Wake me when it's over

[Dennis Bishop]

This was taken about a half hour into a fairly small but not really all that quiet Fourth-of-July parade. At least the set of shots of the sleeping child was. The child and wagon by themselves didn't tell the story, so I added the spectator feet in the top left and the girl on the right from parts of shots taken earlier and later in the parade.





iPhone 5s, ISO 50, three-exposure HDRs with 2 EV increments

processing highlights

• A leg and shoe (of the person whose shadow is above the wagon on the left) were removed from the main shot, and the shadow of the girl on the right were added.
• Topaz Simplify (two saved presets), Alien Skin Snap Art (two saved presets), Fractalius (three saved presets), and Nik Color Efex (Darken/Lighten Center, and Classical Soft Focus) were the plug-ins used.
• A masked copy of the child before any processing beyond the Camera Raw filter was piled on top of those layers.
• On top of that are two Joel Olives textures to add a sleepy blue and a violet vignette with a central highlight.

[Hazel Grant]

Great choices to add action to the sleeping little one. Even the feet suggest the excitement of people sitting on a curb watching. The shadows match in color and intensity, a feat I think would be difficult. Congrats!

[Wendy Kates]

I love your additions, as well as the image of the sleeping child. It makes it a very organic image. Also like the shadows as Hazel pointed out.

[Mitch Carucci]

The legs on the right, and feet on the upper left make this cure image into a complex composition that works so well!

[Nancy Bell]

Wow, your vision resulted in an outstanding image! Love all the additions and that they add action but are more muted than the inactive (sleeping) youngster. Your compositing is excellent and I would have believed this was taken all at once.

[Diane Miller]

Very fun! Great additions -- looks completely natural! And tells a great story.

[gary ellwein]

This is a fine composite. Bracketing the sleeping child with the young woman and spectator feet is effective. I realize the child is the focal point; however, a shapely pair of legs draws the attention of an aging male.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Hi, Dennis, this is perfectly executed. I love the fact that he can sleep through the parade
Happy Thanksgiving!

[Dennis Bishop]

. . . I realize the child is the focal point; however, a shapely pair of legs draws the attention of an aging male.

I had the option of putting in a knobby-kneed guy instead but preferred it this way, myself.