Colorizing Images With Gradients In Photoshop

Step 1: Create A Custom Black And White Version Of The Image

Before we start colorizing the image with a gradient, let's first remove the existing colors and create a custom black and white version. This will help us fine-tune the results at the end. If you're using Photoshop CS3 or higher (I'm using CS4 in this tutorial), the easiest way to create a great looking custom black and white version is with a Black & White adjustment layer, which is what I'll be adding in a moment. If you're using Photoshop CS2 or earlier, use either a Channel Mixer or Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to create your black and white version. You'll find complete details on these and other ways of converting color images to black and white in our Photo Editing section.

If we look in our Layers palette, we see that we currently have only one layer, the Background layer, which is the layer that contains our image. To add a Black & White adjustment layer, click on the New Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette and choose Black & White from the list of adjustment layers that appears:

Click on the New Adjustment Layer icon and select Black & White from the list (Photoshop CS3 and higher).

As soon as you select the Black & White adjustment layer, you'll see your image in the document window suddenly appear in black and white, based on the default settings for the adjustment. In Photoshop CS3, the controls for the Black and White adjustment layer will open in a dialog box on your screen. In CS4, they'll appear inside the Adjustments Panel, which is new to CS4. In either case, the way it works is the same. Simply drag any of the color sliders (Reds, Yellows, Greens, Cyans, Blues, and Magentas) left or right to brighten or darken areas in the image that originally contained that particular color. Dragging a slider towards the left will darken areas of that color, while dragging to the right will lighten them.

For example, skin tone always contains lots of red, so to lighten someone's skin in the black and white version of the image, simply drag the Reds slider towards the right. Trees and other plants usually contain lots of yellow (even though they appear green to us), so to brighten or darken them, just drag the Yellows slider. Always keep an eye on your image in the document window as you drag the sliders to judge the results:

Drag the color sliders left or right to darken or lighten different areas of the black and white version.

Once you're happy with the results, click OK to exit out of the dialog box if you're using Photoshop CS3. In CS4, the Adjustments Panel can remain open. Here's my image after converting it to black and white:

A custom black and white version has been created.

If we look in our Layers palette again, we see that we now have two layers. The original image is still sitting on the Background layer, and directly above it is our adjustment layer. The black and white conversion we just applied is contained entirely within the adjustment layer itself. The original image below it remains in full color, untouched and unaffected by anything we just did, which is why we should always use adjustment layers whenever possible:

With adjustment layers, the original image remains unharmed.

Step 2: Add A Gradient Map Adjustment Layer

Now that we have our black and white version, we can colorize the image with a gradient. For that, we'll use another adjustment layer, this time a Gradient Map. Click again on the New Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette and choose Gradient Map from the list:

Click again on the New Adjustment Layer icon and this time, choose Gradient Map.

As with the previous adjustment layer, if you're using Photoshop CS3 (or earlier), the controls for the Gradient Map will open in a dialog box on your screen. In CS4, they appear in the Adjustments Panel.

Step 3: Create A Custom Gradient

By default, Photoshop uses a gradient based on your current Foreground and Background colors, which, unless you've changed them, will be black (Foreground) and white (Background), which gives us a black to white gradient. We can see what the current gradient looks like in the gradient preview area:

The preview area shows us the current colors in the gradient.

Since we want to colorize our image, a black to white gradient won't do us much good, so let's change the colors and create our own custom gradient! Click directly on the gradient preview area, which opens up the larger Gradient Editor. At the top of the Gradient Editor is a series of thumbnails, each one representing a different pre-made gradient (known as a gradient preset) that we can choose simply by clicking on its thumbnail. We're not going to do that though (so don't click on any of them) because we're going to see how easy it is to create a custom gradient.

The Presets area at the top of the Gradient Editor contains a selection of ready-made gradients.

It wouldn't be called the Gradient Editor if all we could do was choose from pre-made gradients, and in fact, it's very easy to create our own using any colors we want. In the bottom half of the dialog box is a larger version of the gradient preview area we saw a moment ago. Directly below the preview area on either end is a color stop which shows the current color that's being used in that part of the gradient. The color stop on the left is filled with black, while the one on the right is filled with white. To change either color, simply click on the color stop, then click on the rectangular color swatch to the right of the word Color at the bottom of the dialog box.

Let's change the black on the left of the gradient to something else. Click on the black color stop to select it, then click on the color swatch:

Click on the black color stop to select it, then click on the color swatch to change its color.

