Photo Montage Ideas

Looking for photo montage ideas? Would you like to become a photomontage artist? I've put together a sample photo montage for you to help get your creative juices flowing plus a video tutorial on object extraction and some sample ideas from other photo montage artists.

The best photo montage software is undobutedly PhotoShop or Corel but there are plenty of free trial downloads available from other software companies. Click this link for a list of free photo montage software (some are only free trial downloads for 30 days or so - long enough to get you started though) or continue below to make your first photo montage.

I created the above photo montage in Corel but the same tools are available in Photo Shop and many other programs.

Photo Montage Ideas 1: Collect Backgrounds

In the sample photo montage above, I started with a background that I really liked, one that I felt had potential. I didn't have the objects assembled, not at the beginning. I think of the background as a stage set ready to have characters and objects positioned on it. I am the director! The best backgrounds for photo montages have 3-dimensional depth to them. It's possible to use something without 3-dimensional depth but I find it restricts the imagination.

Nuclear Plant with Cows Grazing Photo Montage by Ellmist

Photo Montage Ideas 2: Collect Objects

It's helpful to have a collection of objects readily available for you browse through. If you have your 'stage set' background ready to go, browsing through different objects stimulates the imagination and you begin to see connections between things. The first object I tried out in 'The Golden Cup Bearer' was the mask-like face on the wall. I liked it at first attempt so I duplicated it twice and then manipulated two of them to give a ripple-effect to the mouths. I left the third one as-is and put it on the other wall. Once I had the masks in place I looked for other objects which somehow related to them and gradually built up the picture from there.

Galaxy Falling Out of a Mail Box: Photo Montage by Birdy

Photo Montage Ideas 3: Learn How to Extract Objects from Photos

Object extraction is a great skill to acquire and well worth the time spent learning how to do it. Once you have this skill off pat, you can build up your own library of photo objects. Check out this video below which teaches you how to do it.

Photo Montage Ideas 4: Keep Building

It is possible to buy backgrounds and objects from stock photo agencies but a better route is to keep building up your own library of objects and backgrounds from photographs you have made. It is cheaper and much more satisfying and a more accurate reflection of your voice, as an artist. Build it regularly, a little at a time, so that this time next year you have an ever-growing supply of images to draw on when you are looking to build a new photo montage.

An action shot of a slam dunk Photo Montage by Nathan Dainty

Look at each sample photo montage on this page carefully - most of them are no more than a couple of objects on a background but they all express succinctly the idea that the author had in mind. Don't worry about finding an idea before you get started just find some images that appeal to you and get going - the idea will unfold as you create! Have fun!

Click here to see my photomontages

Click this link to see amazing surreal photos by contemporary surreal photographers from around the world.

And if you're interested in the history of surreal photography click this link.

Also, check out my MY BLOG for updates on my most recent photomontages.

I've also put together a list of web sites offering free photos to help you to create your own photo montages. Have fun!