TUTORIAL 33
Guest Photoshop expert Ipoenk starts off with a photo he took himself and by using advanced color grading techniques and a bit of photomanipulation, he turns a snapshot of rural life into a breathtaking award-winning image. In this tutorial, he will show you step by step how he was able to achieve such a transformation. The knowledge you’ll gain after completing this tutorial will allow you to transform your own photos into magical works of art!
STEP 1
Let’s first open the main file photo we will edit
STEP 2
Then duplicate the layer.
STEP 3
Next click on the background copy layer and then make a selection around the humans and buffalos by using the Polygonal Lasso tool ( L )
STEP 4
After properly selected them, right-click on the selection area and select Feather, set the Feather Radius to 1 pixel, then press ok.
STEP 5
Then right-click on the “Background copy” layer, select duplicate layer.
STEP 6
Then choose inverse / press ( Ctrl + Shift + I )
STEP 7
After that, press Delete twice.
The humans and the buffalos have now been separated from the original image.
We can name this layer POI ( Point Of Interest )
STEP 8
We will also create a new group for this POI layer with the same name.
Create a new group, then call it POI and then drag the POI layer we were working on into the group / folder POI.
STEP 9
Now click back on the background layer , then click Layer / New Fill Layer / Gradient.
Gradient Settings :
color # 91999d location 0 % . color # ffffff location 84 %
Style : Linear
Angle : 90
Scale : 100 %
checkbox Reverse and Align with Layer
STEP 10
Now go back to the “Background copy” layer, add a Layer Mask to the “Background copy” layer, and then we are going to mask the sky and background area using a soft brush. The masking area should look like you see below. (black area)
and the result will look like this.
STEP 11
Next we will add the layered mountains.
Click the gradient fill layer, and open the PSD file MOUNTAIN, and then drag the folder “mountain” just above the gradient fill layer.
Position it just behind the POI object we created earlier.
How The Mountains Were Created: We make a several selections with the Polygonnal Lasso tool to form mountains in layers. We then fill each selection with a gradient going from black to gray or from gray to white. The closer the mountain is, the darker it is. Then we use a softbrush to mask the bottom of each mountain.
STEP 12
Set the Opacity to 25 % and it will look like this.
STEP 13
Next we will add the Cloudy Sky.
Click on the gradient fill layer, then open the file DSC_4968
Then choose Select All ( Ctrl + A ) , Copy ( Ctrl + C ) and close ( Ctrl + W ). Then paste ( Ctrl + V )
Then slide it up a bit and the result will look like this.
STEP 14
While still on the Sky layer, click Ctrl + Shift + U ( Desaturate ), then Invert ( Ctrl + I ), and then change blending mode to Overlay, set opacity to 72 %.
Mask the lower part. The masking area should look like what you see below.
And the result will be like this.
STEP 15
Next we will create a misty cloud effect on the Mountain group layer.
Click on the Mountain group layer, then create a new layer, select a soft brush tool and choose the color white.
Use those settings: Brush diameter: 30 px ,hardness: 0 . mode: Dissolve . Opacity 20% .Flow : 45 %.
STEP 16
Then we repeatedly paint a misty cloud forming in the areas we want.
You can see in the picture below where I added the misty clouds (red circles)
And it will look like this.
STEP 17
Then select Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set Radius: 5px.
Below: before and after
STEP 18
Then lower the layer opacity to 50 %. This is the result.
Rename this layer with the name MIST
STEP 19
Next, click on the group MOUNTAIN, and then add a solid color fill layer (Layer / New Fill Layer / Solid Color) or click the little button at the bottom of the layer palette illustrated in the image below.
Select the Solid Color : # 647c93. Set blending mode to Hardlight. Opacity 100%
And it should look like this.
STEP 20
Next we will add a smoke/fog effect. Open the PSD files stock SMOKE/FOG.
Then press ( Ctrl + A ) ,Copy ( Ctrl + C ) ,Close ( Ctrl + W ) .then paste ( Ctrl + V ) .
How To Make The Smoke/Fog: We can make it with Soft Brush Tool, Dissolve Mode, with varying opacities and flows, then blur with Gaussian blur.
It will be looking like this.
Then position the smoke/fog between the land and mountain. Next, slide it to the left.
Then duplicate and slide to the right. And the result will look like this.
