> PHOTOSHOP USER>^ MARCH 2017[ 040 ]
©Adobe Stock/Barbara HelgasonADDING A SOFT GLAMOUR GLOW
A soft glamour glow effect is incredibly useful when clients want to feel a little old-school Hollywood
(think boudoir, wedding, and high school photography). In this column, you’ll learn how to use one of
Photoshop’s oldest filters to quickly produce a soft and ethereal portrait effect that’s sure to please
brides, prom queens, and princesses of any kind.Step One: In Photoshop, choose File>Open
as Smart Object to open a photo. If the photo
is already open in Photoshop, or if it consists of
multiple layers, activate the layer(s) and choose
Filter>Convert for Smart Filters. This packages
the active layer(s) into a single smart object.
If you’re starting in Lightroom, select a photo
and then choose Photo>Edit In>Open as Smart
Object in Photoshop. [KelbyOne members may
download the file used in this tutorial at www
.kelbyone.com/magazine. All files are for per-
sonal use only.]TIP: If the photo to which you want to apply this
effect consists of multiple layers, you can access
the original layers later on by double-clicking
the layer thumbnail for the smart object. When
you do, Photoshop opens a separate, temporary
document that contains all of your layers. Once
you make your changes in that document, choose
File>Save (not Save As) and then close the docu-
ment, and your changes magically appear in the
original document.Step Two: Since many Photoshop filters refuse
to work with 16-bit imagery, it’s a good idea to
ensure you’re working with an 8-bit image to start
with. To do that, choose Image>Mode and make
sure there’s a checkmark next to 8/Bits Channel. If
there isn’t, go ahead and choose that menu item.Step Three: The filter you’ll use for this tech-
nique uses the Background color swatch at the
bottom of the Toolbar for the glow color. Set it
to white by pressing D on your keyboard to reset
your Foreground and Background colors to their
default settings of black and white, respectively.LESASNYDER
BEGINNERS’ WORKSHOP