Photoshop Tutorial- Amp Up Your Photographs!
I am going to show you a kick ass lighting technique to bring more energy to your photographs. Although I am using a shot I took at a concert, you can do this on pretty much any picture.
Here is what we will be making:
To get original file, Click Here.
Step One
Duplicate the layer of the photo. Layer> Duplicate.
Once copied, apply Gaussian Blur (Filter>Blur> Gaussian Blur) I used amount of 6.4. Now change the layer mode to “Hard Light”.
Step Two
Now I have to eliminate background distractions. I want to focus on the guitarist. To do this, create a new layer (Layer>New> New Layer) Now select the Polygon Lasso tool. Make your selection around the object.
Now go to Select>Modify>Feather. Use amount of 3 and hit “OK”.
Select the Paint Bucket and fill the blank layer with black. Then deselect lasso. Adjust opacity to 70%.
Step Three
Create another layer and fill it with black.
Now create a layer mask, select the gradient tool, select the radial gradient setting. Now click on layer mask and drag the gradient tool from the top down over your person. Adjust opacity to 70%.
Step Four
Now find a picture of the galaxy. http://images.google.com is great for this. Any photo will do. Once you have found the picture you want to use, insert it under the layer of the black outline.You should have something that looks like this:
Step Four
Now find a picture of the galaxy. http://images.google.com is great for this. Any photo will do. Once you have found the picture you want to use, insert it under the layer of the black outline.
Step Five
Now CTR+Click the “outline” layer and then go Select>Inverse. Click back on the star layer and hit Delete. It should now look like this:
Now deselect.
Step Six
Create another layer. This layer should be on the top. Copy and paste the star photo into that layer. Change layer mode to “Color Dodge”.
Step Seven
Repeat step 7 but lower layer opacity to 80%. Then go to Filter> Blur > Motion Blur and give it an amount of 25.
Step Eight
Duplicate layer that you just created and move to a different part of the image.
Step Nine
Add some additional lighting. To do so, select the Gradient tool. Then select the radial gradient setting. Select white as your color. Now pull your gradient to cover about half of the body. Change layer opacity to 40%. Repeat this step as needed.
Finished
I hope that you found this tutorial useful! With this technique under your belt, you should be able to use it on any photo!
Cory W Says:
Great Tutorial!
It looks very “Rolling Stone”, I’ll have to try it sometime. Glad you got your new site up and running. You can get some more cool effects using different images (other than galaxy) and some different blurs. I’ve experimented a little to get some different looks.
Josh Tilton Says:
Thanks Cory!
Glad to hear that you were able to adapt the tutorial to fit other needs! Have fun and never stop learning!
Tom Ross Says:
Good to see you on Good-Tutorials Josh, I’m really impressed by this tutorial, keep it up :)
Arun Says:
Dreamy effect, friend. Thanks for taking the time to make this tutorial, and I hope you make more!
Sam Says:
Looks really awesome, but you forgot the part between his legs there ^^
Clifford Says:
Sam, get your mind from out between his legs.
Geschenkidee Says:
WOW …thats nice tutorial…thx !!!
Nix Says:
Great tut! Luv it! Good work, mate ;)
Chandranath Says:
AAmazingly interesting!! continue & amaze us!!
Sethoris Says:
I don’t want to disrespect ur effort, but this is nothing
special. It’s novice tutorial. Just basic masking and blending.
Actually I think there is much better way to handle fog that
ended up in the middle. Like this, is so bleachy. Also overall,
picture is a bit flat. U can make it more dramatic by putting
“amplification” around him.
Josh Tilton Says:
Sethoris,
I did not mention anywhere that this is an advanced tutorial. This is the first tutorial I have ever written. I am sure that there are better ways to go about this. With ANY tutorial you use, take what you can from it so you can add it to your own skill set. Change what you think needs to be changed. Make it your own. Education isn’t about insuring you can do the same, it’s about ensuring you can do better.
Sethoris Says:
Hi Josh.
I agree with u completely. Sry if my comment was agressive.
I stumbled on this page, and thought this was show off by
some “pro graphic designer”.
Anyway keep it up! And best regards form Croatia. If u
ever decide to come here on vacation. Gimme a call, beers
on me! :)
Josh Tilton Says:
Sethoris,
I appreciate your previous comment greatly! I will indeed take you up on that beer!
katie Says:
thanks alot!
http://katie.blogsite.org
Rienk0r Says:
I never understood such effects until now! Thanks alot.
sgm Says:
Very cool looking. Ive been trying it for a while now and cant get it to come out like that at all. Anyone else have any trouble with it ?
Ajw927 Says:
where do u get the original photo…psd file it says it is unavailable on the next page once i clicked on original file
Josh Tilton Says:
Try the link again, it will work for you now! Sorry about that!
ganesh Says:
hi…..really great.love it…..i want to become great graphic designer…..it will help me. thanks……….once again thanks……
Hilarious Pics Says:
Awesome tutorial! I love the final image! Thanks for your all your effort to put this together :)
Sherry Says:
Im just now trying to learn all about this..things look so complicated…thanks for leading me here!
JD Says:
On step 5, the black outline overlays the galaxy background off to the side so how did you get it to show up there?
Alfred Fox Says:
What a great tutorial! I really like how you streamlined the process and organized the steps. It makes it a little easier to remember. I have to give this technique a try sometime.
Thanks again!
Julie Says:
Tried this out because it looked too cool to pass up – I got a little lost on a few instructions – it would be nice to have the layers displayed for each step-by-step – as far as I can tell I have followed instructions to the “T” but somehow my photo does not turn out like the one in your tutorial. I would love to know what I’m doing wrong!
mikefas Says:
Josh, looks sweet. just like to recommend the pen tool to make your selections. you get much tighter paths that will print sharper, no jaggies. A must if planning on taking this to print.
Josh Tilton Says:
Mike,
You are 100% correct! I used the selection tool primarily for speed without having to explain the pen tool at all.
Thanks,
Josh
bonzo Says:
This picture is truly awful
Seb Says:
I tried it, and I really couldn’t make it work.. i got a really thick outline of the person with all kinda shit in and stuff like that
Abdullah Says:
Dude, wicked tutrorial right here, thanks alot for this, i really want to be a graphic designer and this will come handy in portfolio sometime:P thnx
karen Says:
very cool !! thanks soo much for sharing ,lm now off to learn some new tricks with pics
keep up the great work
Lester Says:
nice effect….thnx so much.. I’ve learn new things today..hahaaha..
Rajita - Logo Design Says:
This is brilliant.Great effect given to the photograph.
Colin Miller - Freelance web designer Says:
Yeah! This is good! i have been looking for a way to achieve this effect for ages.. nice one
Clifford Says:
Very nice, i like the effect, I think i will do a blog review about your styles at www.website-ideas.co.uk.
brillant
paresh Says:
great tutorial, thanks for sharing.
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