Create a Sunset Landscape Photo Manipulation in Photoshop

In this tutorial I’ll show you how to create a beautiful sunset landscape . You’ll learn how to combine different stocks into a cohesive scene using adjustment layers, masking and brush . You’ll also work with lighting, practice retouching and matte painting techniques.

What you’ll be creating

We’ll start this tutorial by setting up a natural scene from the landscape, sky, mountain and rock images. Then we’ll add the balcony, model and trees. Later we’ll enhance the scene color and contrast with various adjustment layers. Finally we’ll use a few layers to create lighting effect.

Tutorial Resources

• Landscape
• Sky
• Mountain
• Rock
• Balcony
• Model
• Tree 1
• Tree 2
• Tree 3
• Birds

Step 1

Create a new document in Photoshop with the given settings:

Step 2

Open the landscape image. Use the Retangular Marquee Tool (M) to choose the upper part of the landscape as shown below:

Drag the selected part into our document and transform it using the Cmd/Ctrl+T key:

Click the second button at the bottom of the Layers Panel to add a mask to this layer. Use a basic, soft brush with black color to remove the hard edges of the sky:

Step 3

On the landscape layer, go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the radius to 4 px:

Step 4

To darken the landscape I used an adjustment layer. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves:

On this layer mask use a soft black brush to erase the top right of the scene:

Step 5

Place the sky above the landscape and rotate it using Cmd/Ctrl+T as shown below:

Add a mask to this layer and remove the rough edges of the sky with a soft black brush:

Step 6

Apply Gaussian Blur with 2 px to this sky part:

Step 7

I used a Curves adjustment layer with Clipping Mask to brighten the sky a bit:

On this layer mask use a soft black brush with a very low opacity (10-15%) to reduce the lightness on the left side of the sky:

Step 8

Open the mountain stock. Extract the mountain and place it in the left of the picture:

Step 9

I used a Curves adjustment layer (Clipping Mask) to brighten this mountain:

On this layer mask use a soft black brush to erase the edges of the mountain where are hidden from the light:

Step 10

I used a Color Fill layer to darken the edges a little. Go to Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color:

Lower the opacity of this layer to 20%. On this layer mask use a soft black brush to erase the effect on the right of the mountain where we don’t want to be affected by this layer:

Step 11

Make a new layer, change the mode to Overlay 100% and fill with 50% gray:

Take the Dodge and Burn Tool (O) with Midtones Range, Exposure about 15-20 % to refine the contrast and details on the mountain. You can see how I did it with Normal mode and the result with Overlay mode:

Step 12

Extract the rock from the background and place it at the right edge of the scene:

Step 13

I used Curves to darken the rock:

On this Curves layer mask use a soft black brush to remove the dark on the left edge of the rock:

Step 14

I used Color Balance to match the color of the rock with the background:

Step 15

Take the balcony part from the original photo and place it at the left edge of our main image:

Step 16

I used Curves to darken the balcony:

On this layer mask use a soft black brush to reduce the darkness on the following parts:

Step 17

I use another Curves adjustment layer to brighten the front part of the balcony and apply brushing on this layer mask:

Step 18

I used Hue/Saturation to reduce the saturation of the balcony:

On this layer mask I used a soft black with the opacity from 20% to 100% to restore the saturated light on the balcony front:

Step 19

I used Photo Filter to add some purple tone to the balcony:

Step 20

To refine the light and shade of the balcony I used the Dodge and Burn Tool on a new layer:

Step 21

Isolate the model from the background and place her onto the balcony area:

Add a mask to the model layer and use a hard black brush to remove the lower part of her dress and make her look like standing inside the balcony:

Step 22

I used a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer for the model. On this layer mask use a soft black brush to erase the effect on the model front:

Step 23

I used Color Balance to add some purple tone to the model. Also apply brushing on the front of the head, dress and hair to keep some sun highlight there:

Step 24

I used Curves to brighten the model. On this layer mask use a soft black brush to clear the light effect behind and on the left to make a nice contrast:

Step 25

To add more highlight to the model hair, face, dress and shoulder I used the Dodge tool:

Step 26

Open the tree 1 and 2 images. As they have a transparent background so simply drag them into our document using the Move Tool. I’ve placed them at the two edges of the pic:

Step 27

Apply Gaussian Blur with 8 px to the trees:

Step 28

Select the tree layers and press Cmd/Ctrl+G to make a group for them. Change the mode of this group from Pass Through (default group mode) to Normal 100%. Make a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer on the top of the layers within this group:

Step 29

I used Curves to darken the trees and apply brushing on this layer mask:

Step 30

Open the tree 3 image. Isolate the tree at the top right and place it at the top left of our working image:

Step 31

I used Hue/Saturation to change the color of this tree:

Step 32

I used Color Balance with the same purpose, also darken it:

Step 33

Extract the birds and place them at the right of the scene (the horizon area):

Apply Gaussian Blur with 2 px to them:

Step 34

Create a Gradient Map adjustment layer on the top:

Lower this layer opacity to 20%:

Step 35

Use Color Balance to increase the vibrance of the scene:

Step 36

I used another Gradient Map adjustment layer to add more warm tone to the pic:

Lower the opacity of this layer to 20% and apply brushing on the top of the sky and the left of the balcony:

Step 37

I used Levels to darken the scene:

Step 38

Make a Vibrance adjustment layer to enhance the whole effect:

Step 39

Since this step we’ll make light for the scene. Create a new layer on the top. Use a soft brush with the color #221501 to paint on the horizon area. Change this layer mode to Linear Dodge 100%:

Step 40

Make another layer and use a soft brush with the color #c09469 to add more light to the landscape and the mountain. Set this layer mode to Soft Light 100%:

Step 41

On a new layer, use the same brush to paint on the trees, mountain and landscape. Change this layer mode to Soft Light 100%:

Step 42

Create a new layer again and change the brush color to #fed58a. Paint on the horizon to make a stronger light there. Set this layer mode to Hard Light 100%:

Step 43

I used a new layer with a soft brush and the same color to paint on the top of the trees. I altered this layer mode to Overlay 100%:

Step 44

On a new layer use the same brush to paint on the rock to make some light there. Set this layer mode to Overlay 100%:

Step 45

We’ll take care of the mountain. On a new layer use a hard brush (better use a tablet pen) with the same color to paint the highlight on the mountain, then change the mode to Hard Light 50%:

Step 46

Make a new layer, use the same brush to paint on the contour of the mountain. Change the mode to Color Dodge 100%:

Step 47

Create a new layer and use the same brush to paint over the mountain edges. Set this layer mode to Overlay 100%:

Download the PSD

Download

Sunset.zip | 5.6 MB

Final Results

Tutorial by Jenny Le

I hope that you enjoyed my tutorial and learned something useful from it. You can follow me on Facebook or watch me on Deviantart to see more of my works and tutorials .

– Jenny

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