138
1
When they’re gazing directly at the camera, the couple
are engaging with the photographer – but not with
each other. Turning their eyes so they’re looking at each other
makes them appear much more as if they’re in a relationship.
4
There are several ways to express boredom. One method
is to have the eyes looking up and away, as hers are in this
shot; another is to have the irises slightly high in the eyes, so it
makes the lids look a little closed – a sure sign of tedium.
O
N THE PREVIOUS PAGES, WE
looked at how changing body
position can make a difference to the apparent
relationship between people in a montage. But
body language is only one way of explaining
a relationship: far more subtle – and just as
effective – is eye contact.
The photomontage artist often has to work
with mugshots of politicians and celebrities,
or images from a royalty-free collection. The
subjects will usually be gazing straight at the
camera, and probably grinning inanely at the
same time. It’s of little help when combining
two or more people within a scene.
Here, we’ve taken a happy couple and
moved their eyes around from frame to frame.
Nothing else has been changed, and yet the
entire expression alters with the position of the
eyes. The six examples here are just a small
part of the infinite range of expressions that
can be achieved by simply changing the eyes.
IMAGE: ABSOLUTVISION
Eyes: the window of the soul
5
Composing the scene
139
2
The angle can make a big difference. Moving both their
eyes down just a fraction makes them look sad, as if
they’re about to be parted: they seem to be subject to forces
beyond their control.
5
When they’re looking out of the frame, both people look
less happy in their situation. She’s looking to his left, with
a faraway look – her mind is certainly elsewhere. He, however,
is more interested in the girl who’s just walked in the door.
3
Looking away from each other, and down, makes them
look as if they’re having second thoughts. It appears as
if they’re both wondering if this relationship is a good idea:
what’s certain is there’s little love left between them.
6
The distinction between boredom and desperation is
a subtle one. Her eyes are looking down, making her
appear despondent and trapped; by moving his even higher in
his head, he appears totally fed up.
HOT TIP
To change the
direction a
character’s eyes
are looking in, you
need to create two
new layers – one
for the eyeball,
and one for the iris:
make a clipping
mask for the iris
with the eyeball,
and you can move
it around within
the eye. For more
about working
with eyes, see
page 230.
How to Cheat in Photoshop CC
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