexandra Jursová (27 months ago | reply)

      Wow, thank you for sharing these pictures. The final shot is perfect.

    12. Celesa Felix (27 months ago | reply)

      Amazing. Thank you for sharing!

    13. Brandy Jaggers (27 months ago | reply)

      You are all so welcome!! I love when I can help :)

    14. mizzc2008 (27 months ago | reply)

      thanks so much!

    15. {Lisa Clarke} Photography (27 months ago | reply)

      Thanks so much for sharing!! I can't wait to try this:)

    16. ~~Sandra~~ (27 months ago | reply)

      Thanks so much! Sooo nice to have people that love to teach!

    17. mamabravo (27 months ago | reply)

      makes sense!
      very nice!

    18. BRANDYSHOTS | Photography by Tamara Brandy (27 months ago | reply)

      Wonderful - thank you :)

    19. ☼ Gisela Weber Photography (27 months ago | reply)

      A++++++

    20. roxannebo (27 months ago | reply)

      those are great step by step directions. Thanks

    21. veronika's photostream (27 months ago | reply)

      thank you,perfect!:)

    22. delraeward (27 months ago | reply)

      thanks, I cant wait to try this!

    23. Time Flies Photography (27 months ago | reply)

      Thank you soo much for sharing this!!
      I just delivered my daughter last Monday (2-14) and I can't wait to take shots of her this week. Definitely going to try this.

    24. shawna_hansen (27 months ago | reply)

      Thanks for sharing.

    25. reddyroc (27 months ago | reply)

      great work and thanks for the tutorial.

    26. Leaving~Prints (27 months ago | reply)

      wow. I can never get the pics to line up exactly and when I erase one they are not lined up so I get it all messed up. I guess I need more practice. That is some great work! Cant wait to try, try again. :)

    27. Fotografie Berbel (26 months ago | reply)

      really nice tutorial so everyone can see how it's done to avoid dangerous posing of these little ones!

      Just one question for myself. I here a lot of people saying to flatten the image with several layers I stil haven;t found out how to do that could you tel me how its done. Thank you

    28. mamabravo (26 months ago | reply)

      fotografie... go under layers right at the very bottom you will see flatten image...

    29. Fotografie Berbel (26 months ago | reply)

      Thanks I will try that next time!

    30. Brandy Jaggers (26 months ago | reply)

      Thanks for jumping in with an answer :)

    31. quiroso (26 months ago | reply)

      Thank you! This is very helpful information!

    32. A Glimpse of Blessings (Andrea ;-)) (26 months ago | reply)

      This is fantastic! Thank you for posting this!

    33. Pomaroo (25 months ago | reply)

      What a neat idea!

    34. lelandlouise (24 months ago | reply)

      thank you!!

    35. PhotoPropFloorsAndBackdrops (23 months ago | reply)

      Fanastic~

    36. RCM Photography2011 (23 months ago | reply)

      Thanks for the info!

    37. kathrasher7 (22 months ago | reply)

      Thank you for being willing to share your tips. This was very helpful.

    38. bec brindley photography (22 months ago | reply)

      Love your work :) Thanks for sharing!

    39. goldengirls4 (21 months ago | reply)

      thank you for sharing..... it's easier to see how it's done then to just read and picture it in your mind.

    40. snowstarz033 (21 months ago | reply)

      wonderful job! seen this done, but haven't gotten the grasp myself, honestly basic posing I still struggle with... getting there!

    41. justkelly [kelly] (21 months ago | reply)

      Would love ti if you would add this a new group about newborn safety:
      www.flickr.com/groups/1782212@N23/

      more info on the group here:
      www.facebook.com/ProfessionalPhotographersFor BabySafety

    42. alyanne23 (19 months ago | reply)

      I'm wondering if you can further help me with this...I have the two shots (hand on head, hand holding arms) but when I try to erase them, I can only get one to erase then I am stuck with the other. I'm not quite sure how to erase them both since they are on separate layers. Do you happen to have a video tutorial of this? Thank you so much for sharing, I have wanted to know how to do this shot for a very long time.

    43. Brandy Jaggers (19 months ago | reply)

      I replied to your email :)

    44. Shutterbugg01 (19 months ago | reply)

      TY, sooo much!! I have learned ALOT!

    45. Violetphotos (19 months ago | reply)

      I am very new in newborn photo. I mean I didn't have any newborn session by now, I am just learning how to do it. Yesterday I bought my 50 mm 1.4 lenses and I am happy with it. I have some cute props also made by a friend, I just need some studio lights and of course I need my first baby as volunteer. Now I am want to learn to post process my photos. What program is the best? I will be truly thanks full if you send me the method you used in this photo to reach the final result. I hope my English was ok, as long as I am not a very good speaker.
      Thank in advance!
      You make a beautiful job and it's great that you share your work with other people who wants to learn about newborn photography. Wish you the best!

    46. lisawolfson (15 months ago | reply)

      I love this!!! Thanks for sharing.

    47. ginger1375-back on track! (14 months ago | reply)

      thank you for sharing the How To's of this!!!

    48. AnnaHwatz (10 months ago | reply)

      Thank you for sharing, this will be useful for sure 8)

    49. ginger1375-back on track! (10 months ago | reply)

      Yup! It helps!!

    50. Ronjaa (9 months ago | reply)

      super idea and work ! :-)

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