I've been photographing alive performances for inclusion to the Sound Bites Grill Hall of Fame for about seven years. The performances are photographed alive and they are processed into fine art pieces requiring signatures of the artists. Information technology would be an most impossible task to have the artist actually sign the finished pieces as they are scattered far and broad effectually Arizona and the rest of the country.

I employ a technique that has been my process for so long I wasn't thinking that others might not know how. A visiting fellow photographer, who was amazed that all of the work had the artists' autographs, brought it to my attending. Here'south how it works.

What I do (and where I learned the basic idea)

While I accept the creative person on site the night of paradigm capture I have them place their shorthand and 'message to the house' on a white piece of paper. Nosotros utilize a black fine bespeak Sharpie much like an creative person would utilise in signing autographs. This ensures a line that is thick plenty to run across well, simply also pointy enough for a truthful signature.

The Photoshop process

I accept to share that this idea was germinated because of a lesson received from Kevin Ames approximately xv years ago. Kevin's lesson involved adding flame to candles and fireplaces that did not take them in the original capture. Basically, the proper type flame was photographed on a black groundwork. A properly sized flame was added to the epitome on a layer. The layer was so converted to the Screen Blend Mode. And, viola! Every bit a outcome the black background disappears leaving the flame lit bailiwick backside.

Signature placement is similar with my process. The scanned paper with autograph is inverted leaving a black page with white text. Autographs are extracted and moved to the proper position on the art piece and then the Layer Mode is inverse to Screen and, you guessed it, the signature is all that is left backside.

Finished work

signatures
Completed art hanging proudly in the Hall of Fame at Audio Bites Grill in Sedona, AZ

Higher up come across an example of the finished piece with signatures in place. The images themselves are comprised of private performer photos assembled into the final composition which is blended with more Layers with multiple textures, Photoshop Blend Modes and Aligning Layers.

Merely, that is a lesson for some other day.

Yours in Creative Photography, Bob