• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Behance
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • 0 items$0.00
PTC Logo

Photoshop Training Channel

  • About
    • About The Photoshop Training Channel
    • FAQ’s
  • Tutorials
    • All Tutorials
    • 3D Photoshop Tutorials
    • Compositing Photoshop Tutorials
    • Graphic Design Photoshop Tutorials
    • Retouching Photoshop Tutorials
    • Photoshop Tools & Techniques
    • Photoshop Text Effects
    • Tip Of The Day
    • Amazon.com Tutorials
  • Premium Tutorials
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • PTC Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
  • Resources
    • Events
  • Join The PTC Newsletter
Home » Photoshop Tutorials » Photoshop Effects » Glass Window Reflection Effect In Photoshop

Glass Window Reflection Effect In Photoshop

3k
SHARES
Share on FacebookPin in Pinterest
Share on TwitterLinkedinWhatsappReddit
Subscribe on YouTube!

Posted In: Photoshop Effects | Watch on YouTube

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a window reflection effect in Photoshop.

This effect will create the illusion that the photo was taken through a glass window.

The images used in this Photoshop tutorial are all Adobe Stock images, but you could easily follow along with your photos with no problem at all.

This technique helps give your photo a bit more depth and emotion. Even if you never intend to fake reflections in Photoshop, this tutorial will still serve as a great crash course in how Blending Modes work, and how to use adjustment layers to control how they blend.

Table of contents

  • Getting Started Window Reflection Effect In Photoshop
  • Use Blending Modes To Create A Reflection Effect
  • Tips and Useful Techniques
  • Add a Color Tint to Enhance The Glass Effect
  • Applying a Texture To Create a Stained Glass Effect
  • Creating  Highlights and Flares
  • Blur and Add Noise To Create a More Cohesive Image
  • Other Things You Can Do To Improve The Window Reflection Effect In Photoshop

Getting Started Window Reflection Effect In Photoshop

You will need at least three images to work with: a subject, a reflection image, and a texture image which will be necessary to create a stained glass effect.

You could find the photos used in this video on Adobe Stock, or you can simply shoot your own in just a few minutes.

Stock images utilized in this tutorial:

Woman:
https://stock.adobe.com/stock-photo/time-for-breakfast/107361711

Busy City:
https://stock.adobe.com/stock-photo/busy-city/3977204

Glass Texture:
https://stock.adobe.com/stock-photo/dirty-glass/40196017

Use Blending Modes To Create A Reflection Effect

This video will teach you to work with Blending Modes to create a reflection effect.

We will do a quick crash course on how blending modes work and how they can help us create a window reflection effect in Photoshop.

Tips and Useful Techniques

This video shares many tips and helpful techniques to adjust the reflection layer to fit the picture perfectly.

The first way is to create a new Levels Adjustment Layer to change the luminance values fo the reflection layer to show or hide different areas to make the reflection work better.

This is possible because the reflection layer is set to the Lighten Blending Mode which conceals dark pixels and reveals bright pixels. This means that as pixels become darker than 50% gray, they start disappearing. If they become brighter than 50% gray, then they start appearing.

Another useful technique is to clip a Black & White Adjustment Layer to the reflection layer. Then set the Blending Mode to Luminosity and adjust the luminance values of specific colors to conceal or reveal them.

Add a Color Tint to Enhance The Glass Effect

Have you ever noticed that some glass windows have a green or blue tint? In this video, you will learn how to re-create this effect with a Hue & Saturation Adjustment Layer.

By checking the “Colorize” checkbox you can apply a color to an entire layer, then use the Opacity slider to adjust the intensity of that color.

Applying a Texture To Create a Stained Glass Effect

Perfection doesn’t exist in the real world. Even the cleanest windows should have some dust or stains. To make the composite look more natural, we will use a texture layer to apply subtle stains on the glass.

You don’t need to worry about creating complicated masks since we will use the “Blend If” sliders in the Layers Styles window to selectively hide bright pixels and keep the dark ones.

Creating  Highlights and Flares

This Photoshop tutorial will show you how to create lights shining on the glass with the help of the Linear Dodge (Add) blending mode.

Linear Dodge (Add) is one of the 8 special blending modes in Photoshop that gives your different results when you adjust opacity compared to fill. Also, these eight blending modes blend differently when the “Transparency Shapes Layer” checkbox is unchecked in the Layers Style window.

Blur and Add Noise To Create a More Cohesive Image

With the Lens Blur filter, we’ll add a slight blur and add a bit of noise to make the image blend better and make it appear more as a real photo and not a composite.

This is a trick that you can use on all your composites, not just this glass window reflection effect.