This opens Photoshop's Color Picker. For best results, you'll usually want to create gradients that progress from darker colors to lighter colors, so I'll choose a dark purple from the Color Picker, which will replace black in the gradient:

Replacing black in the gradient with a dark purple.

Click OK when you're done to exit out of the Color Picker. If we look at my image in the document window, we see that by replacing black in the gradient with purple, all of the dark areas in the photo now appear purple rather than black:

The dark areas in the image now appear purple.

Let's do the same thing for the white color stop below the far right of the gradient preview area. Click on the color stop to select it, then click on the color swatch to change its color:

Changing the white color on the far right of the gradient.

When the Color Picker appears, I'll choose a bright yellow to replace white:

Replacing white in the gradient with a bright yellow.

Click OK to exit out of the Color Picker, and we can see that the areas in the image that were originally white (or a light shade of gray) now appear yellow:

Adding More Colors
At the moment, our gradient is made up of only two colors, but we can add as many colors we like simply by adding more color stops. To add a color stop, just click below the gradient preview area at the spot where you want it to appear. I'll add a third color stop below the middle of the gradient. As soon as you click, the new color stop appears:

Click anywhere along the bottom of the gradient to add another color stop.

To change its color, simply click on the color swatch, then select a new color from the Color Picker. I'll select a medium orange. Notice that I'm purposely selecting new colors that match, as close as possible anyway, the brightness of the original color in the gradient. You can create wild and crazy color effects by selecting colors with very different brightness levels than the originals, but for smoother, more natural looking gradients, it's best to try and match the brightness levels as closely as possible:

Choosing a medium orange to replace the medium gray in the gradient.

I'll click OK to once again exit out of the Color Picker, and we can see in the document window that the midtones in my image now appear orange. The darker areas are still purple, and the lighter areas are still yellow thanks to the three-color gradient I've created to colorize the image with:

Darker areas are purple, lighter areas are yellow and midtones are orange thanks to the custom 3-color gradient.

Not only can we add new colors to the gradient, we can move existing colors around. To move any of the colors and change the look of the gradient, simply click on the color stop and drag it left or right along the bottom of the gradient preview area. You can also click and drag the small diamond shape that appears between two color stops to change the distance it takes for one color to blend into another. Keep an eye on the image in the document window to judge the results. Finally, to remove a color from the gradient, just click and drag its color stop away from the gradient preview area until it disappears, then release your mouse button:

Drag any of the color stops to change the position of colors in the gradient. Drag the small diamond shapes to change the transition from one color to another.

When you're done creating and editing the gradient, click OK to exit out of the Gradient Editor, then click OK to exit out of the Gradient Map dialog box (Photoshop CS3 and earlier).

Step 4: Change The Blend Mode Or Lower The Opacity

If you find that the initial colorizing effect is too intense (as mine is), there's a couple of easy ways to give it a more subtle appearance. One is by changing the blend mode of the Gradient Map adjustment layer. I'm going to change my blend mode from Normal (the default blend mode) to Soft Light:

Change the blend mode of the Gradient Map adjustment layer to Soft Light.

You can also try the Overlay blend mode for a higher contrast look. In my case, Soft Light works better and gives me a much more subdued colorizing effect:

Changing the blend mode results in a more subtle effect.

Another way to reduce the intensity of the effect is by lowering the opacity of the Gradient Map adjustment layer. I'll set my blend mode back to Normal and this time, I'll lower the Opacity option (directly across from the blend mode option) all the way down to 25%:

Lower the opacity of the Gradient Map to reduce its intensity.

By lowering the opacity of the adjustment layer, we get a softer look with less contrast than what the Soft Light blend mode gave us:

Add A Lens Flare Effect Non-Destructively With Blend Modes

Written By Steve Patterson

In this Photoshop tutorial, we'll learn how layer blend modes make it easy to add a popular lens flare effect to a photo without making any permanent changes to our image. We'll start by adding the lens flare normally to position it exactly where we want it, then we'll undo the effect, add a new layer, re-apply the lens flare instantly using a handy keyboard shortcut, and finally, we'll blend the lens flare into the image using one of Photoshop's most common and widely used blend modes.

Here's the image I'll be working with:

The original image.

