How to Make most REALISTIC SHADOWS in Photoshop, 3 simple steps

[@photoshopcafe]

Written companion to this tutorial: photoshopcafe.com/how-to-make-very-realistic-shadows-in-photoshop/

[@kbchronicles3048]

Collin, I have been TRYING to create realistic shadows for YEARS and you just showed me how in five MINUTES! THANK YOU!

[@photoshopcafe]

Glad to help. Stick around, more to come :)

[@ChristopherBriscoe]

Thanks for inspiring me through the years with every episode you post.

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks so much Christopher! Made my day :)

[@SLA-ht1rw]

This is the most clear tutorial for photoshop I've ever found on KZbin. I have an architecture project due tomorrow and this gave me exactly what I needed to finish it. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

[@donquixote88]

This is by far the best and the most straightforward tutorial for adding realistic shadow to an image. You sir are a savior!

[@BestAudiovisualTricks]

Easiest shadows creation method I've ever seen in the last 20 years. Amazing trick Colin!

[@daktuh]

Thanks!

[@photoshopcafe]

Wow! Thanks so much :)

[@reubenitemedia]

Absolutely helped! I've had my fair share of struggles creating realistic looking shadows and have mostly hacked my way through various methods to accomplish my goal. The method you outline here is so commonsense, simple, and straightforward. Greatly appreciate your concise guidance throughout the video for sure. Cheers mate!

[@jenniferatterton1587]

Looks fabulous. I used some of those steps when I make shadows, but haven't used the gradient or density tool, just the opacity, so that is very helpful, thank you, Colin.

[@Jeeprassic]

You are the best at showing "each" step in a good motion making the process easy. THANK YOU!

[@sarahbebe5022]

Just for anyone wondering on a Mac, for the create layer instruction at 0.48 you hold control and click on the effect. It will give you the drop down menu that you see him using ☺

[@Dormazain]

That was easilyone of the most concise, well made tutorials I've ever looked up. I spent 10 minutes trying to figure it out myself, starting by copying the object layer and painting it black... surely I'm glad about the results this gives :D

[@sunilchristian3430]

I've never done converting a layer of a drop shadow! I always select the object and copy it in black in another layer. And, then I go with the same rest steps you have shown here. But, now I'll try this drop shadow process. Thank you!

[@YashviJalan]

This is like a GROUNDBREAKING video. I now do shadows confidently because of how simple you have made this. Thank you so much!

[@rodcoots4175]

This is the first shadow tutorial I've seen that really works for me. Thank You.

[@daktuh]

Beautifully presented tutorial on a fundamental aspect of composite images. Thanks Colin!

[@philparker97]

Thank you very much! I've just created a very realistic shadow, of which I wouldn't have known how to even start, let alone add the field blur and gradient, without your clear and concise tutorial.

[@glenrose7482]

What a tale nice tutorial. Very chill, easy to follow and quick. An additional compositing trick is to then tint the shadow to match the inverse colour of the light (in this case a slight blue/cyan tint) casting the shadow.

[@Chozend]

Man what I've learned today was holding alt and scroll key to zoom in and out.. This just sped up my workflow so much. Thank you

[@MrBroomy]

Thanks, Colin! You're always informative and thorough!

[@RobbieVoss]

This is the best video on shadows I've ever seen! Thanks for sharing!

[@photoshopcafe]

Glad you liked it!

[@eoslove2022]

WOW! I've been messaging shadows in such a clumsy way with less than stellar results, BUT THIS TUTORIAL HAS CHANGED ALL THAT!! Thank you.

[@lyndastarwriter]

Me, too...I'm off and running now...

[@LaPubisLady]

This was super helpful! I had not yet seen the field blur, but now I don't think I can ever go back! Very handy. I love learning new PS tricks.

[@remyfernandes7246]

The best tutorial on shadow after watching so many!!! Thanks for teaching me a new tool 'field shadow'

[@photoshopcafe]

Happy to hear that!

[@michaelaarvidsson1]

I have look at a few shadow tutorials now on youtube, but this was by far the best one! Thank you!

[@jkendall-marks3866]

This was super helpful - I forgot how to simply add drop shadow / create new layer trick. You've reduced the actions to easy-to-follow order. & kept it short & sweet.

[@jillbeexo]

Amazing. The best tutorial I've seen for this yet.

[@aleksandarmiletic3814]

Great video and explanation Colin. The tutorial is complex but easy to understand!

[@rodgermcreynolds4549]

Great tut! One thing that I miss in many PS tutorials is a step-by-step listing of all steps needed to complete the effect. Naturally, I can go back and pause the video as I perform each step, but it would be most convenient to be able to print a step-by-step guide to have available as I'm working on my own image.

