Photoshop Tutorial - Changing the Sky

1. Introduction

1.2 To change the sky, you'll need a stock folder of skies to choose one from. When I'm out and about, if I see some nice skies I'll shoot them for the stock folder. I'll normally shoot them at 50mm, 135mm and 200mm focal length. I do this to ensure that the new sky is going to be perspective with the image. The chances are nobody will probably notice anyway.

2. The Effect

2.1 Click here to see the original image.

2.2 Click here to see the image with the new sky.

3. Schematic Layout Of Layers, To Change The Sky

3.1 In order to change the sky we shall be working with four layers to produce the effect, with two of these layers being ultimately switched off to complete the effect. The layers are stacked in the following order starting at the bottom layer and working towwards the top layer.

3.1.1 'Background' layer: This is the original image, the bottom layer, which Photoshop describes as the 'background' layer, which will be ultimately switched off to produce the effect.

3.1.2 'New sky' layer: This is the layer holding the new sky.

3.1.3 'Coloured background' layer: This the the layer that is used as a background to check that the sky has been totally removed from the 'old sky removed' layer, which will be ultimately switched off to produce the effect.

3.1.4 'Old sky removed' layer: This is the layer at the top which is a copy of the bottom layer or original image, that the sky is to be removed from.

4.1 There are many methods that one can use to remove an unwanted sky from an image including using the extraction and lassoo tools, eraser, layer mask and magic wand to name a few. For this exercise I shall be using the lassoo tool to remove as much of the sky as possible and the layer mask to finish off with.

5. Keystrokes

5.1 File>Open – Navigate to the folder holding the image to be processed and open it.

5.2 Check that the default colours in the toolbox are set for black and white as the foreground and background respectively.

5.3 Copy the ‘background’ layer and rename it ‘old sky removed’.

5.4 Click back onto the 'background' layer

5.5 Upload the new sky into the image by keying in, File>Open - Navigate to the folder holding the image and open it.

5.6 Rename the layer 'new sky'

5.7 Open a new layer by clicking on the 'create a new layer' at the bottom of the layers palette and rename it 'coloured background' layer. Fill the layer with a bright colour of your choice and this layers purpose is to act as background when you remove the existing sky.

5.8 Click onto the 'old sky removed' layer and begin removing the sky as follows,

5.8.1 Select the lassoo tool from the tool box and working on full screen size carefully lassoo as much of the sky as possible without encroaching upon the image to be retained. Select 'Ctrl X' to remove the old sky.

5.8.2 To remove the remaining sky from around the image select 'Add a layer mask' from the bottom of the layers palette. You will notice that a white mask will appear adjacent the image.

5.8.3 Enlarge the image by doubling clicking on the Zoom tool in the Toolbox to bring the image to full size, followed by clicking on the image a further twice to bring the image to 300% full size. This size of magnification will be large enough to remove the remaining part of the sky in awkward positions. At 300% magnification, select a soft brush of 6 pixels size.

5.8.4. Click on the mask again to ensure that you are working on it and carefully follow the brush around the image cleaning up the remaining sky. As you remove the sky you will notice that the colour that you filled the 'coloured background' layer, below the layer you are working on will show through. Should you remove part of the image in error, press the 'X' key and this allow allow you to brush back in the parts that you have removed. Once corrected, press the 'X' key once again to return back to the mask.

5.8.5 Once the sky has been removed switch out the 'background' and 'coloured background' layers to view the new sky on the 'new sky' layer behind the 'old sky removed' layer that you are working on. Click on the 'new sky' layer and move the sky around to the position of your desire. As the new sky is on its own layer you may then play around with the sky both from a sizing and tonal point of view.

5.8.6 Once you are pleased with the effect, flatten the image by selecting, Layer>Flatten Image. Save the file to disk by selectingFile>Save As - Navigate to the deired folder and save the image.