Compositing Advanced

What You’ll Learn

Advanced compositing is scene-building: instead of adjusting a photo that exists, you construct one that never did. These five projects each build a complete image from start to finish, and the skills stack from one to the next.

• Composite from stock images Two full projects on building scenes from stock — finding usable source images, extracting subjects, and combining pieces shot in completely different conditions.
• Match light and color The skill that separates convincing composites from obvious ones: unifying direction of light, color temperature and contrast across every element in the scene.
• Build epic, cinematic images A Dark Force walks through a large-scale dramatic composite — atmosphere, effects, painted light and the finishing that gives an image scale.
• Start with a guided project The Flood is the on-ramp: a complete composite built at a beginner-friendly pace, so the advanced projects have a foundation to stand on.
• Composite anywhere Elise Swopes builds a composite entirely on a phone — a different toolset and a reminder that the thinking matters more than the software.

Who This Playlist Is For

Photographers and digital artists who want to make images that cannot be photographed. If you are comfortable with layers, masks and selections and want to put them to work on complete creative projects, this is the playlist that stretches those skills furthest.

New to compositing entirely? Start with the Compositing Intro playlist first — these projects assume you can already make clean selections and manage a layered document.

What You Need

• Photoshop Any recent version. The techniques are timeless; the tools have only gotten faster.
• Sample files Included with the PRO tutorials, so you can build the same scenes as the instructor.
• Comfort with layers and masks These are project tutorials, not tool introductions.

How Long It Takes

These are the longest tutorials PHLEARN makes — each project is several hours of real editing. Plan on one project per week if you follow along and build the images yourself, which is where the learning actually happens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a PHLEARN PRO membership?

Yes, for the full projects and their sample files. PRO also unlocks the rest of the compositing library.

Is this too advanced for me?

If you can cut out a subject cleanly and work with adjustment layers, you are ready. If not, do the Compositing Intro playlist first — it exists for exactly this reason.

Can I use my own images instead of stock?

Absolutely. The stock-image projects teach the same matching and blending skills you would use with your own photography — stock just makes the source material repeatable.

Do I need to buy stock images to follow along?

No. Sample files are included with the tutorials, so you work with the same images as the instructor.

Should I do these projects in order?

Start with The Flood if you are newer to compositing, then the stock image projects, then A Dark Force. The phone tutorial stands alone — watch it whenever.

Where to Go Next

• Compositing Intro The foundations these projects build on — start here if you are new.
• Photoshop Compositing Collection A systematic two-part course in compositing fundamentals.
• Photoshop Learning Path Strengthen the selections, masking and color skills compositing relies on.