[@photoshopcafe]

Glad you bought that up. Also most every tutorial on this channel has a written companion over at photoshopCAFE, this one is no exception. I probably do a poor job of telling people. You can see this one here: photoshopcafe.com/how-to-make-very-realistic-shadows-in-photoshop/

[@LongTran-yv2nq]

Straight to the point and pleasant, easy to follow, thank you!

[@TerryWindell]

THANK YOU! I've been lookin for a way to up my shadow creation skills. This is exactly what I needed!

[@ClassicalClown1756]

I come back to this video every time I need to add shadows

[@previnbogopa]

Me too but we will get used to this process

[@MsBittyIsSnoozy]

I have been creating shadows in the most complicated way possible. This is so helpful! Thank you!

[@sandykreit1752]

I always learn something new from you Colin.

[@adrianvanleeuwen]

I had done shadows before with blur and opacity but not to this degree. Thanks for showing a lot more ways to do shadows.

[@mandypriestley2408]

This is a fantastic tutorial for shadows. And so simple. Thanks Colin

[@bala1000mina]

Thank you Colin for the helpful and informative tutorial! Good luck and please keep creating!

[@bruceblaylock8682]

Colin, one of your best ever. Like others I have been doing shadows in a similar, but much less effective way. Thank you so much!!

[@a.joshatt7518]

this is gold. clear in each and every aspect. Thank you so much.

[@mikeglassburn]

Love your tutorials!

[@sjamesons]

Very good Colin, as usual. In fact, I have just finished a project where I need to fix the shadows. I have watched so many of your videos and will continue! Thanks so much once again. Scott Jameson.

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks for watching

[@bethmcelroy8253]

Thank you! I've been struggling with a shadow in a composite project. This was super helpful.

[@you82.League]

Omg, by your tutorial I made a shadow that when I created it, I couldn't convince myself it's not a Real Picture! Thanks a lot

[@nathanrippon1]

Great video with clear instructions and explanations

[@llewis1997]

I'd like to see a shadow creation tutorial of more complicated shadows. For example a side shadow.

[@nanztaxi123]

I’m very new to photoshop I’m fromNewZealand and have learnt a lot from your video’s and I am enjoying them I’ve almost watched all your videos I find them fell of information and easy to follow some are still to advanced for me as I’m still learning but I still watch them thank you for all that you teach us

[@photoshopcafe]

Kia ora it will come clear with practice

[@juliengaut5448]

absolutely flawless video Collin... I love you

[@photonsonpixels]

Fantastic tutorial, Colin. Thank you!

[@CJGlynnPhotography]

Nice use of Field Blur. Good job. Thanks for the tutorial.

[@photoshoptipsbyali]

Thank you so much dear, this is the first shadow tutorial I've seen that really works for me.

[@randomcallsign]

fast, to the point and useful. recommended

[@nixonmanuel6459]

This is wonderful! Thank you for your conscientiousness.

[@jlopez7596]

Thanks for showing us your process of creating shadows i am sure you have played with many variables to make it come out the way you want it.

[@photoshopcafe]

I have used all kinds of techniques throughout the years. This is my current go to method.

[@jlopez7596]

@@photoshopcafe thanks again colin. It is straightforward and effective.

[@RichardJohnson-xj5pg]

A great tutorial. I have looked at other tutorials but this is the easiest by far.

[@Jen-kw2fn]

Massive thumbs up! This was such a simple method to get a high quality result. Thank you so much.

[@photoshopcafe]

Glad it helped!

[@pimaerts]

This was EXACTLY what I was looking for, many thnx, great stuff!

[@P.F-t5j]

The best method. Works everytime. Thank you so much!

[@dantheman2907]

You could also convert the shadow layer into a smart object, add a gaussian blur and use a gradient on the smart filter mask to adjust the amount of blur, and still use a gradient on a layer mask for the shadow's opacity tapering off.

[@photoshopcafe]

I used to do it that way. This way produces a much better graduated blur

[@TheJohnlentz]

Excellent video. I now understand shadows better!

[@simoncullinan5369]

Thank you for sharing Colin. Yep always learn something new or something more. Your tutorials are easy to follow and well explained! I’ll be using these steps more often when I can 👍😊

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks Simon

[@farmerchaamaley]

i never comment on youtube videos - but this tutorial is unbelievably clear and useful! worked like a charm, and incredibly well done overall :)

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks :)

[@rodshelley1170]

Oh, this is GREAT!! I did learn a couple new things, Colin. I'm always compositing 3D rendered figures (Poser, DAZ) into photos I've taken. I've had pretty decent results painting in shadows, or copying the figure layer, changing the figure to flat black, setting the layer to 'multiply' then messing with opacity. This looks a lot quicker and more accurate. Thanks, Colin! 👍👍

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks Rod

[@alexmckenzie1063]

Why don’t you render realistic shadows with your model?

