Tips for putting pretty shadows on the image by Photoshop

Image could be better and pretty if we add some shadows. Even we can also change the shadow in the image by relocating the position of light sources like sun, bulbs, etc.

Let's see the results first.


Retouched image having shadow.

Source image (from http://visipix.com)

Above souce image is just normal image we can see around us, and it doesn't give much feeling to us. It doesn't have any specific differentiated things and doesn't attract us at all.
The gray, background color on the source doesn't match with golden colored statue.

Obviously we can't see any shadow because this statue is located on some heights from the ground. Therefore I want to put simulated shadow for better feeling.

Working orders are as follows.

1. Open source image in Photoshop(I am using Photoshop CS5).

2. Duplicate background layer and apply distort effect by Edit>Transform>Distort

3. Stretch the image freely in direction you want to change by dragging control points.
    In this case, I stretched it forward down as shown in below.

4. Click check button in the upper option bar for finishing. Change the color of shadow    image to black and white by "Image>Adjustment>Black & White". 


5. Delete the gray colored background area after selecting it by quick mask mode(Press "Del" key").

 <Image after removing its background>

6. There is overlapped area between original and shadow layer  and it decreases the reality of output as shown in below. This can be removed by using "Eraser" tool.
Apply lower fill value and Gaussian blur to get shadow being the real(Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur).

7. Now change the main image's background from gray color to the matched one. Select background area by quick mask mode and delete it by pressing "Del", change it to the similiar color of statue.

8. Result of work is as follows. Statue is looking good with matched background color.
   Removing the background at first is important. In my case, I forgot doing it at first, and multiple removing at the shadow and main layer were done. But I put that for illustrative purpose here. Well designing of work flow is important having save your valuable time.

Well matched ?

I hope this posting can be helpful to you !