The photos above are called composites. They are more than one photograph that have been blended together.
Compositing is the combining of visual elements from separate sources into single images, often to create the illusion that all those elements are part of the same scene. (Wikipedia)
Composite images are made up of two or more photographs, which are combined to create one image. Even if the term is new to you, you’ve already seen composite images they're everywhere in ads, on websites, in the news, even on Instagram.
The best composite images will look real, while others will look intentionally surreal. The photograph above of the room is actually 3 images taken at different exposure levels and then combined together giving the viewer a clear look outside the window. This look is real, and used all the time in real estate photographs known more commonly as HDR photos. The photo of the dog is a surreal look of 2 images combined the dog could actually have been photographed with their head poking through a renaissance prop we know it is highly unlikely.
If you asked a photographer if an image is a composite and it is, they should be honest about their work, although some are not, some photo competitions will not allow composites while others are nothing but composites. While some competitions have diiferent categories for composites and non- composite photographs. There is nothing negitive about being able to create composites and it has become a form of art. Even before Adobe, photographers have been creating composites.
Before digital photography was even imagined, composite portraiture was already being practiced in the 1880’s when Sir Francis Galton invented a technique to take multiple exposures on the same photographic plate.
Stitching together multiple images can create all sorts of fantastic scenes, from a little girl having a tea party with three bears, to a swan swimming in a teacup, or a young lad taking his pet dinosaur for a walk in the park. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination.
Shooting on a green screen is one of the easiest ways to ensure you’ll have no troubles cutting out your subject matter. After all, that’s what it’s for! Especially if your image is featured around alow-contrast background, this will ensure that no details are lost.
A few years ago it seemed everyone wanted their photo taken on the train tracks. The problem was train tracks are privately owned and the owners would have you jailed and fined if you were caught using them for photos (I would never take that chance). The way around this was to composite your photo onto a backround (and there were many available) and when it was done properly you couldn't tell the difference.
