Software: Adobe Photoshop

1. THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
New York City College of Technology
Architectural Technology Department
March 4, 2021
PHOTOCOMPOSING
written by Asli Oney, Edited by Laurin Moseley
ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
IN PHOTOSHOP

2. 2
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation
under Grant Numbers 1141234.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this
material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
National Science Foundation.

3. 3
Photocomposing
TIPS
To work more efficiently, an advanced Photoshop
user should at least know the shortcuts of general
commands. Some are really simple, If you have not
activated a tool yet, you can activate and navigate
from one tool to the other just with shortcuts.
The full file for shortcuts can be found @ https://
helpx.adobe.com/content/dam/help/attachments/
PhotoshopCC-KBSC.pdf
ARTBOARDS
As you may recall from Illustrator and InDesign, an artboard visually, serve as individual canvases within a
document. Any layers in the document not contained within an artboard are grouped at the top of the Layers
panel and remain unclipped by any artboards.
Here is how you can set up more than one artboard under one Photoshop file.
File > New Specify the document type as: artboard and fill in your size/resolution criteria in the dialog box.
Window > Properties to quickly inspect its key properties. You can also resize the artboard from within the
properties panel. This will create your first artboard. Then go to Layer>New>Artboard to add more.
File> Export > Artboards To PDF to document your file under a readable
CONVERT AN EXISTING DOCUMENT INTO AN ARTBOARD DOCUMENT
If you have a standard Photoshop document, and you would like it to convert into a mutli documented file,
you can make it into an artboard document. Since the Artboard works by grouping layers, select one or more
layers, Right-click the selection and then choose Artboard From Layers or Artboard From Group.
Page 1 of 2 | (Windows Keyboard Shortcuts Reference)
Adobe® Photoshop® CC
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts Reference
Application Menus
File
New... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+N
Open... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+O
Browse in Bridge... . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Ctrl+O or Shift+Ctrl+O
Open As... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+O
Close . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+W
Close All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alt+Ctrl+W
Close and Go to Bridge... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+W
Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+S
Save As... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+S or Alt+Ctrl+S
Save for Web.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+S
Revert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F12
File Info... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alt+Shift+Ctrl+I
Print... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+P
Print One Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+P
Exit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+Q
Edit
Undo/Redo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+Z
Step Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+Z
Step Backward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Ctrl+Z
Fade... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+F
Cut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+X or F2
Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+C or F3
Copy Merged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+C
Paste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+V F4
Paste Special >
Paste in Place. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+V
Paste Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+V
Fill... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+F5
Content-Aware Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+C
Free Transform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+T
Transform >
Again. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+T
Color Settings... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+K
Keyboard Shortcuts... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+K
Menus.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alt+Shift+Ctrl+M
Preferences >
General... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+K
Image
Adjustments >
Levels... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+L
Curves... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+M
Hue/Saturation... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+U
Color Balance.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+B
Black & White.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+B
Invert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+I
Desaturate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shift+Ctrl+U
Auto Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+L
Auto Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+L
Auto Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+B
Image Size... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Ctrl+I
Canvas Size.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Ctrl+C
Layer
New >
Layer... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shift+Ctrl+N
Layer via Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+J
Layer via Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+J
Create/Release Clipping Mask. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Ctrl+G
Group Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+G
Ungroup Layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shift+Ctrl+G
Arrange >
Bring to Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+]
Bring Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+]
Send Backward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+[
Send to Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+[
Merge Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+E
Merge Visible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+E
Select
All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+A
Deselect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+D
Reselect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shift+Ctrl+D
Inverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+I or Shift+F7
All Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Ctrl+A
Find Layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+F
Refine Edge... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Ctrl+R
Modify >
Feather.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+F6
Filter
Last Filter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+F
Adaptive Wide Angle... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+A
Camera Raw Filter... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shift+Ctrl+A
Lens Correction.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+R
Liquify.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+X
Vanishing Point... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Ctrl+V
3D
Show/Hide Polygons >
Within Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Ctrl+X
Reveal All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+X
Render . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Shift+Ctrl+R
View
Proof Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+Y
Gamut Warning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+Y
Zoom In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl++ Ctrl+=
Zoom Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+-
Fit on Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+0
100% . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+1 or Alt+Ctrl+0
Extras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+H
Show >
Target Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shift+Ctrl+H
Grid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+’
Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+;
Rulers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+R
Snap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift+Ctrl+;
Lock Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+Ctrl+;
Window
Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alt+F9 or F9
Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5
Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6
Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8
Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F7
Help
Photoshop Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