Here's how it will look after we've added the lens flare effect. The important thing to note is that lens flare itself is completely separate from the image, so if I change my mind later and decide I don't like it, I can easy remove it and revert back to the original photo:

Step 1: Apply The Lens Blur Filter

With our image open in Photoshop, the first thing we need to do is add a lens flare the way we normally would if we were applying it directly to the image. Even though we're going to be undoing the effect, this gives us a chance to position the lens flare exactly where we want it. To add a lens flare, go up to the Filter menu at the top of the screen, choose Render, and then choose Lens Flare:

Go to Filter > Render > Lens Flare.

This opens the Lens Flare dialog box. Photoshop's Lens Flare filter adds a simulated lens flare effect to the image, and we can choose from one of four different types of lenses (50-300 mm Zoom, 35mm Prime, 105mm Prime, and Movie Prime) in the Lens Type section at the bottom of the dialog box. Each one will give us a different type of flare. Select each one to view the effect in the preview area in the top half of the dialog box. I'm going to stick with the default 50-300mm Zoom lens. You can also adjust the brightness of the lens flare by dragging the Brightness slider left or right, but again, I'll stick with the default 100%.

To position the lens flare where you want it, simply click inside the preview area. The spot you click on becomes the center of the flare. I'm going to click directly on the setting sun just above the people walking on the beach:

Click inside the preview area to set the position of the lens flare.

When you're happy with the type and position of your lens flare, click OK to exit out of the dialog box. Photoshop will then apply the effect to your image in the document window. Here's what my lens flare looks like:

The initial lens flare effect.

The only problem is, we've just applied the lens flare directly to the image itself. If I was to save the image at this point and close out of it, the original photo (without the lens flare) would be gone forever, and that's not the way you want to work in Photoshop, especially when we can create the exact same effect non-destructively using blend modes!

Step 2: Undo The Lens Flare

Now that we know exactly where we want the lens flare to appear in the image, let's undo the effect by going up to the Edit menu at the top of the screen and choosing Undo Lens Flare. Or, a faster way to undo the effect is to press Ctrl+Z (Win) / Command+Z (Mac) on your keyboard, which will undo the last step:

Go to Edit > Undo Lens Flare, or press Ctrl+Z (Win) / Command+Z (Mac).

Step 3: Add A New Blank Layer

Click on the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette. Photoshop will add a new layer named "Layer 1" above the Background layer (which is the layer our image is sitting on):

Add a new layer above the Background layer.

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Step 4: Fill The New Layer With Black

Photoshop won't allow us to apply the Lens Flare filter to a blank layer, so let's fill the layer with a color. We'll use black, which will make it easy to blend the lens flare into the image later. Go back up to the Edit menu and this time, choose Fill:

Go to Edit > Fill.

When the Fill dialog box appears, set the Use option in the Contents section at the top of the dialog box to Black:

Set Black as the color you want to fill the layer with.

Click OK to exit out of the dialog box. Photoshop fills the new layer with black, which fills the document window with black, temporarily hiding the original photo from view.

Step 5: Re-Apply The Lens Flare Filter

Now that the layer is no longer blank, we can re-apply our Lens Flare filter. Photoshop still remembers all of the settings we used for the filter the last time we applied it, including the flare's position, so all we need to do is re-apply it. Since the Lens Flare filter was the last filter we used, we can quickly re-apply it simply by going up to the Filter menu and choosing Lens Flare at the very top of the list. Or, for an even faster way to re-apply the last filter you used, simply press Ctrl+F (Win) / Command+F (Mac) on your keyboard:

The previously used filter always appears at the top of the filter menu so we can re-apply it easily using the same settings.

The same lens flare appears in the same position in the document window, this time on Layer 1 rather than on the image itself:

Space. The final frontier. These are the... oh, uh, sorry about that.

Step 6: Change The Layer Blend Mode To Screen

All we need to do now is hide all of the solid black on the layer and blend the lens flare into the image below it, and we can do that easily by changing the blend mode for Layer 1 from Normal to Screen. You'll find the blend mode option in the top left corner of the Layers palette:

Change the blend mode for Layer 1 to Screen.

With the blend mode set to Screen, all of the solid black on Layer 1 disappears, leaving only the lens flare itself and giving us the exact same effect we had initially, only this time, its on a separate layer:

The same lens flare effect has been applied without harming the original photo.

Since the lens flare is now on a separate layer above the image, we can turn it on and off just by clicking the layer visibility icon (the eyeball) on the far left of Layer 1. Click it once to turn the lens flare off. Click it again to turn it back on:

Click the layer visibility icon to show or hide the lens flare in the document window.

