Create Swan Photo Manipulation in Photoshop

Learn how to create bright and beautiful swan photo manipulation along with depth of field effect. In this tutorial you may find some useful tips to implement in your own work. This tutorial is for those who know photoshop basics.

Final Result:

Swan photo manipulation_vfxmaximum.com

Resources:

Model:

sky 

Trees and grass

Step-1

Create a new file with 3000×2000 size and 150 resolution.

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Step-2

Import the following “sky” image into the scene.

vfx max

 

Step-3

Duplicate the “sky” image and flip it vertically in the following way.

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Step-4

Using soft brush, mask the upper part of the duplicated sky image.

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The duplicated “sky” image acts as a water source which reflects the sky.

Displacement Map:

Lets create ripple in the water using displacement map.

To do that, lets create displacement map.

Create a new layer above all layers.

Set foreground and background colors to black and white.

Go to Filter>>Render>>Clouds.

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Step-5

Using  “levels” (Ctrl+ L) black and white areas.

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Step-6

Go to Filter>>Distort>>twirl

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Go to Filter>>Distort>>Zigzag

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Using “perspective” transform (Ctrl + T)

Position the above image on the water source, where you want ripple to be.

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Fill the rest of the image with white color.

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Save it as a displacement map.

Step-7

Now, let’s get back to Step-4 (water source). Select the water source layer.

Fill rest of the water source layer with white color.

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Go to filter>>Distort>>Displace

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Feel free to change the Horizontal and vertical scale values as per your requirement and click “ok”, now you will be prompted with a window to select displacement map,  select the “displacement map” which we just created.

You will get this ripple effect.

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Step-8

Mask the sharp edges and white area.

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Step-9

Change color and brightness for water source with following settings.

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Step-10

Image swan image and mask it.

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Step-11

Import another swan image with its wings open. Mask the swan for wings.

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Step-12

Import Model into the scene and mask it. (Place it below the wings layer)

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Step-13

Change color and saturation of the model with following settings.

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Step-14

These are the settings of wings.

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Step-15

Duplicate the model and swan + wings, flip it vertically and add ripple effect using displacement map or twirl and zigzag filters.

Change the opacity of the layer to 25%.

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Step-16

Using soft brush with opacity 25% and color black , add shadows under wings, in water and model in the following way.

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Step-17

Above all these layers, add “Hue/Saturation” adjustment layer with following settings.

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Limit this effect to water by masking.

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Adding fog:

Step-18

Create a new layer just above the water source.

Using rectangle marquee tool draw a rectangle across the horizon.

Fill it with blue(#708b91) color.

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Blur it using Gaussian blur. (Use blur value as per requirement.)

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Step-19

Smudge the edges of the blurred rectangle with the following brush style(chalk 23 pixels) with strength 50%

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Duplicate the layer.

Using “perspective” transform, spread over the water like this….

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Step-20

Import a tree into the scene. Place it at the horizon.

Decrease opacity of the layer to 60%.

Add some Gaussian blur (Radius: 4.0 pixels).

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Step-21

Similarly add Gaussian blur to the sky.

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Step-22

Let’s add some brightness to sun in the sky.

To do this, create a new layer just above the sky image and fill it with gray color.

Using soft brush with white color,  add  brightness to the sun in the following way.

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Step-23

Change the layer mode to “overlay”.

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Step-24

Add some plants to the scene, with reflection .

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Step-25

Create a new layer at the top and fill it with gray color(#727272).

Change layer mode to “overlay”.

Using “Dodge Tool”, highlight the edges of the model, wings and swan in the following way.

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Step-26

Using soft brush, with light yellow color (#e8dfc9) add some strokes to model.

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Step-27

Add some tree branches at the top

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Using “Brightness/contrast” adjustment layer add some brightness to the edges of the tree branch.

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Step-28

Add grass at the front of the scene and blur it (Gaussian blur).

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Step-29

Add “Photo Filter” with yellow color (#ff9909) on top of all layers.

 

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Step-30

Finally, add Radial “Gradient layer”.

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Change layer mode to “Soft light” to get…

Final result:

Swan photo manipulation_vfxmaximum.com