On any packaging or catalog project, the visual image is often the first thing people notice, which means it has to be exactly right. Sometimes a photo shoot or stock image delivers everything we need as-is. More often, however, an image requires retouching. That retouching can be minor, such as enhancing color or contrast, or it can involve extensive compositing and reconstruction, as it did in the project highlighted here.
Our client, a sticker manufacturer, needed a catalog with introductory pages that would showcase different product categories. Our original proposal involved a custom photo shoot with child models and simple set-ups. When that option proved to be beyond the client’s budget, we developed a more cost-effective alternative: purchasing stock photography of children and then using Photoshop to transform the images so the children appeared to be interacting naturally with the client’s products.
We began by selecting a stock image of children who looked as though they were playing dress-up. It provided the right mood and energy, but it needed substantial work to support the concept we had in mind.
Our goal was to create the impression of a lively sticker party scene, with the children gathered around a table filled with sticker products. To achieve this, we masked and removed elements from the original image, adjusted parts of the tabletop, and retouched the foreground child. We also began integrating the product line into the scene, including adding stickers to the shirt of the girl in the center to make the interaction feel more authentic.
From there, we added sticker sheets in front of the girls and created shadows to anchor them realistically on the tabletop.
We then introduced plastic sticker cases and additional products, carefully layering them into the composition.
As the scene evolved, some of the original arms and objects became obscured, so we rebuilt and restored key areas of the image, including repositioning arms and tucking products underneath them so the interaction looked natural and believable.
Here we've replaced the arms of the girl in the middle and added some sticker sheets so it appears as if she is holding them. And we've added some stickers to the girl on the left. We also added a sticker box and other products on the right
Finally, we placed some sticker boxes and chests as a display at the bottom of the image.
The result was a dynamic sticker party scene that delivered the impact of a custom photo shoot without the associated expense. To complete the catalog page, we added a border and section heading, creating a finished layout ready for production.
We used this same approach on additional pages throughout the catalog. In the examples below, the stock image appears on the left and the final retouched version on the right.