STEP 21
Next we will add a Cloud Filter.
Create a new layer then press ( Shift + F5 ), Fill with 50% gray.
Then go to Menu Filter > Render > Cloud and it will look like this.
Then set Blending Mode to Screen. Also set opacity to 20%. Result will look like this.
STEP 22
Create a new group for step 16 to step 19. Call this group FOG & COLOR. Drag step 16 to 19 into the group folder.
STEP 23
Now we will be retouching the background copy layer, which in this case is the Ground layer.
First duplicate the layer, then Create a clipping mask (Right+Click layer and choose Clipping Mask) and then clone the offending parts with Clone Stamp tool.
STEP 24
Before and After
STEP 25
Next, create a LEVELS Adjustment Layer.
Right-click it to create a clipping mask.
set the RGB levels like this: Input level 0 . 1:00 . 255 . output level 17 . 255
The result will look like this.
STEP 26
Now create a Color Balance Adjustment Layer
Right-click it and choose Create Clipping Mask.
Set Color Balance like this: Shadow 0 , 0 , 0. Midtones : +14 , -5 , -9. Highlights : 0 , 0 , 0.
See result below. Then create a new group for what we did and name it GROUND.
STEP 27
Now we will add the Tree.
Open the stock photo _DSC1380 then select with Polygonal Lasso tool with feather 1 pixels (See top horizontal menu).
After making the selection, right-click on the Backround layer, select the option ‘Layer from background’.
Select >Inverse ( Ctrl+Shift+I ) . Then press Delete twice
Select All ( Ctrl+ A ) , ( Ctrl+C ) , ( Ctrl+W ) , Then Paste ( Ctrl+V ) on top of the Ground group layer.
Next Transform ( Ctrl+T ) the tree, then right-click on the tree area, choose Flip Horizontal.
Again right-click on the tree area then select Distort.
STEP 28
Right-click on tree area then select Warp, adjust until the position is appropriate.
Next select menu Image >Adjusment >Color Balance. Set Color Balance: Shadow : 0 . 0 . 0. Midtones : +22 . +5 . -13. Highlight : +5 . 0 . -5.
Now Add Layer Mask, then mask the lower area of the Tree like this.
And the result will look like this.
STEP 29
Next we will add a shading effect on the tree trunk with the brush tool.
Select the soft brush tool with Black color, set opacity 20%, flow 100% and rub gently on the parts we want to create the impression of shading..
And the result will look like this.
STEP 30
Next step we will add the Leaf object for better framing.
Click the Ground layer group and open stock photo DSC_9542.
Then we need to make a selection of the Leafs with selection color range.
So open the Channels palette, select Blue Channels, then copy the Blue channels.
Then adjust the Blue channel copy with Levels.
Press Ctrl + L, and set the Level value as like you see. The result look like this.
Now go to Menu, Select > Color Range > Highlights.
This is how the selection should look below.
Next click on the RGB Channel and then back to the Layers palette.
Right click on the Background layer, choose option ‘Layer from background’, then enter the name LEAF.
Then press delete twice. After that, press Ctrl + D. The result will similiar to this.
Next select the Polygonnal Lasso tool, then crop / delete parts other than leaves.
Result after crop / delete, will be look like this.
Next press Ctrl + A , Ctrl + C , Ctrl + W .
Then paste the layer underneath the Tree trunk – or for this step you can also drag the image of leaf that had been selected under of the trunk layer .
The result will look like this.
Move the Leaf layer up, then Transform ( Ctrl+T ) to resize it.
Then select Polygonnal Lasso tool to Crop / Delete some leafs on the right side.
The result will look like this.
STEP 31
Click on the POI layer and duplicate it( Ctrl + J ). Call it SHADOW and bring it under the POI layer. Click on the SHADOW layer and press Ctrl + click (mouse) to select the animals and people.
Then select Menu, Edit> Fill > use Black
Then press Ctrl + D to remove the selection area.
Next, Transform ( Ctrl + T ) and select Distort.
Then we will set the direction of shadow in the direction of the light.
It should look more or less like this.
Then blur the shadow with Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur . Radius 5 px.
Then set Opacity to 20% . The result will look like this.
Next duplicate the shadow layer ,then set Blending mode to Softlight , and set opacity to 50%.
