Ever since my black and white film class assignment of in-camera Multiple Exposures when my arm miraculously lined up perfectly with a dead tree, I have thought about using my hand for the roots instead of the branches. When BAPC's assignment of Surreal Composite came up I found this tree with interesting twisted branches and set about making a composite with it. First I tried one hand and it didn't look right so I had to use both of my hands to match the spread of the branches. The image evolved with the ghost of a bride, a young child swinging from a branch, and gravestones, all to symbolize the cycle of Life.
I added a texture to age my hands even more and then the water as a source of life.
All that compositing really tested my Photoshop skills and I am sure there are better ways that I do not know for making all the elements more realistic and less pasted on. I cannot imagine how Jerry Uelsmann does his composites in a film darkroom and not a digital one, his work is amazing.
