Create a ghostly effect using Photoshop filters

An intriguing tutorial in which I will show you how to create a creepy, ghost like effect on any give photo using Photoshop CC.

Open a photo of a person you want to turn into a ghost.

I've chosen the actor Bruce Willis. Do you know the title of the movie he played a ghost in?

In the layer pallet click the more options button and choose Convert to Smart Object option.

Layer is now in a smart object mode.

I will show you later on why this is useful ...

In the menu click Filter, Blur and choose Motion Blur...

In the dialog window Choose the same settings as I did and click OK.

This is how your photo should look like at this point.

As you turned the layer into a smart object, the Motion Blur filter you applied also became a Smart Filter. Smart filter is now a new layer or rather a mask over your original layer. You can adjust it at any time or even disable it. That would not be the case of the layer was just an ordinary layer.

Now click the Smart Filter thumbnail (see picture).

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Choose the Brush Tool (B for a keyboard shortcut).

Press D key, to set the black/white color.

In the toolbar above set the Opacity to about 20% (see picture).

Right-click the document and choose the similar settings as I did. Press Enter to confirm your settings.

Now carefully click the parts of the photo you want to uncover.

Now take a look at the smart filter mask, you should see some changes there in a form of dark spots.

In the layer pallet click the more options button and choose Convert to Smart Object option.

In the menu click Filter and choose Filter Gallery...

In the Filter Gallery window open Distort and choose Diffuse Glow.

Now choose the similar settings to mine and click OK.

Click the Smart Filter's settings button (see picture).

And reduce the Opacity a bit then click OK.

And again, this is the main advantage of the smart objects and filters, you can change the settings at will and at any give time.

Done!





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