Creating Water Reflections with Realistic Ripples in PhotoShop

[Luv2shoot]

The following instructions will hopefully aid you in following the tutorial in the YOUTUBE video, How to Create Water Reflections with Realistic Ripples in Photoshop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MvjWH8opK0

I used this video to create the transformation that you see below. Below you will find a document of the detailed transcript of the video which contains step-by-step directions as well as all of the settings. I created this document hoping that it would be helpful for those who tried this technique. The first time you go through the process, it takes about 15 minutes because you need to create a DISPLACEMENT MAP that you create only once and can use over on any and all images you would like to try this effect on in the future. The purpose of this thread is to share this technique, I am hoping that you don't mind that I did not shoot my example photo with an Olympus Camera. I took this photo several years ago BEFORE I joined the Olympus team.
I hope you give it a try and please add your images below this initial post.
Enjoy, LORELL







[IMG]file:///C:%5CUsers%5CLorell%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmso htmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_image001.gif[/IMG]
The following instructions will hopefully aid you in following the tutorial in the YOUTUBE video, How to Create Water Reflections With Realistic Ripples in Photoshop. Here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MvjWH8opK0

Part I, creating the Reflection

1. Main Image

1. Open an image that you wish to work on after you have tweaked it to your taste
2. Label this the background
3. Select the Marquee Tool and Select the area that will be reflected in the reflection that you will create
4. Select EDIT, COPY then EDIT, PASTE, this will create a new Layer.
5. Label this New Layer “REFLECTION”

1. REFLECTION IMAGE, working on the reflection layer to create the effect:
   1. Hit EDIT, TRANSFORM, FLIP VERTICALLY
   2. Use the MOVE tool to move the REFLECTION to the right position in the composition.
   3. Extend the Canvas of the Background so that the entire reflection fits on the Canvas. Go to IMAGE, CANVAS SIZE to add more height.
   4. BLUR the reflection layer by
      1. Select FILTER, BLUR, MOTION BLUR, settings: Angle 90 degrees, Distance 11 pixels
      2. Hit OK

PART II, CREATING RIPPLES EFFECT FOR WATER REFLECTION – WATERS RIPPLES DISPLACEMENT MAP
(This is a separate layer that can be used again in other transformations. You only have to create this once!)

1. Displacement Map Creation
   1. OPEN A NEW 600 X 1000 px RGB layer (preset= custom, background=transparent, Resolution=72, Pixel Aspect=Square OK
   2. Fill the layer with Black, EDIT, FILL, BLACK, OK
   3. Add Noise
      1. Go to FILTER, NOISE, ADD NOISE, set amount to MAX, click OKAY
   4. Create BLUR
      1. Go to FILTER, BLUR, GAUSSIAN BLUR, RADIUS set to small (1.3) OKAY
   5. GO TO LAYER PANEL and switch to CHANNELS
      1. Select RED, FILTER, STYLIZE, EMBOSS, settings: Angle 180, Height 1, Amount Max
      2. Select GREEN, FILTER, STYLIZE, EMBOSS, settings: Angle 90, Height 1, Amount Max
      3. Select RGB layer (where all three are combined)
      4. Return to Layers Panel
   6. STRECH CANVAS
      1. Go to EDIT, TRANSFORM, PERSPECTIVE
      2. Stretch the bottoms two corners as far out as possible right and left, make the screen smaller, and do it again until your pattern looks like waves or ripples.
   7. SAVE AS “PSD” FILE where you know you can retrieve it easily.
   8. SAVE the file as DISPLACEMENT MAP. Make sure MAXIMUM COMPACITY IS CHECKED.
   9. CLOSE that file making sure you do not close the original photo that you were working on

PART III, ADDING THE RIPPLES AND FINAL TWEAKS.

1. Go Back to Original Project
   1. SELECT REFLECTION LAYER
      1. Go to FILTER, DISTORT, DISPLACE
      2. Set Horizontal Scale to 10
      3. Set Vertical Scale to 40
      4. CHECK “Stretch to Fit”
      5. CHECK “ Repeat Edge Pixels
      6. CLICK “OKAY”
   2. You will be asked to select the “Displacement Map” that you just made
   3. Select the Displacement Map from your file. This will apply distortion to your reflection layer
   4. If you want more ripples in the repeat the last step changing the parameters of the vertical scale higher

PART IV, FINAL TWEAKS

1. Add Shadow between layers
   1. Creating the dark shadow in between layers
      1. Add a blank layer above the Reflection layer, Label it GRADIENT
      2. Go to GRADIENT TOOL
      3. Make sure colors are white in front, black in back
      4. Select REFLECTIVE Gradient at the top. It looks like a black-filled box with a white horizontal line.
      5. Drag the crosshatch (cursor) vertically between the two images, the background and the reflective layers creating a dark shadow joining the two.
      6. INVERT LAYER (CNTRL “I”)
      7. Change BLENDING MODE TO MULTIPLY
      8. Change Opacity to LOW.
      9. Move dark line up or down or tilt until it looks right.
   2. Further, tweak the separate layers before flattening.
      1. Give punch to the background and dim the reflection.
      2. Maybe take some vibrance off of the refection or add a haze.
2. More tweaks are presented in the video. However, I decided to stop the instruction here and allow YOU to use your own personal creative license to put the final touches to this Realistic Reflective Transformation.

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Time for a “Turing test” for imagery...

[Luv2shoot]

If I can do it, you can all do it. I hope you try this but don't get your feet wet!

[Graham_of_Rainham]

When I judge photography competitions I have that thought at the back of my mind “if it looks to good to be true...”

Having created composite images on slide film, I also tend to give credit for creativity.

As long as there is originality throughout the picture and elements are not “bought in”, manipulated pixels are fine by me.

As long as it’s never passed off as natural history/wildlife...

[IPWheatley]

I think you are to be applauded for the time and effort that you have put into creating this shot. You have turned what was a rather mundane snap into a very nice photograph. I like it a lot. Well done.

Regards, Ian W.

[Luv2shoot]

Thank you very much. I first showed my husband picture number 1, he had no reaction and just looked at the two horses. But when I showed him photo #2, he lit up and said, “oh, wow!”. That’s the reaction that I strive for with all of my photos. I appreciate your comments regarding transforming the image from a mundane to a nice photograph. Many thanks, W.

[gingram]

I like it and by coincidence I have horses in a field near me that have a massive in the field.

I have driven by several times recently and wished I had my camera with me as they were reflecting perfectly in the pool. It is quickly drying up and I may have missed my chance. :-)

[Luv2shoot]

Well, now you don’t have to worry about the pool of water drying up. I hope that you stop and take a photo of the horses, it sounds like you have the perfect setting and the try this technique. Really, it is quite easy. Thanks for your supportive comments.

[OM USer]

Excellent work. Now to see if I can do it in PS Elements.

[Luv2shoot]

Good luck OM User. I was going to see if I could repeat the process in my AFFINITY software. I had not used PhotoShop in such a long time, it was a bit of a challenge to recall where everything was at. Please don’t hesitate to post your creation in this thread. I hope others join me.

[Bikie John]

Thanks Lorell, this looks very interesting. I am going to read up and play with displacement maps, they could be useful for something I've been thinking about for a long time.

John

[Luv2shoot]

Hey, that's great, John. I hope it works.