The Art of Masking: How to Isolate and Perfect Your Composite Elements

The Art of Masking: How to Isolate and Perfect Your Composite Elements I remember the first time I tried to composite a sky into a landscape photo without using masks. It was a disaster. I had a beautiful sunset I wanted to blend with a foreground that had been shot under flat, grey clouds. My approach? I simply layered the images and adjusted opacity. The result looked synthetic, the edges were harsh, and the whole piece screamed “fake.