Layers and Layers In PhotoShop

I try as much as possible to use only my own photos when I’m doing these images.  Various models from my years of shooting and backgrounds.  Sometimes I’ll just cruise through my collection of photos for ideas.  That’s how I came up with the ‘elephant’ and warrior girl image.  I’d done one with just the girl and a background (also, mine) and when I started messing with the image of the elephant I realized what a great combination those two photos would make.  The bamboo was the actual background behind the elephant at the Portland Zoo.

In the image with the owl: started with a portrait of the girl.  The owl was sitting in a tree at a campground on Vancouver Island some years back.  Took some time to finalize that composite image.