Step by step piece it together

Discover how to combine your set of images in photoshop to finish off the forced perspective effect

01 combine The sharp Parts

Select all your images in Bridge, then go to Tools> Photoshop> Load into Layers. Next, Shift-click between the top and bottom layer in the Layers panel to highlight them, then go to Edit>auto-align Layers. Set Auto and hit OK. Next go to Edit>auto-blend Layers.

02 blend The backdrop

Once the focus stacking is done open the image of the empty scene. Drag-and-drop it on top of the focus stack, then Alt-click the Add Layer Mask icon to hide it behind a mask. Paint white over areas of the scene to slowly reveal them, like the barrier on the left here.

03 add The figures

Drop in the images of the figures and mask in the same way. There will inevitably be a few tell-tale signs, so make a new layer at the top of the layer stack then grab the Clone tool, set it to ‘Sample: All Layers’ then clone over any rough patches that you might see in frame.