Merging a Sequence into One Image
This tutorial will take you through how to put your digital photo sequence into a single image.

author:
  guest
title:
  Merging a Sequence into One Image
date:
  Mon 4 April 2005
category:
  Photo Manipulation
credits:
 
Merging a Sequence into One Image


Open Image

Open your digital images in Adobe Photoshop.



Create a New File

With your files open, create a New file that is about 400 pixels bigger on all sides than your starting images. Open all of your images from the sequence and move them towards the bottom of the screen for later use. Note: For this to work well, all of the images should be taken from relatively the same position.



Paste Image

Open the first image and copy and paste it onto the New file. This is easy enough to do. (CTRL+C to copy, CTRL+V to paste, CTRL+A to select all in the original image.)



Paste Image in to a New layer

Now find your second image and paste it onto a New Layer above the first image in the sequence. Don't worry, your original image is on the layer below. The problem now is that your images might not be aligned as is illustrated below. To solve this problem, you will have to highlight the top layer (Layer 2 in this case) and set the opacity to 60%.



Move tool

Press V to use the move tool. Now with the top layer on a lower opacity, you will have to use a reference to line up the layers. In this case I am using the rail. This is how it will look lined up.



Editing

Now that the layers are lined up, you can delete the parts of Layer 2 that you do not need with the Eraser tool. If the images are lined up correctly the layer underneath should look the same as what you are deleting. If you delete the right part, Layer 1 will show up, revealing the first shot to the sequence. NOTE: Don't forget shadows.



Set the opacity

Now you will need the next image in the sequence and you will have to post it on it's own layer above Layer 2. Set the opacity of this layer to 60% again and move it into place and delete the excess. Once again, do not forget shadows.



Merge layer

Continue this with as many frames as you have in the sequence and then press M for the Select Marquee. Now press Shift+CTRL+E to Merge all of the layers together onto one layer. With the marquee tool, crop only what you need from the sequence and the press CTRL+N for a new, properly sized page to paste your sequence onto.



Result

Save it and you are finished. Here is how mine turned out:


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