It's damn easy using Elements. So here goes the steps:
1. Choose your model. I chose my favorite one.
I could manage to extract the selection using refine edge tool in Elements as described in Refine Edge tutorial. I created a new layer out of this selection by right clicking and choosing- Layer via Copy.
2. Create another new blank layer using Control+Shift +N or through layers menu>New layer. Drag this layer below the selection layer we create in last step. Choose paint bucket tool from left tool panel, changing background color in color picker tool to white and then painting it over this new layer.
3. Created a copy of this layer by right clicking it in layer panel and
choosing "Duplicate layer". Same can also be done by dragging this layer
to new layer icon in layer palette or just using the shortcut
"Control+J" on Win and "Cmd+J" on MAC.
4. Select this layer copy in layer palette and click on the thumbnail pressing COntrol key. This will select the model here.
Now select brush tool and keeping this new layer selected as shown, paint it over with black. Since the selection is ON, the brush won't paint outside the selection edges.
Here is what you see post that:
You can add a little blur to this shadow layer from Filter>Blur>Gaussian blur.
5. Now we are just two steps away from the final result. Go to Image>Transform> Free Transform or just press control+T, keeping top most layer we just painted as the one selected in Layers palette:
Keeping Control key pressed, move the edges of the transformation boundary such that the shadow part now goes towards the ground as shown. You can tweak the shadow in a way you want, imagining the source of light as per your needs. Click the green commit button when you see better placement. Make sure you now make the shadow layer as second by dragging it down otherwise your shadow will paint black over the body. So in order to make it behind the body, drag it below the selection layer.
One most important thing is that you must coincide the feet of person with the feet in shadow here while transforming else they would be disjoint and not look realistic or seem like person flying in the air :)
6. The last step is to reduce the opacity of the shadow. This can be done from layers paleete by selecting this layer and reducing opacity to something around 60-70% or as per your need.
Here goes my final result:
Shadow added using Adobe Photoshop Elements
I have been receiving suggestions from the readers of this blog about the content and some specific tutorial requests using Elements. Suggestions and feedback are welcome. I will try to respond as soon as I can.
http://dlvr.it/THm79S