[@jMP0131]

Amazingly helpful, as always! Thanks.

[@donlanteigne8629]

That was great, now I just need to know how to do a sideways shadow.

[@jimharrison1156]

Great so easy once you know the steps! It was just in time. I just cut out a 90th bday cake with an elaborate sign from a terrible background and put it on a nicer one. I had added light from the side and was having trouble getting my shadow right.

[@debbiecalnan9327]

I did and thank you so much. I really needed this for a project I am working on. I'm quite happy with the results.

[@ralphpayne6259]

Seen similar before but not using the drop shadow. Very effective method with extremely clear and, as usual, full instructions. Adjustment techniques for the shadow are really, really good. Thank you. (By the way, LR Summit 2022 is good and your Presets video was superb!!!)

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks. And glad you liked my class. I have 2 more coming up :)

[@ralphpayne6259]

@@photoshopcafe 2 more h wonderful news!!👍🏻

[@bobmcgraw]

Brilliant!! Thanks for this great technique!

[@DJI-mini3]

spot on, straight forward instructions, I will use this method in future. thanks

[@DanushiChamira-kp3gn]

Thank you very much . Your explanation is very clean and clear.

[@photoshopcafe]

You are welcome!

[@ertugrulcam5142]

extremely helpful. Thanks a lot

[@sonjon1000]

simple and effective, great tut

[@kayota0707]

Very usefull! Thank you very much for this tutorial, I need it for college. Now I know how to drop a shadow in a very simple way.

[@the_Kehindhe]

Mind Blown !!!

[@FirebirdCreativeDesign]

Awesome!!! Thank you! Saved this so I can come back later when I forget. LOL

[@palmieritony]

I love to learn what I didn't know...which is the definition of "learning", I guess?! :-) Thanks for taking the time to share!

[@SenorGancho]

Thank you Colin Brilliant. Sadly once again when you learn a couple of new things in Photoshop it reveals that there are another 25 things you didn't know that you didn't know :-) Ah the journey continues!

[@brianbilverstone4580]

Well, this will solve a lot of my shadowing issues. Never knew you could do that. Thank you.

[@mavenartistry]

Great tutorial! Thanks for the clear and concise instruction.

[@paulwoodward3453]

Excellent tutorial as always. I'll try this out today!

[@KEHA14]

Fantastic video thank you!

[@saltsheeeeps]

this is very helpful, thank you!

[@rewindcinemahobart]

Thank you for this video. I've just upgraded to 2024 PS and even with generative AI addition this tutorial works wonders! AI can't beat manual work for most things in my opinion.

[@Joanne0728]

Wow... it is a great feature to make the photo real. thank you.

[@gemdistrict3501]

Nice shadow tutorial. I have been using the basic method to do shadows but will use this way in future as it looks far more realistic.

[@1chrisandrew1]

Fabulous tutorial - just what I was looking for - thank you!

[@peggyheard9981]

This is what I was looking for thank you for making this .

[@mediatrends3605]

You are my go to Photoshop guru! You are awesome!🙌🏾

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks so much!

[@mikeswain9085]

I have a photo with a bonsai tree and I'd like to make a drop shadow of just the tree. If I go to 'select subject' and select the tree, is there any way I can put this on a new layer so I can make a drop shadow of it please?

[@chriszehetner1103]

Top notch tutorial, thank you :)

[@digifred5459]

As always a very useful and good tutorial, thank you.

[@quirkworks4076]

Great stuff, as always!

[@DaniefromCanada]

I din't start off with a transparent layer, so I figured to select subject and follow along, but my shadow is transparent. Please help!

[@lunareluna]

Great video! Thank you SO much!!!

[@luxlamf]

Excuse my ignorance but what if I need the shadow to be behind the subject? light source in in front to the right so shadow goes to the left?

[@photoshopcafe]

Free transform the shadow the other way with the distort option (Ctrl+T, then Right click to see Distort)

[@jeffbeamer9882]

Super helpful! Many thanks!

[@christianjerez03]

a huge thank you!!!!

[@terrylong8465]

I use this method from now on! Thanks.

[@YanaLoran]

Thank you so much for this tutorial! It's so helpful!

[@gunnarbrakel6539]

brilliant video, easiest to follow and looks great