When combining images, you may have to create a new reflection for the objects that you moved from the original image. Obviously, this is necessary only if there is a reflective element in your new composition. Even if you are not combining images, you may also want to create or retouch the reflections in your images to enhance the visual effect. In this example, my camera lens was not wide enough to take in the entire scene so I added the reflection later in Photoshop Elements.
- Open the Image
- Select [Image]-[Resize]-[Canvas Size] from the menu bar. In the Canvas Size dialog box, click on the top center square on the Anchor grid. This will anchor the image to the top center position of the canvas. Increase the Height to 20 cm. Click OK.
- Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool image from the toolbox.
- The extra space added to the canvas will take on the background color indicated at the bottom of the toolbox. For this exercise, use a white background color.
- Select [Layer]-[New]-[Layer via Copy] from the menu bar to create a copy of the selection on a new layer. In the Layers palette, you can see that a new layer is creat¬ed for the copy.
- Select [Image]-[Rotate]-[Flip Layer Vertical] from the menu bar to flip the copy vertically.
- Select the Move Tool from the toolbox.
- Drag the copy to the bottom of the original image to use it as the reflection.
- Select [Filter]-[Distort]-[Ripple] from the menu bar. In the Ripple dialog box, set Amount to 310%. Click OK.
- Select [Filter]-[Blur]-[Gaussian Blur] from the menu bar. In the Gaussian Blur dialog box, set Radius to 2 pixels to blur the image slightly. This will make the reflection look more realistic. Click OK.
- Select the Burn Tool from the toolbox. In the options bar, set Brush to Soft Round, Size to 250 pixels, Range to Midtones and Exposure to 50%.
- Drag over the reflection to make it darker.
