In this tutorial you will learn how to turn your ordinary photos into amazing, spooky photos.
I will explain everything in so much detail that everyone can create it, even those who have just opened Photoshop for the first time.
The effect shown above is the one I will show you how to create here in this tutorial. If you would like to create more advanced and creepy photo effects, as shown below, just using a single click and in just a few minutes, then check out my Halloween Photoshop Action.
What You'll Need
To recreate the design above, you will need the following photo:
1. How to Get Started
Step 1
First, open the photo that you want to work with. To open your photo, go to File > Open, choose your photo, and click Open. Now, before we get started, just check a couple of things:
- Your photo should be in RGB Color mode, 8 Bits/Channel. To check this, go to Image > Mode.
- For best results, your photo size should be 2000–4000 px wide/high. To check this, go to Image > Image Size.
- Your photo should be the Background layer. If it is not, go to Layer > New > Background from Layer.
Step 2
Now we need to expand the canvas a little bit on the top so we have more space around the subject on this side. Go to Image > Canvas Size and use the settings below:
Step 3
We are going to do the same thing for the right side of the canvas. Go to Image > Canvas Size and use the settings below:
2. How to Select the Subject
Step 1
In this section we are going to make a selection of our subject and then copy the subject to a separate layer. Choose the Quick Selection Tool(W), and select the background of the photo. Use the Shift-Alt buttons on your keyboard to add or subtract some areas from the selection. After you make a perfect selection, press Control-Shift-I on your keyboard to invert the selection.
Step 2
Now go to Select > Modify > Contract,set the Contract By to 2 px, and then go to Select > Modify > Feather and set the Feather Radius to 2 px as shown below:
Step 3
Press Control-J on your keyboard to create a new layer using the selection, and name this new layer Subject.
3. How to Create the Background and Textures
Step 1
In this section we are going to create the background and also some textures. Select the Background layer, go to Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color to create a new solid color fill layer, name it Background Color, and choose the color #000000 as shown below:
Step 2
Now go to Layer > New > Layer to create a new layer and name it Background Texture.
Step 3
Press D on your keyboard to reset the swatches and go to Filter > Render > Clouds.
Step 4
Now press Control-T on your keyboard to transform this layer and set the Width and Height to 200% as shown below:
Step 5
Go to Image > Adjustments > Levels and enter the settings below:
Step 6
Now set the Opacity of this layer to 45%.
Step 7
Select the Subject layer, go to Layer > New > Layer to create a new layer and name it Foreground Texture.
Step 8
Now press D on your keyboard to reset the swatches and go to Filter > Render > Clouds.
Step 9
Press Control-T on your keyboard to transform this layer and set the Width and Height to 150% as shown below:
Step 10
Now change the Blending Mode of this layer to Screen and set the Opacity to 42%.
4. How to Blend the Subject
Step 1
In this section we are going to make the subject blend well with the background. Select the Subject layer, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation to create a new hue/saturation adjustment layer, and name it Subject_Saturation.
Step 2
Double-click on this layer thumbnail and, in the Properties panel, set the Saturation to -80 as shown below:
Step 3
Now press Control-Alt-G on your keyboard to create a clipping mask. Then select the Subject layer, Control-click on its thumbnail to make a selection of this layer, and go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection to add a layer mask that reveals the selected area of the layer.
Step 4
While this layer mask is selected, press D on your keyboard to reset the swatches and then X to exchange them. After that, choose the Brush Tool (B), pick a soft brush, and start brushing over the edges of the subject that are not blended well with the background.
Step 5
Now Control-click on the Subject_Saturation layer to get both layers selected at the same time, go to Layer > New > Group from Layers to create a new group from the selected layers, and name it Main Subject.
Step 6
Go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All to add a blank layer mask to this layer. Then press D on your keyboard to reset the swatches and then X to exchange them. After that, choose the Brush Tool (B), pick a soft brush, and brush over the bottom part of the subject to make it fade into a texture.
Step 7
Now set the Opacity of the Brush Tool (B) to 26% and brush over the edge of the area you brushed previously to smooth the transition between the subject and the texture.
5. How to Create the Lighting
Step 1
In this section we are going to work on the lighting. Select the Foreground Texture layer, go to Layer > New Fill Layer > Gradient to create a new gradient fill layer, name it Light Source, set the Style to Radial, and use the other settings shown below:
Step 2
Now Double-click on this layer thumbnail, choose the Move Tool (V) and click and drag anywhere inside the canvas to position the light source as below, and choose OK.
Step 3
Change the Blending Mode of this layer to Screen and set the Opacity to 17%.
Step 4
Now select the Foreground Texture layer, go to Layer > New > Layer to create a new layer, and name it Darken Background.
Step 5
Go to Edit > Fill and set the Contents to Foreground Color, the Mode to Normal, and the Opacity to 100% as shown below:
Step 6
Now change the Blending Mode of this layer to Soft Light, and then select the Light Source layer and press Control-J on your keyboard to duplicate it.
Step 7
Right-click on this layer and choose Rasterize Layer to rasterize it. Then Control-click on this layer thumbnail to make a selection of it, select the Darken Background layer, and go to Layer > Layer Mask > Hide Selection to add a layer mask that hides the selected area of the layer. After that, Right-click on the Light Source copy layer and choose Delete Layer to delete it.
Step 8
Now go to Layer > New > Layer to create a new layer and name it Darken Edges.
Step 9
Go to Edit > Fill and set the Contents to Foreground Color, the Mode to Normal, and the Opacity to 100%, as shown below:
Step 10
Now press Control-A on your keyboard to make a selection of the canvas and go to Layer > Layer Mask > Hide Selection to add a layer mask that hides the selected area of the layer. Then click on the link icon between the layer thumbnail and mask to unlink them, press Control-T to transform the layer mask, and set the Width and Height to 85% as shown below:
Step 11
Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the Radius to 200 px as shown below:
6. How to Make the Final Adjustments
Step 1
In this section we are going to make final adjustments to our effect. Press D on your keyboard to reset the swatches, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map to create a new gradient map adjustment layer, and name it Overall Contrast.
Step 2
Change the Blending Mode of this layer to Soft Light and set the Opacity to 39%.
Step 3
Now go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves to create a new curves adjustment layer and name it Color Look.
Step 4
Double-click on this layer thumbnail and, in the Properties panel, use the settings below:
Step 5
Now press Control-Alt-Shift-E on your keyboard to make a snapshot, and then press Control-Shift-U to desaturate this layer. After that, go to Filter > Other > High Pass and set the Radius to 2 px as shown below:
Step 6
Name this layer Overall Sharpening and change the Blending Mode to Hard Light.
You Made It!
Congratulations, you have succeeded! Here is our final result:
If you would like to create more advanced and creepy photo effects as shown below, just using a single click and in just a few minutes, then check out my Halloween Photoshop Action.