Step 7: Lower The Opacity Of The Lens Flare (Optional)

Another benefit to having the lens flare on its own layer is that we can reduce its intensity if needed by lowering the opacity of Layer 1. You'll find the Opacity option directly across from the blend mode option at the top of the Layers palette. The lower you set the opacity, the more subtle the lens flare will appear in the document:

Lowering the opacity of Layer 1 reduces the intensity of the lens flare.

Here, I've lowered the opacity to 50%, giving me a much more subtle flare effect:

Turn A Photo Into A Collage Of Polaroids In Photoshop

In this Adobe Photoshop tutorial, we're going to learn how to take a single photograph and turn it into a collage of polaroids, with each polaroid containing a small section of the overall image. You can use this effect with lots of different types of images, whether it's a photo of one person or several people. It's great for photos of family or friends, vacation photos, or even as a creative effect for wedding photography.

This is a very easy photo collage effect to create, and as we'll see later in the tutorial, much of the work is simply repeating the same few steps over and over again until you're happy with the results.

Here's the image that I'll be working with in this Photoshop tutorial:

The original image.

And here's what the image will look like when we're done:

Let's get started.

Step 1: Duplicate The Background Layer

The first thing we need to do for this effect is duplicate our Background layer. With our image open in Photoshop, we can see in the Layers palette that we currently have just one layer, the Background layer, which contains our original image:

The Layers palette in Photoshop showing the original Background layer.

To quickly duplicate the layer, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac). Photoshop creates a copy of the Background layer for us, names it "Layer 1", and places it above our Background layer in the Layers palette:

The Layers palette now showing the copy of our Background layer above the original.

Step 2: Add A New Blank Layer Between The Two Layers

Next, we need to add a new blank layer between our Background layer and the copy of it that we just created. Currently the copy is selected in the Layers palette (we can tell the layer is selected because it's highlighted in blue). Normally when we add a new layer, Photoshop places the new layer above the layer that's currently selected, but we want our new layer below "Layer 1", not above it. To tell Photoshop to place the new layer below "Layer 1", hold down your Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) key and then click on the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette:

Hold down "Alt" (Win) / "Option" (Mac) and click on the "New Layer" icon at the bottom of the Layers palette.

Photoshop adds a new blank layer named "Layer 2" between "Layer 1" and the original Background layer:

Photoshop adds the new blank layer between the Background layer and "Layer 1".

Step 3: Fill The New Layer With Black

We're going to use black as the background for our effect, so let's reset our Foreground and Background colors if needed by pressing D on your keyboard. This sets black as your Foreground color and white as your Background color, as we can see in the Foreground and Background color swatches near the bottom of the Tools palette:

Press "D" to reset Photoshop's Foreground and Background colors to black and white if needed.

Now with black as our Foreground color and the new blank layer selected in the Layers palette, let's fill the new layer with black using the keyboard shortcut Alt+Backspace (Win) / Option+Delete (Mac). Nothing will appear to have happened to the image itself, and that's because "Layer 1", which contains a copy of our original image, is blocking "Layer 2" from view. But if we look at Layer 2's thumbnail in the Layers palette, we can see that we've filled the layer with black:

Step 4: Add A New Blank Layer

With "Layer 2" (the layer we just filled with black) selected, click once again on the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette:

Add a new blank layer.

Photoshop will add a new blank layer between the black-filled layer and the copy of the original image above it:

The new blank layer is added between "Layer 1" and "Layer 2".

Step 5: Drag Out A Rectangular Selection As The Inside Of Your First Polaroid

Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool either from the Tools palette or by pressing M on your keyboard:

Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool.

Then, with the Rectangular Marquee Tool selected, drag out a selection inside your image which will become the inside of the first polaroid (the part which contains the photo). I'm going to drag my selection around the baby's face. It doesn't really matter where you make this selection since you'll be able to move it anywhere you like later:

Drag out a selection in the shape of the inside of a polaroid photo.

Step 6: Fill The Selection With Black

We need to fill the selection with black at this point. Technically, it doesn't matter which color we fill the selection with, but to keep things simple and since black is currently our Foreground color, let's use black. Make sure you have the new blank layer selected in the Layers palette, and then use the keyboard shortcut Alt+Backspace (Win) / Option+Delete (Mac) to fill the selection with the Foreground color, which is set to black. Again, nothing seems to have happened in the document, and that's because the image on "Layer 1" at the top is still blocking everything else from view, but if we look at the thumbnail for the blank layer in the Layers palette, we can see that the selected area has indeed been filled with black:

The new blank layer's thumbnail in the Layers palette now shows the selected area filled with black.

