Shadows add facet and meaning to an image. Without shadows object may appear plain and boring. Lights and shadows establish correlation of one object to another and their place in full scene. The position and strength of lights and shadows also set general mood of subject.

It is engrossing to play with lights because you can do amazing things to your subject just by manipulating it. The sun is inviting and objects are responding. The latter casts bright and translucent blaze that overly saturates colors of scene making sharp shadows. Artificial light also exudes brightness that illuminates a scene from different perspectives. It allows innumerable shadows that collide and contends for prominence. Artificial light comes in a wide array of colors. Colored shadows are then created by colored light sources.

With help of Photoshop, object is vested an illusion that it has a third dimension. Photoshop’s files are configurations of pixels that are put across width and down height of an image. Third dimension’s illusion is created through use of accurate shading and perspective.

To do an example of layer mask, follow following steps: First, find a photograph of a picture that is compatible with your other chosen photographs. When you blend you must pre-visualize and feel design.

Second, select a background then right click and select inverse to close on subject. Background is preferably white.

Third, select Move tool and click inside of selection and drag it over to your desired image. Dragging will create a new layer on new document which is a replica of original selection.

Fourth, create a layer mask on layer of object you drag over. Click on Layer > add Layer Mask or click on Add a Mask icon in layers palette. Choose linear gradient tool with foreground to transparent and black as foreground color and swipe. The longer swipes you create smoother blend will be. Gradient layer masking allows you to create professional blends.