4. 4
Photocomposing
Introduction
How do we use Photo composite in Architecture?
Who benefits from this work?
How has it been done in the past?
HOW Mies Van Der Rohe did it:
Interior Perspective drawing
Exterior view image
3 material images that were used on the project.
Clients relate to a clear and realistic reflection of the
design in the site context more than BIM documents
which often would be perceived by clients with some
difficulty. To fully understand the architect design,
this technique of illustration with implementation of
color, materials, habitat, etc would allow the client to
be able to relate to the architects design strategy as
the architect during and after the design period.
Composition method is the combining of visual
elements from separate sources into single images,
often to create the illusion that all those elements
are parts of the same scene. Photocomposing is
also a way to express your creativity and vision as
the architect while explaining your design. It is a
close to realistic image and the visual detail that
otherwise cannot be accomplished with a camera.
The techniques are based on blending independent
visual assets via, Photoshop blend modes, overlays,
masking...using numerous digital or even analog
ways as Mies Van Der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion
composite done during the analog period.

5. TIPS
5
Photocomposing
Content
The elements needed to construct a photo composite composition.
The Environment
Showing how the project fits in the site would
indicate the scale, and space usage. To do this
elements pertaining to the site that would bring
your project to life would be necessary elements to
create a composite.
Collect different tree types, plants variations, human
figures, transport, benches, environment and etc.
The more variations the greater uniqueness in
blending results we can achieve.
Sky image
Human figures
Eco System
Layer Mask Button
Site photographing: If you are photographing the
site, take long shutter speeds. Capture the same
composition you want with focus on background
(BG), Middleground (MG), and Foreground (FG)
and focus.
The Model
Once you have created a rendered image from the
Rhino model, create Make2D line work of the same
rendering.
After you have rendered the image (with RGB
colors), save a second rendering of the same image
in ALPHA channel quality-which can replace your
PS masking efforts/task.
Add a Layer Mask that Hides part of a Layer
In the Layers panel, select the layer or group.
Select the area in the image, and do one of the
following:
• Click the New Layer Mask button in the Layers
panel to create a mask that reveals the selection.
• Alt-click (Win) or Option-click (Mac) the Add
Layer Mask button in the Layers panel to create
a mask that hides the selection.
• Choose Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection
or Hide Selection.
Why do we need Alpha channel?
During the blending stage the translucent foreground
color with a BG color would blend nicely. The degree
of opaqueness can provide a large range of blending
options also.
RESULT
Masks: Layer masks control the transparency
of the layer they are applied to. Masks leave the
original layer pixel data untouched, so the layer’s
data will not be lost forever like using the eraser.
Painting with black (shadow) hides/masks the
data. Using white (highlight) reveals the data that
was hidden.
Images that are in smart object format (merged
layers of raster graphics) need to be rasterized
for Photoshop editing. Right click on the image
layer and select rasterize. Since PS allows to
edit raster graphics only, the rasterize command
converts the graphics back to its original form.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE IMAGES TO FOLLOW
THE TUTORIAL @ WWW.DROPBOX.COM :
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/k4dvgg0u5f1qs-
rb/AAA5GLht_mR5sb08snhNWZrca?dl=0

