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Bring Cool Colors to A Photo

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo125x125 In this tutorial we will learn how to play with colors in a photo, turn it into a cool and dark style that can easily impressive your viewers

 

Before we get started, let's have a look at the original and last photo to understand what we will do

Before:

 Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo1

and After:

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo16

Let's start to Photoshop!

Step 1: Download the original photo and open it with Photoshop. First we should make it darker by going to Image>Adjustments>Levels and drag the black slider to the right to make the photo darker

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo2

Step 2: Duplicate the photo by pressing Ctrl-J. We will make the photo more contrastive by turning this layer to black and white for later effects. Go to Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and use these settings:

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo3

This will make our layer become nearly black and white

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo4

Step 3: One again using the Levels tool(Image>Adjustments>Levels) to make our photo darker by moving the black slider to the right. You can also make slight adjustments to other sliders

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo5

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo6

Step 4: Change the blending mode of this layer to Screen, notice that this mode just lets light colors go through. Our photo now looks brighter and more contrastive 

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo7

Step 5: Create a new layer and change foreground color to #1F768C (dark blue) and background color to #62bdd3 (light blue) and go to Filter>Render>Clouds to add random clouds to this layer

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo8

Step 6: Change the blending mode of this layer to Overlay to apply this layer's colors to the below layers

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo9

Step 7: Press Ctrl-Alt-Shift-E to create a new layer that is the result of all underneath layers. We will make lighting effect on this layer by going to Filter>Render>Lighting Effects and adjust the ellipse to create a light source from the top-left

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo10

Step 8: Our photo now looks great. This step is just optional to give the viewers a dreamy feeling.

Duplicate the current layer (Ctrl-J) and go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and use a small radius

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo11

Step 9: Now change the blending mode of this layer to Soft Light to make the photo a bit "softer"

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo12

Step 10: You can easily change the brightness and contrast of the photo by Curves tool (Image>Adjustments>Curves) or Brightness/Contrast tool(Image>Adjustments>Brightness/Contrast)

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo14

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo15

Let's have a look at the result again to feel the difference:

Bring_Cool_Colors_to_A_Photo16

In conclusion, we used some blending mode (Screen, Overlay, Soft Light) with adjustment tools (Curves, Hue/Saturation, Brightness & Contrast...) and Lighting Effects to greatly change the colors of a photo, making it cooler and darker. Maybe you have seen some photos of this style!


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Comments
Georgie 01-14-2009
You've been a bigg help im currently in the makeing of a school magzine.
Image background removal 03-18-2009
This is really awesome tutorial. Thanks for sharing.
Alda 03-21-2009
i think its a great tutorial
jack mather 05-17-2009
fu**ing GAY PEACE OF SHIT MY NAMES JACK MATHER AND I LIKE PENIS
pencil face 05-19-2009
hey. this tutorial really worked.. and i'm terrible with photoshop. but i would
suggest getting a life instead of working photo shop.
CFC 08-16-2009
"getting a life instead of photoshop"?

you obviously have no idea how
much these guys get for salary. lol

great tutorial, It's great for designes
zach 10-19-2009
getting a life...wow. because if photoshop i now design logos for norton and
macafee, 85 grand a month bitch
jolly 10-29-2009
wow................its very nice tutorial....
thanks for sharing.......
_kathy-swagg_ 11-09-2009
hello....?i love this.I did something like this last nigjt with my own pictures
l0lz
Currency Forex online Trading 01-06-2010
great tutorial, love it!
Cozzy 02-13-2010
This was really good its help me allot thanks
kodak moment 02-25-2010
lmao @ jack mather :D
fg 03-06-2010
gf
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