Reflection Effect in Photoshop

Introduction to Reflection Effect in Photoshop

Photoshop generally comes with a range of graphic enhancing and designing techniques. One such great technique which is popular and makes use of easy photoshop tools is the Reflection Effect. It is used widely in logos, ads, etc for text effects and also in images for creating a blurry mirror-like effect for example, for creating wallpapers of a place for a Travel and Tourism website with locations that have lakes and water bodies. This effect could be useful for graphic designing. It makes use of very few components like Motion and Gaussian Blur, Free transform, Selection tools and so on. Let’s try to create a few examples for us to learn this effect.

Water Reflection Effect in Photoshop

This is one of the most commonly used reflection effects that can probably be identified quickly too. Many scenic pictures have all water reflections on them and trust me a lot of them are indeed Photoshop-ed!!

Step 1: First of all grab the image of whose reflection needs to be created. Go to File, select the appropriate image and there we can edit all we want now.

Step 2: I would suggest convert unlock the layer first and convert it into the normal layer by double-clicking on the Background Layer first and giving it the name Layer 0.

Step 3: Now select the layer with the image and with the help of Rectangular marquee tool or the Polygonal Lasso Tool cut the water part.

Step 4: Now duplicate the layer by selecting Duplicate Layer and select Edit and Transform, then Flip Vertical. You will see an upside-down image of the cut part. So by using the move tool place it below our original image.

Step 5: Now its time to create some water ripples. Let the duplicate layer be selected. Now Select Filter> Blur>Motion Blur. And set the values in the following manner: Angle: 90 Degrees, Distance: 30 pixels. You will see something like this.

Step 6: Now its time to give the water some Smudgy effect. Hence grab the Smudge tool, and I experimented a lot so I was finally comfortable with these values. You can create your own values depending upon the image you have selected to have water reflection in it. So set Brush size: 150, hardness: 0 and Strength: 20 percent.

Step 7: Normally one would be satisfied with what we have created, but let’s experiment a bit more and put more effects. Let’s create a new layer and fill it with white color using the Paint Bucket tool. Also, let us give it Noise Filter to give a more natural rippled effect to the water waves. So, go to Filter>Noise>Add Noise. Make sure you have selected the new Layer here. Now set the following values (again these may vary as per image) Amount: 400 %, Distribution: Gaussian and check the Monochromatic button.

Step 8: Let’s add one more Filter. Go to Filter> Blur> Motion Blur. Now you can set the following values and experiment. Angle: 0 degrees, Distance: 40 px and let us also add a bit of contrast in colors for better Blending options later. And also see what happens if we use keys CTRL + L and inverse colors. So you can add and see the following, 1^st tone: 147, mid-tone: 1.53 and last tone: 219.

Step 9: Let us add perspective to give it a better view of the eye. So you can select the following Edit, Transform then Perspective. Now simply drag any corner of the bottom with the mouse to the side as per your choice end.

Step 11: Now you can right-click on the layer and go to Blending Options. In that set the following values. Opacity: 30 % and Blend mode: Soft Light. It will be something like this.

Step 12: And it is final!!!!… Please go ahead and make your own water reflection effects.

Jewelry Ad Reflection Effect

This might be also one the most common of all but that’s I chose to do it so that the concept of reflection might get clearer to you. We will be using similar techniques here but in a way that will make our piece of jewelry more appealing to the naked eye.

Step 1: Please go to File>Place and place the image that has to be edited first.

Step 2: Once that is done I would suggest selecting the Crop tool based on my image and crop excess part of the image so that we can make the reflection. Normally in case, we do not have sufficient space for reflection we can even use Image then Canvas Size and increase the size of the canvas below in order to give the reflection below.

Step 3: Now let’s make a copy of our jewelry piece. Select the Magic Wand Tool from the left. Now with the help of the Shift key on the keyboard please select the entire area except the jewelry as shown below.

Step 4: Now go to Select>Inverse and you will find that My piece of jewelry is selected instead. Now Go to Layer, click on New and then select Layer Via Copy. This will make a copy of Jewelry.

Step 5: Now go to Edit Transform and Flip Vertical. Now select Opacity to 30% and adjust as per your liking.

Step 6: Now I believe to use the easiest way and that is the Eraser tool. Please set the following values and you can fade off the jewelry as per your liking. Hardness: 30 and brush: 38 px.

Step 7: You can even use this effect. Go to Filter>Blur then Gaussian Blur. Set the radius to 1.5. Now your reflection looks natural.

You can even use this effect in the following areas. Any product Reflection ads also use this effect extensively like Wine Glass or crockery. In-text effects for creating a reflecting effect etc.

Conclusion

It is often much easier to replicate in Photoshop than to catch one in film. Use these simple steps to create an interesting Photoshop reflection image to improve rather boring photography.

Recommended Articles

This is a guide to Reflection Effect in Photoshop. Here we discuss the steps to create water and Jewelry ads and Reflection in after effects. You can also go through our other related articles to learn more –

1. Introduction to Text Effects in Photoshop
2. How to Create a Mirror Effect in Photoshop?
3. Uses of Patch Tool in Photoshop
4. Adding Keyframes in After Effects
5. Lasso Tool in Photoshop