6. 6
Photocomposing
BLENDING CATEGORIES TIPS
Normal: Edits or paints each pixel to make it the
result color. This is the default mode.
Darken: Edits or paints each pixel to make it
the result color. However, the result color is
a random replacement of the pixels with the
base color or the blend color, depending on the
opacity at any pixel location.
Lighten: Looks at the color information in each
channel and selects the base or blend color—
whichever is lighter—as the result color. Pixels
darker than the blend color are replaced, and
pixels lighter than the blend color do not change.
Linear burn as a color blend to blend the trees
with an endless green background (personal
Preference)
Darken: Looks at the color information in each
channel and selects the base or blend color—
whichever is darker—as the result color. Pixels
lighter than the blend color are replaced, and
pixels darker than the blend color do not change.
Multiply: Looks at the color information in each
channel and multiplies the base color by the
blend color. The result color is always a darker
color. Multiplying any color with black produces
black. Multiplying any color with white leaves
the color unchanged. When you’re painting with
a color other than black or white, successive
strokes with a painting tool produce progressively
darker colors. The effect is similar to drawing on
the image with multiple marking pens.
Find more blending category explanations at
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/
blending-modes.html
PS Steps for Contrasting Edges:
PS High Pass layer creates slightly blurry halos
around edges of image, increasing the contrast at
the edge without changing any pixels of the image.
Step 1: Select Your Image Layer
Step 2: Duplicate model image layer Ctrl+ J
Step 3: Desaturate the dupe image Ctrl + Shift + U
> Desaturate
Step 4: Blend feature pops the contour more. You
will start to see the change in quality by turning on/
off the layer.
Step 5: Filter>Other>Hi Pass> Radius number:
adjust to at least 10px or more.
Step 6: Add a blend mode Soft Light to High Pass
layer, adjust opacity if necessary.
Enhancing images with PS
PS Blending Concept
Blend modes work mathematically with brightness
and darkness values from 0 to 255. In the back-end
of Photoshop (GUI) “standardizes” these luminance
values where white (aka 255) becomes 1, black
(aka 0) remains at 0, and 50% gray becomes
0.5 creating a range from 0 to 1. It’s important to
understand this concept of standardization, how
images will react to the blending process.
Blending can be applied to text, brush marks, and
images. There are 13 major categories to choose
from: Normal, Dissolve, Darken, Multiply, Lighten,
Linear Dodge (Add), Difference, Hue, Saturation,
Color, Luminosity, Lighter Color, and Darker Color.
You have the option to calculate mathematically or
make the choice idiosyncratically.
More info about blending results:
http://photoblogstop.com/photoshop/photoshop-blend-modes-
explained#BlendModeOpposites
http://blog.datacolor.com/sean-duggan-layer-blend-modes-part-1/
Dehaze: While taking a site picture and you find
haze effects captured due to bad weather, etc.
Step 1: Filter>Camera RAW Filter, and switch to
Effect tab.
Step 2: Click on Effects filter
Step 3: Slide the dehaze indicator
Step 4: If shadowed regions are darkened by this
process, compensate it with Adjustments.

7. TIPS
7
Photocomposing
VOIDS
For a realistic visual of window openings you will
underlay background image. Create another layer
for the outdoor window views.
PS>Edit > Transform > Distort to match the
perspective
Ambient Occlusion enhances the visible separation/
textures between materials. This makes the
rendered image pop a little more with its shadows.
PS> Image> Adjustments> Levels or Ctrl +L
Change the blending mode of this layer to Multiply.
Cut out people from photos that fit the perspective
and story of the scene. This also gives the image a
better sense of scale.
Special Effects in Photoshop
Color palette generators: using the hex value
of the main color theme, you can obtain mono,
compliment, triad, tetrad, analogic, accented
analogic color groups to support your design.
Main color theme
Complementing colors
Foreground Middleground Background
Adobe Color Get access to all the Adobe Color
themes you have created no matter where you
created them.
Color groups Similar to Paragraph Style folders,
manage and organize your color swatches to
quickly find what you need.
Rule of Thirds: Consider cropping the desired
orientation based on viewpoint, background,
framing and depth qualities.
Leading Lines: Eyes tend to follow lines. By
indicating lines (from Make2D) would pulling us
into the picture, towards the subject.
Symmetry and patterns: We are surrounded
by symmetry and patterns, both natural and
man-made. They can make for very eye-catching
compositions.
Dynamism and movement: Light and the
shadows to provide interest and consider the
hierarchy of levels and areas
MOTION
Path blur: Motion effects can be added along a path
for a subject that requires motion indications like
people, animals or cars.
Step 1: Filter>Blur Gallery>Path Blur to enter the
Blur Gallery. A path with two end points is automati-
cally added to the image. If you are working with a
sky image, it would be beneficial to arch this path
by pulling down the middle anchor to give a radial
effect.
Step 2: Once the motion blur is applied drop the
opacity of the layer to 80% and add a second
underlayer of the original image to indicate starting
point.
For rendering: Quality controls the rendering quality
of the preview.
The fuzzy effect has been
magnified to show the effect it
made that illustrates movement
on a tree, the degree of blur is
up to your composition.
Main Menu>Window>Adjustments

8. 8
Photocomposing
Global Color Adjustments
Select all your layers and right click for the dialog
menu. Select Merge for all the layers in your PS file.
It harmonizes the colors. You can make more global
adjustments, to add light, saturation, etc.
Average filter in Photoshop. This will produce a
representative color for the background image. The
layer filled with this color, set to the Color blend
mode at a low opacity, will allow you to mask out
trouble spots for you.
FINAL RESULT
DRAMATIC FINAL RESULT-WITH A GLOBAL BLACK
AND WHITE COLOR ADJUSTMENT
GLOBALIZING ADJUSTMENTS
Finalizing Process