How to Create a Surreal Photo Manipulation of the Eiffel Tower

Learn how to create this surreal photo manipulation of the Eiffel Tower. This tutorial will show you how to blend images together using masking and lighting techniques.

Preview of Final Results

Eiffel Tower Photoshop Tutorial

Tutorial Resources

cloud - le-scud
Skeleton Key - nighty-stock
~~desert sunset - night-fate-stock~~ (Alternative)
Eiffel tower stock - crazykitty82stock
balloons - charlie-stock
Playtime XXIII - Wonderdyke-Stock
Piano I - sun-stock

Step 1: Create a New Image File

Create a new 3500x3500 pixels document at 300 pixels/inch. The background contents should be white.

Step 2: Create the Background

First off, let's open the cloud in Photoshop. We will be using sky from this stock image so we will need to transfer it to our main canvas. Click the cloud and press V to activate move tool and Left-click the image and drag the image to the main canvas and change layer name to "sky".

The result should be similar to this:

Next, activate the Transform tool (Ctrl/Cmd +T), then while the "Sky" layer is selected and then resize it as shown below:

The result should be similar to this:

First off, let's open desert sunset in Photoshop. We will be using the sky from this stock image so we will need to transfer it to our main canvas.

Click the Wots up world and press M to Rectangular marquee tool and then make a selection around the sky and then click V to activate the Move Tool. Left-click the image and drag the image to the main canvas and change layer name to "Sky 2".

The result should be similar to this:

Now activate a Mask tool for Sky2 from the bottom of layers palette.

Now activate Brush tool (B) with these settings :

Brush size: 400px
Hardness: 0%
Opacity: 40%
Flow: 100%
Color: #000000

Now paint over the highlighted area.

The result should be similar to this:

Now go back to "Sky 1" layer and then create a Color Balance adjustment layer which can be found by pressing on the Create New Fill/Adjustment layer button shown on the layer window:

When the Color Balance box opens, input the following:

The result should be similar to this:

Now go back to "Sky 2" layer and then create a Color Balance adjustment layer which can be found by pressing on the Create New Fill/Adjustment layer button shown on the layer window:

When the Color Balance box opens, input the following:

Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer's (Sky 2 layer and Color Balance) to make a mask.

The result should be similar to this:

Now create new Curves adjustment layer from the bottom of layers palette .Press Alt+left click in between 2 layer's (Sky 2 layer and Curves) to make a mask.

When the Curves box opens, input the following:

The result should be similar to this:

Step 3: Fix Tower

First off, let's Eiffel tower stock in Photoshop. We will be using the tower from this stock image so we will need to transfer it to our main canvas.

Click the Eiffel tower stock and press P to activate pen tool and then make a selection around the tower and then click V to activate the Move Tool. Left-click the image and drag the image to the main canvas and change layer name to "tower".

The result should be similar to this:

Next, activate the Transform tool (Ctrl/Cmd +T), then while the "Tower" layer is selected and then resize it as shown below:

The result should be similar to this:

12 comments on “How to Create a Surreal Photo Manipulation of the Eiffel Tower”

Raj says:

June 3, 2015 at 8:15 am

Very Nice

PREM A/L SELVANATHAN says:

March 9, 2015 at 4:08 am

STEP 1 ADOBE PHOTOSHO

Maidul Islam says:

September 21, 2014 at 11:51 pm

Some Fantastic images here, some really creative, some excellent timing.

Andre says:

October 23, 2013 at 3:30 pm

Nice! but the girl should be flipped so the the lighting on her body matches the lighting on the clouds.

Apti Korgay says:

June 29, 2013 at 3:35 pm

Thank

1. ilovejared.J says:
  
  January 13, 2014 at 8:58 am
  
  i love you and i want to see you lol jkim kidding anyway this looks like a lot of work
Ayaron says:

November 3, 2012 at 4:27 am

THanks. I like the way you making tutorial .
Pretty clear teaching for those amateurs to PS like me!

Dave says:

October 23, 2012 at 4:14 pm

This is pretty sick

Mohammed says:

September 27, 2012 at 6:22 am

nice. thank you

Dhananjay says:

September 9, 2012 at 5:14 am

nice man. though there's one thing i'd suggest. the eiffel tower looks a bit chipped in places, which gives it a sharp look as compared to the surroundings. maybe you should paint over that part or smudge it a bit, so that it looks more blended

mintik says:

September 5, 2012 at 10:59 pm

Waaw Perfect. Thanks for tutorial.

Srboljub Dimitrijevic says:

September 5, 2012 at 4:20 am

Thank You