Since we only want the harder shadows for the areas right next to/on the feet, add a Layer Mask and with a White paint brush, start with 100% opacity to reveal the shadow right behind the feet and then switch to 50% opacity as you get further away for a softer shadow.
This is before and after we added the shadow.
Next step we will retouch the POI Layer we created at the very beginning.
STEP 32
Click on the POI layer ,and then create a Color Balance Adjusment Layer, then right-click Create Clipping Mask so it only affects the layer right under.
Adjust Color balance setting like this. Shadow : 0 . 0 . 0. Midtones : +35 . 0 . -5. Highlight : 0 . 0 . 0.
As we only want this adjustment layer to affect the animals and the skin of the people, we will fill the layer mask with the color black. We will then use a soft white brush to paint over the buffalos and then we will lower the brush opacity to 50% and paint over the people’s skin.
And the before after will look like this. Now the people’s skin and buffalo look more red.
STEP 33
Then we will create a shading effect.
Create a New layer, then right-click it and select Create Clipping Mask.
Use a Black soft paint brush, set opacity to 20%, flow 100%.
Then paint over the areas where we want to see some shading.
Set blending mode to softlight. Below is a before and after.
STEP 34
In the next step, we add a Curves Adjustment layer with a Clipping Mask. Set the curve settings like this .
Then fill with black the mask of the Curves Adjustment Layer, then with a White Paint Brush using varying Opacities, paint over the parts you want to darken/shade. See below.
Before and After below.
STEP 35
Next, add a Color Balance Adjustment Layer with a Clipping Mask.
Set the value like this.
Shadow : 0 . 0 . 0. Midtones : +6 . 0 . -12. Highlight : 0 . 0 . 0.
And the result will look like this.
STEP 36
Next, add a Curves Adjustment Layer with a Clipping mask.
Set the curve like this.
Fill the mask with the color black and using a white paint brush, lower the opacity a little, paint over the face of the people.
And it will look like this.
STEP 37
Next add a Selective Color Adjustment Layer with a Clipping Mask.
Set settings like this.
Red +6 -11 +11 -7
Yellow +17 -8 -3 0
Green 0 -14 +13 0
Cyan +19 +16 0 -14
Blue -10 0 +13 +1
Magenta 0 +9 0 0
White 0 0 0 0
Neutrals 0 0 0 0
Black 0 0 0 0
And this is the result.
STEP 38
Next add a Solid Color Fill Layer (Layer / New Fill Layer /Solid Color) and add a Clipping Mask.
Set the color to # 636154 and change the blending mode to screen, Opacity 14%.
The result will look like this.
STEP 39
Next add a Hue Saturation Adjustment Layer with Clipping Mask
Adjust Hue/Saturation layer like you see below.
Master 0 0 0
Blue 0 -30 -42
Yellow 0 0 0
Yellow 2 ( clothes ) -5 -15 0
Red 0 -12 0
Red 2 ( face color ) 0 -15 0
Red 3 ( clothes ) 0 -7 0
Note: Now some of you may be wondering what Yellow 2, Red 2 & 3 means.
If you select individual colors in the Hue/Sat dropdown menu (anything aside from the MASTER option), you’ll see at the bottom of the panel two horizontal lines with a lot of colors and a slider. The slider is meant for fine tuning, it also shows you what colors will be affected by any changes you make. The main bar/slider represents the range and what’s inside the 2 little arrows next to it is the fall off. For example, if you want to adjust the saturation of a pinkish red hat and don’t want to affect the warmer red on a shirt for example, pull the slider towards a pink/red color. To adjust a precise color, use the eyedropper from the Hue/Sat panel and click on whatever color you want to adjust.
Note: Now how to add more than one red or yellow, etc.. you might ask?
To do so, first change the mode from DEFAULT to CUSTOM (top dropdown menu from the Hue/Sat panel). Then from the Hue/Sat drop down menu on the left side (MASTER), select a different color than the one you want to add/create, grab the eyedropper from the Hue/Sat panel and click the color you want to duplicate.
For this tutorial, we need one more Yellow and two more Reds.
So choose from the drop down menu the color Magenta and with the eyedropper click on the Yellow shirt. Now you just create Yellows 2!
Then select the color Green and with the eyedropper, click on the Red of the shirt. Now you just create Reds 2!