Step 7: Create A Clipping Mask From The Filled Selection

We're going to use the selection we just filled with black to create what's called a clipping mask for the layer above it. What this means is that the layer above it, "Layer 1" which contains the copy of our image, is going to be "clipped" by our filled selection on the layer below it. In other words, the only part of the image on "Layer 1" that will remain visible is the part directly above the section filled with black. The rest of the image will become hidden from view. To create our clipping mask, click on "Layer 1" to select it in the Layers palette. Then go up to the Layer menu at the top of the screen and select Create Clipping Mask. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Alt+Ctrl+G (Win) / Option+Command+G (Mac). Either way, Photoshop "clips" the image on "Layer 1", keeping only the area above the black-filled shape below it visible and hiding the rest of the image, revealing our black background on "Layer 2" in its place:

The image on "Layer 1" is now clipped using the black-filled shape on the layer below it.

If we look in the Layers palette now, we can see that "Layer 1" is indented to the right with a small arrow pointing downward on the left. This indicates that the layer is being clipped by the layer below it:

Step 8: Add Another New Blank Layer Above "Layer 2"

We need to add another new layer, and we need it between the black-filled layer ("Layer 2") and the layer containing our filled selection ("Layer 3"). To do that, click on "Layer 2" to select it and then click once again on the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette:

Add another new blank layer directly above the black-filled layer ("Layer 2").

Photoshop adds the new layer between "Layer 2" and "Layer 3" and names it, surprisingly enough, "Layer 4":

The new blank layer, "Layer 4", is added between "Layer 2" and "Layer 3".

Step 9: Drag Out Another Rectangular Selection As The Border Of The Polaroid

With your Rectangular Marquee Tool still selected, drag out another rectangular selection, this time around the outside of the original selection, which will become the white border of the polaroid. Keep in mind that polaroid photos have some extra space at the bottom of the border, so add some extra space at the bottom of your selection:

Drag a selection around the outside of the original selection to create the border of the polaroid.

Step 10: Fill The Selection With White

Since the border of a polaroid is usually white, let's fill our selection with white. Make sure that you have the new blank layer, "Layer 4", selected in the Layers palette. Then, since white is currently our Background color, let's use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Backspace (Win) / Command+Delete (Mac) to fill the selection with the Background color (white). Press Ctrl+D (Win) / Command+D (Mac) when you're done to deselect the selection. We now have our first polaroid in our image:

Fill the selection with white to create the first polaroid.

Step 11: Add A Drop Shadow Layer Style

We have our first polaroid, and we're going to use it to easily create as many polaroids as we want. But before we do anything else, let's add a slight drop shadow to it. We won't be able to see the drop shadow just yet, since we're using a black background, but we will see it once we start piling polaroids on top of each other. To add our drop shadow, with "Layer 4" selected, click on the Layer Styles icon at the bottom of the Layers palette:

Click on the "Layer Styles" icon at the bottom of the Layers palette.

Select Drop Shadow from the list of layer styles:

Select "Drop Shadow".

This brings up Photoshop's "Layer Style" dialog box set to the Drop Shadow options in the middle column. I'm going to set my shadow Angle to about 120° and then lower the Opacity value at the top all the way down to about 30% so my shadow isn't too intense:

Step 12: Rotate The Polaroid

I'm going to rotate my polaroid to add a bit more interest to it. In order to do that, I need to select both layers in my Layers palette which make up my polaroid. I already have "Layer 4" selected, which makes up the outside of it, but I also need "Layer 3" selected, which makes up the inside, so with "Layer 4" selected, I'm going to hold down my Shift key and click on "Layer 3", which will select both layers at once (they'll both appear highlighted in blue):

Use the "Shift" key to select both "Layer 3" and "Layer 4" in the Layers palette.

Then with both layers selected, I'm going to bring up Photoshop's Free Transform handles around my polaroid using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac). To rotate it, all I need to do is drag my mouse cursor anywhere outside of the Free Transform handles. The mouse cursor will change to a "rotate" cursor with curved arrows on either end of it. As I drag my mouse, the polaroid will rotate:

Click and drag anywhere outside of the Free Transform handles to rotate the polaroid.

