Photoshop Compositing Secrets - Matt Kloskowski [31]
STEP 15:
Part of finishing this image off will be to add some more light to the photo. Since we have this large, bright wash of light behind the subject, we’re going to work with that and even add to it. Click on the Create a New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel to create a new blank layer, then double-click on the layer name and rename the layer “Light.” Then, with the Brush tool still selected, make sure your Foreground color is still white and your brush Opacity is still set to 15%.
STEP 16:
Using a fairly large, soft-edged brush, paint a few brush strokes over the shoulder near the basketball hoop on the left. Since there’s a light source back there (you can see from the clouds), we’d expect more light to be pouring in from that direction. I also painted some brush strokes, using a slightly smaller brush, in between his arms and the basketball and above his other arm on the right.
STEP 17:
We’re almost done. Merge all of the layers into a new one by pressing Command-Option-Shift-E (PC: Ctrl-Alt-Shift-E), and rename it “Edge Darkening.” Change the blend mode of the layer to Multiply. Now, everything will be darkened. Click on the Add Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel to add a layer mask. Then, with the Brush tool still active (don’t forget to change the Opacity back to 100%), set your Foreground color to black, and use a large, soft-edged brush to paint away the Multiply effect from the middle of the photo, so just the edges and bottom are darker (as seen here).
STEP 18:
One more thing: I’d like to add some overall extra-edginess to the photo. I’m going to show you two ways to do this: one is free and comes with Photoshop, and one isn’t (but it’s the method I actually use, because I can’t get the same results in Photoshop). First, we’ll look at the free way. Press Command-Option-Shift-E, again, to combine all of the layers into a newly merged layer on top, and rename it “Edgy Effect.”
STEP 19:
Then, go to Filter>Other>High Pass and use a Radius setting of 9 px. Click OK when you’re done, and the image will now look gray.
STEP 20:
Change the blend mode of the layer to Hard Light to hide the gray. Now you’re left with a sharpened and gritty effect on the photo. It’s a perfect (free) way to finish off images like this.
STEP 21:
Now for the not-free way. It’s a plug-in called Topaz Adjust from Topaz Labs (www.topazlabs.com). I cover this plug-in, and the entire plug-in topic, in the “10 Things You Need to Know About Compositing” section at the beginning of the book. I wanted to show you the way I’d really finish off this photo to get the best effect, and Topaz Adjust is one of my best-kept secrets. Once you install it, you can delete the High Pass layer we just created, merge your layers to a new layer again, and name it “Edgy Effect,” again. Then, go to Filter>Topaz Labs>Topaz Adjust. Note: Topaz Adjust is available as a free trial in case you want to try it out.
STEP 22:
The filter I like for most of my portrait composites is called Portrait Drama. It has the effect of doing what we did with the High Pass filter, and then some. It sharpens the entire photo, but it also adds this contrasty/edgy look and some color that, well, I just can’t seem to add any other way in Photoshop without adding a bunch of layers, filters, and blend modes (and I’m still not usually that happy with it). So, click on Portrait Drama in the Presets panel on the left and leave the settings at their defaults. Click OK when you’re done. Now, you know the way I really finish off most of my composites.
STEP 23:
Sometimes, the effect is too heavy (which I think it is here). The skin will tend to get overly gritty, and any dramatic clouds get really contrasty. If that happens, then add a layer mask and paint it away from those areas. Here, I painted with a 30% opacity black brush on the layer mask to remove some grit from his face, arms, and the clouds.
Final Image
5. Professional Office
Let’s say you’re a portrait photographer who lands a job to shoot