How To Add Depth To Images Using Shadows In Photoshop – Photography can take us on some amazing adventures as we search for the perfect locations to shoot. Finding an attractive setting is half the battle. If you can find a great view, shoot at the right time of day, and the weather is in your favor then you’re on your way to a great photo. These are the basic requirements to take photos with real depth. However, this combination is rarely guaranteed. One of the biggest mistakes photographers make is taking photos in the afternoon. The high position of the sun gives very little depth to the shadows, and if we have an overcast sky, the clouds act as a kind of diffuser of light. A great combination for a flat image. Let’s explore a quick technique that shows us how to add depth to photos with Photoshop and what to look for.
When we have an image in which only some areas are illuminated and the rest are shaded, we see a difference not only in brightness but also in saturation. When trying to establish depth in an image, we need to know how it will appear in real life. The area most affected by the light will certainly be brighter but will also be more energetic. Conversely, darker shaded areas will have less brightness and color saturation.
How To Add Depth To Images Using Shadows In Photoshop
In this example tutorial, we’ve used Ian Cykowski’s photography on Unsplash of Malham Tarn, set in the UK. This is a nice scene with good composition and a bit of light in the middle. We use screen blending modes to brighten the image and enhance the colors. We also used the Vibrance setting to control color.
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3. Alt-drag (PC) or Option-drag (Mac) a layer mask from the Background Copy layer to the Appearance layer. 4. With the Vibrance layer mask selected, press Ctrl+I (PC) or Command+I (Mac) to invert the mask. 5 Now reduce the Vibrance and Saturation, this will soften the shadow areas and give the photo more depth. – Instructions continue below –
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5. We want to get information but we want it to look natural. Enter Quick Mask mode by clicking the icon and pressing Q on the keyboard.
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13. If you make a mistake, paint the front black over it to undo it.
14. Once you’ve finished drawing the mask, you can balance the strength of the effect by reducing the layer’s opacity.
Notice the difference in color vibrancy between light and dark areas. The image on the left is real. Below right, after adding depth to the image in Photoshop.
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We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this website we will assume that you are happy with it. Using shadows properly can elevate a product image from amateur to professional. It helps your products look more natural and realistic by giving them shape and depth.
The best part is that creating professional product images doesn’t require a big budget or a large team. You need to spend some time on product photography and post-production.
There are many types of gloss, but for this blog we will focus on the most versatile type of gloss that applies to all types of products: gloss.
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If you shoot products in a studio, it can be difficult to create the perfect shade, especially if you’re not a professional photographer. Luckily, in post-production, adding shadows using Adobe Photoshop is very easy. I will explain how to do it step by step.
While the steps I share here are easy to follow, in the end, you need to make sure you follow these two important rules. Otherwise, you will have unprofessional product images on your online store.
To get started, open your image in Photoshop. Be sure to start with a high resolution image. I will demonstrate the process on a white sheet with a white background. You can see that it flattens out a little bit.
In the “Layers” panel on the right side of Photoshop, select the “Background” layer in the window and duplicate it. You can right-click on the layer and select “Duplicate Layer” or press Ctrl + J (Windows) or Command + J (Mac) on your keyboard. You will see “Background copy” appear. This allows you to make changes to the duplicate layer without worrying about accidentally damaging or distorting your original image.
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Create a path around your product in “Background copy” and remove the background. If you look closely at the “Layers” panel, you can see that the background has been removed; Your product must have a gray and white checkered background (Photoshop’s transparency method) on the top layer. Additionally, you can hide the original background layers.
You also need to duplicate this layer. A little organization goes a long way in Photoshop, so get used to arranging your layers. Name this layer “Product”. I also recommend renaming the “Background Copy” layer to “Shadow”.
Select your “Shadow” layer, then press Ctrl + Tor Command + T to select the Transform tool. Hold down the Ctrl or Command key, then click the top-center control point (the one at the top of the image) and drag the mouse down to place the transition at the correct angle to match the object’s incident light source. If necessary, use the Move tool to reposition the converted image by clicking and dragging it into place. Don’t worry about it being perfect, because you’ll have a chance to restore it later.
In the Layers panel, click the “Lock transparent pixels” button next to the word “Lock.” This will ensure that the next step will only affect the transformation you just performed (which will become your shadow). To learn about the powerful “Transparent Pixel Lock” feature, check out this short tutorial from SitePoint.
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Select the “Gradient” tool (hotkey “G”), then use the drop-down menu next to the gradient bar at the top of the Photoshop window to select the third option for a black and white gradient. Select “Linear Gradient” from the icon on the right menu bar.
To apply a gradient, click the bottom part of the shadow closest to your object, then drag to the edge of the shadow. This will turn your converted image into a smooth gradient, but it still doesn’t look natural. Let’s clean up now.
At the top right of this node, use the drop-down menu to select “Multiply” as the blend mode. To read more, click on this Photo Blog’s Stop Blending Modes tutorial.
Click “Filters” in Photoshop’s main menu, then select “Blur” and then “Gaussian Blur.” Select pixel radius to blur. You can experiment here as this effect will look different depending on the resolution of the image file and its specific format. If you overdo it, use Ctrl + Z or Command + Z to undo mistakes and Control + Shift + Z or Command +