You can also move the polaroid to a new location if you wish by clicking inside of it and dragging it around the screen with your mouse. I'm going to leave mine where it is for now and simply rotate it. As you drag, you'll notice that the border of the polaroid moves and rotates but the image inside of it does not, and that's because we're not moving the actual image. It remains fixed in place. The only thing we're moving is the polaroid itself, and this is what's going to allow us to create our final effect, as we'll see.

When you're happy with the location and angle of the polaroid , press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) to apply the transformation.

Step 13: Group All Three Layers Which Make Up The Polaroid

We have our first polaroid created and rotated into place. Now we're going to use it to create as many polaroids as we want. Before we can do that though, we need to group all three layers which make up the polaroid , which are the top three layers in the Layers palette. "Layer 1" contains the image itself, "Layer 3" contains the inside of the polaroid , and "Layer 4" contains the outside of it. In order to group them, we need them all selected. We already have "Layer 3" and "Layer 4" selected, so once again hold down your Shift key and click on "Layer 1" to add it, so all three layers are selected and highlighted in blue:

Select the three top layers in the Layers palette at once.

Then, with all three layer selected, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+G (Win) / Command+G (Mac) to group them. You'll see all three layers disappear from the Layers palette and be replaced by a layer named "Group 1", which contains a folder icon to indicate that it's a Layer Group. If you click on the right-pointing triangle to the left of the folder icon, the group will open and you'll see your three layers inside of it:

The three layers which make up the polaroid are now inside a Layer Group.

Step 14: Duplicate The Layer Group

We're going to use this Layer Group to create our second polaroid , and we're going to do that by duplicating the group. First, click once again on the triangle to the left of the folder in the Layers palette to close the group so your Layers palette doesn't get too cluttered. Then simply click on the group and drag it down onto the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette:

Duplicate the Layer Group by dragging it down onto the "New Layer" icon.

When you release your mouse button, you'll see the copy of the Layer Group appear above the original:

Step 15: Move And Rotate The Second Polaroid With The Free Transform Command

Just as we did with the original, we're going to move and rotate this second polaroid using Free Transform (I didn't actually move my first one, but you may have, so let's pretend I did as well). First, twirl open the newly created copy of our Layer Group by clicking on the triangle to the left of its folder icon. Just as before, you'll see all three layers inside of it which make up the polaroid . We need to select the bottom two layers which make up the inside and outside of it, so click on one, then hold down Shift and click on the other to select them both:

Select the bottom two layers inside the copy of the Layer Group.

Then with both layers selected, press Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) to bring up the Free Transform handles around the polaroid . At the moment, it looks like there's only the one polaroid in the image, and that's because both of them are directly on top of each other. Click inside the polaroid and drag it to move it to a new location, and you'll see that you do in fact have two. Drag this second one to wherever you like in your document, and then rotate it just as before, by moving your mouse anywhere outside of the Free Transform handles and dragging your mouse to rotate it left or right. You'll see that once again, we're only moving the polaroid itself. The image inside of it remains fixed in place, and now that we've added a second polaroid , we're displaying more of the full size image:

Use Free Transform to move and rotate the second polaroid .

You'll also notice that with the second polaroid overlapping the original, we can now see the drop shadow, which gives the image a bit of depth. When you're happy with the location and angle of your second polaroid , press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) to apply the transformation. We now have two polaroids completed:

Two polaroids have now been added to the image.

Step 16: Add, Move And Rotate More Polaroids As Needed

At this point, we just repeat the exact same process over and over until we've added enough polaroids to reveal enough of the original image. First, drag the top-most Layer Group down onto the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette. This will create a copy of the last polaroid you made. Then twirl the new Layer Group open by clicking on the arrow to the left of its folder icon and select the two bottom layers which make up the inside and outside of the polaroid. Press Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) to bring up the Free Transform handles, click inside them and drag the image into a new location to reveal more of the overall image, then move your mouse outside of the handles and drag to rotate the new polaroid. Press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) to accept the transformation, then repeat the process again until you've added enough polaroids that you're happy with the results. There's no "right or wrong" placement of the polaroids , so don't be afraid to play around with it, and you can always go back and move or rotate any of the polaroids at any time by selecting its Layer Group, twirling it open, selecting the two bottom layers, then using Free Transform to move and/or rotate it again.

I'm going to add, move and rotate more polaroids here with my image, and after creating about 16 polaroids, moving and rotating each with the Free Transform command, here is my final result:

And there we have it!