Finally, select the color Cyan and with the eyedropper, click on the Red of the scarf. Now you just create Reds 3!
Adjust the sliders and the settings as you see illustrated below:
NOTE: If it is unnecessarily difficult for you to create more colors like Red 2, Red 3, just create more Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layers. You can create 3 different ones for 3 different shades of red. Just use the eyedropper from the hue/sat panel, click on something red you want to fine-tune and then adjust the range slider(at the bottom) if you want the exact same values(degrees) as shown below.
Enter those settings:
And the result will look like this.
STEP 40
Next add a Gradient Map Adjustment Layer and set it to BW as you see below. Add also a Clipping Mask
Set the Layer Opacity to 40 % . Blending mode: Normal.
And the result will look like this. It is less saturated.
STEP 41
Last step for the POI layer. We will now add some Dodge Burn to create dimension.
Create new layer, add Clipping mask, then Fill ( Shift+F5 ) with 50%Gray color. Change Blending Mode to OVERLAY.
Then name this first Gray layer “LIGHT”. then accentuate the highlights with the Dodge tool like you see below
For the settings, choose Midtones, Exposure 10%
Here’s how the Dodge layer ( LIGHT ) looks below with normal blending mode.
Again Create new layer with a Clipping mask. Then Fill ( Shift+F5 ) with 50%Gray color. Change Blending Mode to OVERLAY. Then name this second Gray layer “DARK”. Accentuate the contrasts with the Burn tool like you see below For the settings, choose Midtones, Exposure 10%.
Here’s how the Burn layer ( DARK ) looks like with normal blending mode.
This is how it looks now with the blending modes set back to Overlay.
The retouching process has been completed now.
Next, we will take care of the mood and toning with some color grading.
STEP 42
First step, go to Layer / New Fill Layer / Gradient. Choose Black to transparent, change style to Radial and enter the settings you see below.
Leave the blending mode to Normal and set the Opacity to 60% and the result will look like this.
STEP 43
Then add a Brightness/Contrast Adjustment Layer. Enter those settings: Brightness +21 . Contrast +59
And the result will look like this.
STEP 44
Next add another Gradient Fill (Layer / New Fill Layer / Gradient), and choose Black to transparent, chang ethe style to Radial and enter the settings you see below.
Blending mode: Normal . Opacity 20%. and the result will look like this.
STEP 45
Next Create a new layer, choose a soft brush with the color black, low opacity. Then paint over the ground in the lower part of the image to make it look darker.
And set blending mode to Softlight. the result will look like this.
STEP 46
Next add a Black & White Adjustment Layer.
and change the blending mode to Screen, set the Opacity to 20%. and the result will look like this.
STEP 47
Then add a Curves Adjustment Layer. Set the Curves like this.
and the result will look like this.
STEP 48
Then add a Channel Mixer Adjustment Layer. Enter those settings:
And the result will look like this.
STEP 49
Next, add a Solid Color Layer (Layer>New fill Layer>Solid Color) and choose this color: #e3fafc . Change the Layer Blending Mode to Multiply and Opacity to 50%
Then add a Brightness/Contrast Adjustment Layer. Enter those settings: Brightness: 6 Contrast: 27
Add also a Channel Mixer Adjustment Layer and enter those settings:
RED: Red 108 Green -1 Blue -1
GREEN: Red -7 Green 99 Blue 2
BLUE: Red 5 Green -4 Blue 93
STEP 50
Then add a Color Balance Adjustment Layer. Enter those settings: Shadow : 0 . 0 . 0. Midtones : -4 . 0 . 0. Highlight : 0 . 0 . +3.
The result will look like this.
STEP 51
And final result will look like this!
SHARPENING
Then MERGE DOWN everyting, DUPLICATE the image and change the Layer Blending Mode to LINEAR LIGHT.
With that second layer selected, go to Filter / Other / HIGH PASS and for the radius, choose 0.3 pixels.
Then add a Layer Mask to that layer as we don’t want everything to be really sharp. So using a soft black brush with varying Opacities, start painting anything you don’t want so sharp. I used a black brush with 100% Opacity for the background and lowered the brush opacity for things closer to the camera that I wanted to soften like some of the leaves. Noticed that I also erased the sharpning on the edges of some of the leafs that had jagged looking highlights.
This is how the Mask looks like
And this is how the final image looks.