How to Create a Samurai Photo Manipulation with Photoshop

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a fiery scene featuring a samurai woman using a variety of photo manipulation techniques. You’ll learn how to combine different stock images together using adjustment layers, masking, and brushes. You’ll also learn how to work with light, add fire, enhance mood and color and more.

Preview of the Final Result

Tutorial Resources

Step 1

Create a new 1500×2100 pxdocument in Photoshop and fill it with white. Open the sky image and drag it into thewhite canvas using the Move Tool (V).Place it in the upper half.

Step 2

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves and decrease the lightness to darken the sky to fit the nighttime.

Step 3

Create a Color Balanceadjustment layer and change theMidtonessettings to give it some blue.

Step 4

Cut out the temple and place it in the top right corner of the canvas.

Step 5

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blurand change the radius to 8 px. This step is to separate the temple on the background from the main subjects in the foreground and help to increase the depth of the scene.

Step 6

Make a Color Balanceadjustment layer above the temple one and set as Clipping Mask. Alter theMidtonesvalues to make the temple’s color fit the background.

Step 7

Isolate the model using your own method and place her in the middle of the foreground (feel free to use your own image).

Step 8

Create a Curvesadjustment layer above the model one (set as Clipping Mask) and bring the lightness down. On this layer mask, activate the Brush Tool (B)and select a soft round one with black color. Use this brush to erase the left of the model (from the viewer) to reveal the lightness there as we aim to add the main light source to the left.

Step 9

Make another Curvesadjustment layer and increase the lightness. On the layer mask, paint on the hidden/shadow areas so they won’t be affected by this adjustment layer.