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Make a photo look like MANY COMBINED SNAPSHOTS in PHOTOSHOP CS4

You can combine multiple photos into one larger file as separate layers, adding borders and drop shadows to create an advertising piece or just a unique image. However, you can easily achieve a similar effect from just one photograph.
We are going to start by selecting different sections of the photo and making separate layers of the selections. Then we are adding the same layer style to each layer to make the one photograph appear to be a combination of separate photos pieced together. So without losing any more time let’s digg in!

Click the Rectangular Marquee tool.

Click and drag a rectangle in the image.

Click Select.

Click Transform Selection.

NOTE: Pressing (Ctrl+T) also adds transformation anchors; however, these transform or rotate the image inside the selection. Transformation anchors appear on the selection border.

Click and drag a corner anchor to rotate the selection border.

Hit Enter to apply the transformation.

Press (Ctrl+J) to duplicate the selection to a separate layer.

Select the background layer again and repeat steps 2 to 6 to make any number of separate layers.

Select one of the layers you duplicated and right click on it, choose Blending Options. The Layer Style dialog box appears.

Click Drop Shadow and Inner Shadow, play a bit with the setting to get the desired result but most of the time the default setting are just fine.

Click  the Stroke check box.

Choose a white color for the Stroke.

Choose inside for the Position.

Set the Stroke size to whatever you like, for this example a size 10 it’s fine.

Hit OK.

Right Click on the layer you just created e blending style and choose Copy Layer Style.

Select the remaining layers by clicking on the first layer holding down the Shift Key and selecting the last layer.

Right click on the selected Layers and choose Paste Layer Styles.

The final image appears to be a combination of many smaller photos.

[singlepic id=9 w=550 h=661 float=none]

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View Comments (11)

  • After you're done. Hide the background layer and add something like a cork board texture as the new background. looks really cool.

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  • good job man.. i learned it rifht away after i read your instruction. really good. thanks for this. hope to see more of your tutorials.. im really hoping. thanks and godbless.

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  • Cool! Thanks for the tutorial. It's easy to follow and the images help alot. It also works in photoshop CS :D

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  • hi! nhice tutorial i learn it very instantly
    your the men........
    hope you can add more like line art tutorial

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  • I don't get it... I did everything but all of the white lines show.. they don't look like they're sitting on top of each other. What did I do wrong?

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    • Hi Kimbo!
      If all the white lines are showing than you probably missed the drop shadow and inner shadow step, or u need to play a bit with the distance and the size setting to get the result.
      Double check step 8 and see if it fixes your problem.

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  • Personally, I would merge all of the photo selections, inverse it, and delete the remaining background image. This would look as though you just laid down the photos and the background wouldn't be there.

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  • another very well explained photoshop tutorial,i was looking for some gud tutorials ,i found this ,sounds interesting and in a simplified way,sounds really in a easy

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