Below is the fifth installment of the Adobe Photoshop Mega Series . Today's topic is Photo Manipulation, the most exciting and creative part of Photoshop .
Adobe Photoshop (Part 5): Photo Manipulation Masterclass—Create Your Imagination by Combining Multiple Images
Written by : Team Daily Tech News
Website: Tech News 24
Assalamu Alaikum. In the last four parts of the Photoshop series, we have learned about retouching and color grading. Today we will learn about an art where you can make the impossible possible. Do you want to bring ocean waves in the middle of the desert? Or make a train run above the clouds? All this is possible through photo manipulation .
Photo manipulation is the process of bringing multiple photos into a frame in such a way that it looks like they were all taken at the same time and in the same place. It's not just editing, it's telling a story. In today's mega guide, we'll learn every step and subtle trick of manipulation.
Chapter 30: What is photo manipulation and what are its main challenges?
In simple terms, manipulation is the 'pairing of images'. But the real charisma is to make this pairing invisible. When you bring three images from three different places, their light, shadow and perspective are different. The main task of manipulation is to weave all this into one thread.
5 main pillars of photo
1. Perspective: All images must have the same angle.
2. Lighting: The light source or direction should be in the same direction.
3. Color blending: All images should have the same color tone.
4. Shadow Making: Creating realistic shadows.
5. Depth of Field: Blur some parts and keep some parts sharp.
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| Photo manipulation gives your creativity unlimited freedom. |
Chapter 31: The first step in Sky Replacement manipulation
The most common task of any manipulation is to change the sky in a photo. Transforming a plain midday sky into a dramatic twilight sky completely changes the mood of the photo.
- Method : In the new version of Photoshop, you can replace the sky with one click using the Edit > Sky Replacement option. However, if you want to do it manually, you will have to use Masking.
- Tips : After changing the sky, be sure to match the color of the original photo to the color of the sky. If the sky is orange, the grass on the ground should also have a slight orange tint.
Chapter 32: Masking, the magic wand of manipulation
In manipulation, we never delete anything, but rather hide it through masking . The advantage of this is that if a part is erased too much, we can bring it back.
- Black Mask: To hide something.
- White Mask: To reveal hidden areas. Using the Brush Tool (B), you can blend the borders of two images (Seamless Blending) in such a way that it is not obvious that the images are different.
Chapter 33: The Secret to Creating Realistic Looks with Light and Shadow
Why does manipulation seem fake or fake? Because we don't create shadows in the right places.
1. Contact Shadow: Create a very dark and thin shadow where the object touches the ground.
2. Cast Shadow: Create a long shadow of the object on the opposite side of the light. To do this, reduce the opacity and flow of the brush and rub lightly.
3. Highlighter: Create highlights on the edges of objects with a light white or bright color depending on the direction of the light source.
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| No manipulation looks realistic without proper shading. |
Chapter 34: The Magic of Blending Modes
Blending modes are most commonly used to add fireflies, rain, or fog to manipulations.
- Screen Mode: If you bring up a picture of a fire with a black background, selecting 'Screen' mode will make the black part disappear and only the fire will sit on your picture.
- Overlay /Soft Light: This is used to add texture or light.
- Multiply : This is best for removing white backgrounds.
Chapter 35: Step-by-Step Guide: Creating a Simple Manipulation
Let's do a project—a sea ship in a bottle!
Step 1: First, take a picture of a glass bottle and remove its background.
Step 2: Now take a picture of ocean waves and place it inside the bottle by masking it according to its shape.
Step 3: Place a picture of a small sailing ship on the water of the ocean.
Step 4: Use the brush to add water splashes under the ship.
Step 5: Finally, take a blue gradient layer and set the blending mode to Soft Light so that the bottle and the water appear to be the same color.
Step 6: Add some light reflections to the bottle. And voila, your first manipulation is ready!
Chapter 36: Color Matching with Hue/Saturation and Curves
When you bring multiple images together, use Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation and Curves to match their colors.
- Clip Mask: Be sure to clip the adjustment layer to the layer below (by Alt-clicking), so that changing the color only changes that specific object, not the entire image.
Chapter 37: Adding Camera Filters and Grain
After finishing the manipulation, merge all the layers (Shift+Ctrl+Alt+E) to create a final layer. Then go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter and color grade the entire image. Finally, add a light grain or noise. This will blend all the pixels of the image together and the grainy look will make the image look much more original.
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| Final color grading gives the entire artwork a complete look. |
Chapter 38: 3 Secret Tips for Learning Manipulation
1. Stock images: Always use high-quality images. The better the image, the easier it will be to edit. (You can use Unsplash or Pexels).
2. Be patient: A good manipulation can take 2 to 5 hours. Rushing will result in poor quality.
3. Watch tutorials: Search for 'Photo Manipulation' on YouTube to see different processes and try them yourself.
Photo manipulation is the highest level of Photoshop. It is not just about moving the mouse, it is an expression of your imagination. In today's mega tutorial, I have tried to explain the complexities of manipulation in a simple way. If you create any art using these techniques, it will make your portfolio much more valuable.
If you want to show us any manipulations you've done, you can inbox us on our Facebook page. Be sure to let us know in the comments how you like our mega series on Photoshop.
In the next episode, we'll learn how to design titles like cinematic movie posters using text effects and typography . Until then, stay in the world of imagination and create something new.
Thank you ,
Team Daily Tech News
URL: Daily Tech News
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