18 Best Books on Compositing and Editing

Photoshop Compositing Basics: Book Review: This book offers valuable insights on selecting the best techniques, removing unnecessary backgrounds, and creating effective layers with proper transparency to produce a dramatic result. Additionally, the book provides an overview of composting and how it functions within photoshop, while also helping readers understand how to work with selections, masks, and channels. With step-by-step explanations, learners can create transparency without masks, and use refine edges to manage complex selection edges more efficiently. Furthermore, the book teaches how to create soft-edged and semi-transparent selections, and briefly describes the process of exporting the final image to preserve transparency for print, web, and video.

“Learning Blender: A Hands-On Guide to Creating 3D Animated Characters” Book Review: This book covers Blender’s interface, controls, and how to manipulate objects. It delves into different techniques such as modeling, lighting, shading, rigging, and animation in great detail. For those interested in creating their own 3D character, the book offers a step-by-step explanation of the process, including selecting colors, textures, and materials using modeling tools. Learners can also discover how to integrate their animated character into a real video by utilizing camera tracking techniques, lighting, and compositing. The book gradually progresses from basic projects to more complex ones, while also including valuable tricks and tips that are useful when working with 3D.

“Media Composer 6: Professional Effects and Compositing (Avid Learning Series: Profession Certification)” Book Review: This book serves as an ideal guide, covering the complete range of effects available in Media Composer. It delves into complex topics, such as applying, designing, and building effects, while exploring ways to make the most out of Media Composer’s effects nesting techniques. The book also provides a step-by-step explanation on how to use the 3D wrap effect. Additionally, it offers in-depth information on importing graphics and mattes, keying graphics, and intraframe effects. Readers can learn how to composite various elements using different types of keys and ways to animate effects using keyframes and the motion tracker. Furthermore, the book includes a detailed explanation of the Avid FX interface, all aimed at helping learners master their skills in Media Composer.

“The Photoshop Workbook: Professional Retouching and Compositing Tips, Tricks, and Techniques” Book Review: This advanced level guidebook on Photoshop is intended for anyone who already has a solid knowledge of the software. It not only provides an overview of how to apply various Photoshop techniques, but also highlights when to use them. With this book, learners can master selections and cutouts using pen tools, as well as techniques such as dodging, burning, adding textures, and applying lighting effects to images. Moreover, the book includes six complete projects, each with step-by-step explanations on how and where to apply specific Photoshop techniques. The projects cover a range of scenarios, including character portraits, themed composites, and landscapes, enabling readers to apply theoretical concepts to real-life examples. The book also features tips and tricks that are useful for enhancing the creative Photoshop skills of the learner.

“Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CC for Photographers Classroom in a Book” Book Review: This comprehensive guidebook delves into both theoretical and practical aspects of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, showcasing how the two can be used together for a more efficient workflow and reduced editing time. The book offers helpful tips and tricks to increase productivity and creativity in projects. The Lightroom section covers importing, organizing, correcting, and enhancing images with both global and local editing tools, while also touching on merging multiple exposures and creating panoramas. The second half of the book provides in-depth explanations and practical techniques for combining photos, advanced retouching, precise selection, masking, and applying creative blur effects. Additionally, readers will learn how to transform their photos into paintings or pencil sketches. Finally, the book explains how to export and share edited images on social media platforms.

“Nuke 101: Professional Compositing and Visual Effects”Book Review: The book is a comprehensive guide to visual effects software used by professionals in the film and television industry. It covers the fundamentals and provides step-by-step instructions for using Nukes, a state-of-the-art visual effects software. The book includes real-world examples and project files after each chapter, allowing readers to develop a solid understanding of composting techniques, color correction, RotoPaint, keying, and tracking. Additionally, it covers advanced concepts such as Camera Projection, Camera Tracking, Gizmos, Stereoscopic Compositing, and CGI passes in Nuke. With numerous projects and detailed explanations, this book is an ideal resource for professionals and beginners alike.

” author=”Bradford Schmidt and Brandon Thompson”] “GoPro: Professional Guide to Filmmaking [covers the HERO4 and all GoPro cameras]” Book Review: This book is a comprehensive, ideal book for professional filmmakers to enhance their skills on the art and technique of advanced filmmaking. The book covers a range of topics, including camera modes and settings, standard and experimental mounts, shooting principles, and editing techniques. It provides step-by-step instructions and inspiration for creating unique and engaging edits. Additionally, the book features links to a variety of videos created by professional athletes, filmmakers, and enthusiastic GoPro users from around the world. Readers will also benefit from the stories and experiences shared by other users of the guide, helping to expand their creative thinking and enhance their filmmaking abilities.

“Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques” Book Review: This book covers the fundamentals of animation programming, including both theoretical and practical aspects. It delves into algorithms and techniques for achieving a more realistic animation approach, with detailed explanations of essential topics such as hair, fluid, and crowd animation. The book also provides thorough knowledge on important topics such as modeling and animation of fluids, human figure animation, behavioral animation, physics-based animation, and facial animation. Moreover, it highlights a few special models that are useful to animation, including implicit surfaces, L-systems, and subdivision surfaces. The book contains chapters on all the key topics, such as fluids, clouds, clothes, hair, and crowd animation. Additionally, it includes a companion site with numerous animation examples drawn from both research and entertainment, as well as explaining algorithmic theory for better control of technique. The book also covers algorithmic concepts such as path following, hierarchical kinematic modeling, basic rigid body dynamics, flocking behavior, particle systems, and collision detection.

“Digital Compositing” Book Review: This book guides artists through the step-by-step process of compositing and delves into the mechanics of how it works. It offers techniques for deconstructing images to discern which tools are best suited for a particular effect, as well as methods for utilizing those same tools to achieve varied outcomes. The book also explores the layering and manipulation of motion graphics to create a fluid, seamless shot, and is replete with theoretical notes and numerous practical examples. Readers will learn how to employ software programs like Combustion, Digital Fusion, and After Effects to enhance their film projects. Unlike other books that stop at theory, this volume provides artists with realistic examples that will inspire their creativity.

“Media Composer 6: Effects Essentials Part 2 (Avid Learning)” Book Review: This book is very helpful for media composers. It provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject matter, with practical examples that enable a hands-on approach to learning. Topics covered in various chapters include multi-layered video composition, stabilization, color grading techniques, and more. Designed as a professional training course, the book uses standard editing systems that are commonly employed by industry professionals. The accompanying DVD is particularly useful for novices looking to improve their understanding of the material. All in all, this book is an essential tool for anyone seeking to enhance their expertise in media composition.

“Palgrave Advances in Henry James Studies” Book Review: The book delves into Henry James research and presents his personal critiques and theories in detail. It offers a concise presentation of all his notes and theories, making it easy to comprehend and follow. The chapters cover various topics, such as centres of consciousness, psychoanalytic criticism, feminism, and gender studies, which provide insights into the diverse methods of research and analysis. James critique explains how the human psyche changes over time. The book also includes discussions on the architecture of the imagination, historical criticism, ethics, and topics like globalisation and commerce are also explored.

“Advances in Genome Editing Technology and its Promising Application in Evolutionary and Ecological Studies” Book Review: This book aims to bridge the gap between DNA sequencing and phenotype, while also exploring the revolutionary impacts of this connection on evolution and ecology. It showcases the potential and practicality of using TALEN and CRISPR editing, along with discussing new tools for conducting large-scale experiments, genome editing, and taxonomic species. The traditional genome editing technologies are introduced before delving into the modern and advanced methods.

“Color Correction Handbook: Professional Techniques for Video and Cinema” Book Review: This book provides valuable guidance for individuals in the film and video industry, including students and professionals. Its content instructs readers on how to effectively convey specific moods in a scene using contemporary and expert techniques. The book is suitable for both beginners and seasoned practitioners, as it covers a diverse range of approaches across various systems. It illustrates the process of color correction across multiple applications, such as Final Cut Pro, Assimilate Scratch, and Baselight. Additionally, it showcases innovative and artistic stylizations that enhance the visual quality of images. The book is accompanied by a DVD that includes numerous exercises and project files for experimentation and practice.

“Adobe Master Class: Advanced Compositing in Photoshop: Bringing the Impossible to Reality with Bret Malley” Book Review: This book presents fundamental techniques for assessing and enhancing images, as well as advanced correction and stylization methods in later chapters. The content covers the latest technologies and teaches readers how to perform quick shot analysis and balance clips from scene to scene. It also delves into color and contrast theories to add depth and richness to scenes. To further support learning, the book offers downloadable files, which include numerous exercises and high-definition project files and footage.

Visual Effects and Compositing” author=”Jon Gress”] “[digital] Visual Effects and Compositing” Book Review: This book serves as a valuable resource for individuals looking to progress from a beginner to a professional level. It features clear and straightforward step-by-step instructions, as well as graphic files and videos to aid in comprehension. The chapters cover a wide range of topics, such as fluid and rigid body dynamics, digital environments and destruction, advanced lighting and rendering, Photoshop extraction and modeling methods, and digital matte paintings, projections, and colorization. Each topic is explored in depth to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.