1. Promote the Background Layer. This is done by double clicking
the background and then press return. You should now see Layer 0
instead of Background.This technique allows you change the weather and the season. This is just one idea of how to achieve this.
Start by opening a suitable photograph that might benefit from this treatment. For this exercise we have
chosen a photo of a barn near Keld in Yorkshire that was taken in Spring 2005. As you can see it was a lovely
day. We will soon alter this!
1. Promote the Background Layer. This is done by double clicking
the background and then press return. You should now see Layer 0
instead of Background.
2. Now use the Magic Wand [W] with Contiguous off to select the
sky. If other parts are also selected then use the Lasso on Minus
setting [press the Alt key] to deselect those areas.
3. Tidy this selection by first Feathering by about 2 pixels and then Expanding by 1 pixel using Select > Modify > Expand. This is to stop any odd edge colours.
4. Remove the sky by using Edit > Clear. A chequer board will appear. That is a transparent section. Note this only occurs if the background is promoted to a layer as in step 1.
5. Open a suitable sky preferably grey. Using the Move [V] tool drag the sky onto the Barn picture. Pressing the Shift key at this time ensures that the sky will be dead centred.
6. Now drag the sky layer beneath the Barn layer and the sky will appear behind the hills. Merge the layers [Ctrl + E]. Close the Sky image down. [Alt + F4].
7. Now the foreground is too bright so reduce this by using Hue and Saturation and knocking down the
saturation to say -40.
8. We now need to cool the temperature by adding Blue. This can be done using Variations. This is found in Images > Adjustments > Variations [PS 6 7 8 & 9] or Enhance > Adjust Colour > Variations in Elements. Click on Increase Blue and repeat until you think you have the right amount.
9. Add Rain. Create a new empty layer and fill with black. Use Edit > Fill > Black.
10. Add noise to the layer by using Filter > Noise > Add Noise... As shown here
11. Set the noise to 400% Monochromatic and Gaussian. Click OK.
12. Make the rain fall by using Motion Blur found under the Filter > Blur section. Set this to 45 and 35 deg. Click OK.
13. Repeat steps 9 to 12 but change the motion blur to 25 and
60 deg. This is because rain does not fall at the same angle all
the time.
14. On the Layers Palette with the top layer selected change the Blending Mode to Linear Burn. Then Layer > Merge Down to flatten these 2 layers into one.
15. To soften the rain a little repeat the Motion blur by Ctrl + F.
16. Now on the top layer change the Blending Mode to Screen. Any black parts of the top layer become transparent with this mode and so we can now see the Barn again but darker and with rain falling heavily.
17. Add more drama by opening your sky again and dragging it on top of the barn picture.
18. Drag this layer now top to below the rain layer. Rain can now be seen on top of the new clouds.
19. Now use the Multiply Blend mode. The image will too dark now so lighten this effect by reducing the opacity to 60% or so.
20. Add lightening or a rainbow if you wish.
21. What a transformation!
22. Lightening can be made by first making a new sheet of say 1000 x 1000 pixels and filling this with black from Edit> Fill > Black.
23. Now use Filter > Render > Difference Clouds. Do this again [use Ctrl + F]
24. Invert the result by using Ctrl +I.
24. By using Levels dark slider dragged towards the white end you can begin to see shapes of Lightening.
25. Make another Black sheet as in 22.
26. From the result in 24 lasso round a suitable length of strike. Keep reasonably close. Using the Move tool whilst holding down the Alt key drag this selection to the new black sheet and position it where it looks right.
27. Repeat 26 several times to build up the lightening. Then Flatten the image.
28. Add a bit of colour to the strike so that is not stark white. Maybe a bit of yellow. Do this by using Hue and Saturation [Ctrl + U].
29. Tick Colourize and change the settings where you want. We used settings of Hue 38 and Saturation of 18 to give a warm feel.
30. Click and drag this Lightening over the Barn image and guess what we use a Blend Mode. This is clearly Screen Mode to hide the black. Use the Eraser to remove the strike so that it is not in front of the building.
And there you have it finished.