How to sequence photos.

Sequencing. By: Funtington…vital bmx.



Alright everyone, here we go. A huge facet of glamour in the sport photography world, sequencing! First off getting this process right takes a while (along with a shit ton of frustration)I have been doing them for a while now And I still am far away from dialed with them, you will find there is always something you could improve on! Ready, set, anger!



I would like to point out that the computer I am making this tutorial on has PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS!!! Yes the cheap one. Anything I do in this tutorial is compatible with any version of Photoshop. In cs4 there is a layer mask version which can sometimes render more solid results, however for Photoshop n00bzzz the technique I teach will most often be easier understood. I hope everyone is ready to get started now…finally!



List of materials!!(You must use everything in this list!!!)



1.TRIPOD… for fucks sake if you don’t use one of these leave the thread now because your sequence will turn to total shit without it, however If you can steady the shot to NO movement using a flat ledge or anything like that go for it but if your camera moves your fucked.

2. Photoshop versions cs2 and up! Elements actually does an amazing job as well.

I do not have personal experience with other programs but if you want to try using something else make sure you have selection tool as well as Photoshop level color correction.

3. A digital or film camera capable of taking at least multi-shot, however a 2 frame per second and up camera is preferable. If you don’t have cameras look into the D-40 D-60 D-90 D-5000 D-3000 or any professional level camera such as the mark 3 by cannon or d3 by Nikon. (do not give me shit on camera references)



So you have what you need! Well let’s get making a sequence.

First off a few tips make sure you read these because they will make the process so much easier as well as render higher quality pictures with seamless construction.



1. CRUCIAL!! Upload files to same folder do not rename anything. Also save them all at the highest possible quality.

2. This is also very important before doing anything open all your photo’s in Photoshop and auto correct every image! Do not manually adjust make auto correct and make sure every little hue and saturation is the same on all images.

3. Sequences should never be shot from a 3/4ths angle like this one always use a side view

4. Shoot on a manual setting if available if shutter speed changes because of the auto setting your picture will have different hues colors and tones and if it changes to much you’re SOL.

5. Sometimes zooming a little further out can ease construction and give a better perspective on the shot. It makes editing easier because details become smaller.





That’s about it for tips let’s move on to the actual editing process!



Open all images in Photoshop











Once opened do this found top left of screen.



That will make all pictures even and go from this




TO THIS!!




Take the first picture of sequence and leave it full size.

As for the other photos crop out only subject as tightly as possible!!keep it tight now guys…



So the first image gets cropped out like this









Notice how its cropped! Tightly.



Then save the photo as image 1 or anything that states order if you can remember broccoli tomato better than a number go for it but remember order and try to stay organized.









You have the image saved so take the cropped subject picture(the one you just fucking did!) and place it onto thevery first photo of the sequence. Do not open the file use the PLACE option. Remembering to put everything in a new layer, lower the opacity of the selected subject to around 30-50 percent this will allow you to line up the subject to the back ground nicely. Your screen will look like this while placing subject.



I left it slightly out of place to show you what was happening you of course will want to get the subject perfectly into place with the background the key is lining up back ground with foreground perfectly.



If you have succeeded in coming this far simply repeat the steps until you come to your last one then save at high quality. It’s a simple repeating of steps.







BUT!!!!! You will surely run into the problem of the crop layers over lapping in some of your sequences so here is how to go about fixing them.



!WARNING! This requires handi-work with the mouse.




Uh oh the selection over laps the second layer what to do!! Simple my friends take the eraser tool and and remove that part of the upper layer revealing the underlayer.




That was a easy one some are harder and more time consuming especially in tightly packed sequencing. Any who you know how to fix the problem now go get em tigers and hope fully you guys get sequences like this one.