Moonlit Shoreline Mermaid Composite

Creative composite

A pose on a white studio box is moved to a moonlit shoreline, with a silver mermaid tail built along the legs and the box replaced by wet rock.

Fantasy
Night scene
Relighting

Service: Advanced Creative Photo Editing & Manipulation

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Retouched composite of the same pose on a rock at a moonlit shoreline, the legs replaced by a silver mermaid tail — Drag anywhere on the image, or focus the handle and use the arrow keys, to compare before and after.

Original studio capture of a model reclining on a white box against a plain grey backdrop — Drag anywhere on the image, or focus the handle and use the arrow keys, to compare before and after.

Project overview

The model is reclining on a white box against a plain grey wall. The pose already suggests someone resting on a rock by the sea, but the flat, frontal studio light is the opposite of the directional moonlight that idea needs.

Transformation details

A night shoreline was built behind the model with the moon on the side the studio key was already coming from, so the relight became a change of colour rather than a change of direction.
The box was replaced with wet rock, and a contact shadow was drawn where the body meets it, the join that gives a composite away when it is missing.
A scaled tail was built along the existing leg line, then given the same specular highlights as the water around it.
A cool grade went on last, with the skin held back from turning blue.