Color Grading and Scene manipulation in Photoshop | Advance

Creating seamless image blends and achieving cinematic color grading in Photoshop is an essential skill for photo manipulators and digital artists. In this tutorial, we will cover how to:

• Blend multiple images together seamlessly
• Adjust lightness, saturation, and color
• Add realistic ambient and rim lights
• Apply depth-of-field effects for a cinematic touch
• Use Camera Raw filter for final color grading
• Enhance final details with sharpening and dodging techniques

Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Setting Up Your Photoshop Document

Before starting, it’s best to work in a 16-bit image mode for better color flexibility. However, if your PC isn’t powerful enough, an 8-bit image mode will work fine.

Creating a New Document

1. Open Photoshop and go to File > New.
2. Choose your desired resolution and select 16-bit under color mode.
3. Click Create.

A higher bit depth provides more color information, making color grading smoother and more natural. This is especially useful when working with multiple images in a single composition.

Step 2: Removing Backgrounds with Color Range

When blending images, removing unwanted backgrounds is the first step. The Color Range Tool is effective for complex edges.

How to Use the Color Range Tool:

1. Select the image layer.
2. Go to Select > Color Range.
3. Use the Eyedropper Tool to pick the sky colors (or any background color you want to remove).
4. Adjust the Fuzziness slider for better selection.
5. Click OK, then create a mask.
6. Press Ctrl + I to invert the mask.

This technique quickly removes backgrounds while maintaining clean edges.

Alternative Method: Using Select and Mask

For a more precise cutout, try:

1. Selecting your subject with the Quick Selection Tool.
2. Clicking Select and Mask from the top menu.
3. Adjusting Edge Detection settings to refine hair and edges.
4. Using the Refine Edge Brush to clean up fine details.

Step 3: Matching Lightness, Saturation & Color

To blend images effectively, focus on these three elements:

• Lightness values (brightness and shadows)
• Saturation levels (intensity of colors)
• Color hues (shifting colors to match)

Enhancing Sky Colors with Selective Color

1. Select the Sky Layer and apply a Selective Color Adjustment Layer.
2. Adjust the Whites by adding:
   • Red (to warm up the image)
   • Magenta (to add depth)
   • Yellow (to enhance highlights)
3. Reduce brightness slightly to increase color richness.
4. Adjust the Neutrals and Shadows to shift sky tones towards cyan.

Checking Lightness with a Black & White Adjustment

1. Create a 50% Gray Solid Color Layer.
2. Change the blending mode to Color to neutralize colors.
3. Analyze the brightness differences and adjust them accordingly.

Adjusting Foreground Shadows with Curves

1. Apply a Curves Adjustment Layer.
2. Drag the curve down slightly to darken the foreground.
3. Press Ctrl + I to invert the mask.
4. Use a soft brush to paint over dark areas, blending them smoothly.

Step 4: Adding Ambient & Rim Light Effects

In real-world lighting, images have two primary light sources:

1. Ambient Light from the sky (soft, diffused light)
2. Rim Light from the sun (sharp highlights on edges)

Painting Ambient Light

1. Create a Curves Adjustment Layer and increase brightness.
2. Invert the mask (Ctrl + I) and use a soft brush to paint light onto areas facing the sky.
3. Reduce flow and opacity for subtle blending.

Adding Rim Light

1. Create a Solid Color Adjustment Layer (pick a warm orange tone).
2. Change blending mode to Screen.
3. Use Blend If sliders to remove dark pixels.
4. Paint rim light on edges using a sharp brush.

Step 5: Creating a Depth-of-Field (Bokeh) Effect

To add a cinematic blur effect:

1. Merge all visible layers into a new one (Alt + Ctrl + Shift + E).
2. Convert to a Smart Object.
3. Go to Filter > Blur > Lens Blur.
4. Adjust the Radius and Threshold to create realistic bokeh.

This technique helps add depth to the scene and makes subjects stand out from the background.

Step 6: Final Color Grading with Camera Raw

The Camera Raw Filter is powerful for achieving a professional-grade color finish.

Step-by-Step Camera Raw Adjustments

1. Reduce Highlights to remove overly bright areas.
2. Increase Shadows to reveal more details.
3. Adjust Contrast by tweaking Whites and Blacks.
4. Shift White Balance to create a warm or cool mood.
5. Modify Calibration Sliders:
   • Shift Blues towards Cyan.
   • Shift Reds towards Orange for skin tones.
6. Add Grain and Vignette for a cinematic look.

Enhancing Colors in the Color Mixer

• Reduce Yellow Saturation to tone down highlights.
• Increase Blue and Cyan Saturation for sky enhancement.
• Adjust Skin Tones to match lighting.

Step 7: Sharpening and Final Touches

Adding Texture with Dodge & Burn

1. Create a new 50% Gray Layer.
2. Change blending mode to Overlay.
3. Use a Soft Brush to paint highlights (Dodge) and shadows (Burn).

Enhancing Edge Details

1. Duplicate the Final Merged Layer.
2. Go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask.
3. Adjust Amount and Radius for a crisp look.

Conclusion

Blending and color grading images like a pro requires:

• Understanding light and shadows
• Adjusting saturation and color balance
• Using blur and glow effects for realism
• Applying professional Camera Raw adjustments
• Adding final sharpening and glow effects

With these techniques, you can create cinematic, seamless compositions in Photoshop. Experiment with different settings, and don’t be afraid to tweak the details for a perfect blend!

Watch Complete Tutorial Here