Other Things You Can Do To Improve The Window Reflection Effect In Photoshop

We did not have enough time in this video to show all the different things that you can do to create a realistic glass window effect.

In your own projects, you may want to try different things to enhance this effect, such as flipping the image horizontally. Especially if there is visible text since in the real world, a reflection will show the text inverted.

You may also want to blur the reflection layer to match the depth of field in the image. Having a reflection that is too sharp may be a give-a-away that the image is a composite.

This Glass Window Reflection Effect Tutorial You Will Learn How To:

00:46 – Insert Adobe Stock Images
01:36 – Create The Reflection Effect With The Lighten Blend Mode
02:00 – Use the Levels Adjustment Layer To Enhance the Lighten Blend Mode
04:46 – Enhance The Highlights of The Reflection
06:05 – Creating a Green Tint to Enhance a Window Effect
06:48 – Using a Texture To Add Dirty to The Glass
07:56 – Add a Darkening Gradient
08:43 – Create Highlights and Flares
12:06 – Add a Blur and Noise To Make The Composite More Cohesive

Final Image

Drag The Slider To See Before & After

Diggin' these tutorials? Sign up for updates and subscriber-only tutorials…It's FREE!

Other Photoshop Tutorials You Might Like:

  • Zombie Photoshop Tutorial
  • How To Make Someone Older In Photoshop – Young To Old Tutorial
  • Make Money In PhotoshopHow To Make Money With Photoshop

About Jesus Ramirez

Jesús Ramirez is a digital graphics expert, speaker, and educator specializing in Adobe Photoshop. Jesús is best known as the founder of the Photoshop Training Channel, one of the most popular Photoshop YouTube channels in the world. More.

Follow: Instagram / YouTube / Twitter

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Johnny Hernández says

    September 13, 2016 at 7:42 pm

    Thanks so much, Jesús!

    Reply
    • Photoshop Training Channel says

      September 18, 2016 at 7:01 pm

      You’re welcome, Johnny!

      Reply
  2. Jeffrey Moey says

    September 21, 2016 at 9:36 pm

    Impressive tutorial! Since I’m a new beginner may I know how to open these 3 files (Dirty Glass, Busy City and Woman) into one on top another as 3 Layers.

    Reply
    • Photoshop Training Channel says

      September 21, 2016 at 10:06 pm

      After you open the first one you can go to File > Place Embedded. (or File > Place,if you’re on CS6).
      If you are using a CC library then open the Libraries panel (Window > Library) and drag them into the canvas.

      Reply
  3. Susie learey says

    October 6, 2016 at 6:29 pm

    What is the website you discovered?
    S

    Reply
    • Photoshop Training Channel says

      November 27, 2016 at 3:50 pm

      Susie, I don’t understand your question. What website?

      Reply
  4. jose Paredes says

    November 19, 2016 at 6:59 am

    Jesus , I am product photographer in Venezuela . I think that your tutorial are most comprehensive tutorials availables right now . Really amazing .

    If possible let me know how to do get the before and after slider effect . Your help will be apreciated

    Reply
    • Photoshop Training Channel says

      November 24, 2016 at 11:41 pm

      Jose, the slider is a WordPress plugin called TwentyTwenty

      Reply
  5. birgit faehse says

    November 16, 2017 at 1:02 am

    are you stock photos in the video with costs or can I download them?

    Reply
    • Photoshop Training Channel says

      March 6, 2018 at 3:03 pm

      They are from Adobe Stock, and are not free. However, you can download a watermarked version to practice on.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Join Over 52,000

Photoshop users who subscribe to receive tutorials straight into their inbox!

About Me:

Profile Image

Follow

Jesús Ramirez is the founder of the Photoshop Training Channel, a top Photoshop training YouTube channel with more than 1,300,000 subscribers. More.

Click The Buttons Below!

  • Follow
  • Instagram

Photoshop Tip Of The Day:

August 7, 2018

To activate multiple layers using your keyboard, press Shift Alt [ (Mac: Shift Option [) to activate the layer below the currently selected layer (or the ] key to activate the layer above).

You can keep adding to the selection one layer at a time by tapping on either of the bracket keys while holding down Shift and Alt (Mac: Option).

Get more Photoshop tips →

Tutorial Flashback

  • scripst-event-manager-photoshop
    Using The Script Events Manager In Adobe Photoshop CS6

Search

Upcoming Events

Jesús Ramirez will be presenting at the following conferences or events:

June 10, 2019
CreativePro Week 2019
CreativePro
Seattle, WA

See Previous Events

PTC’s Most Shared Tutorials This Month

  •  
    How To Blur Backgrounds in Photoshop [FAST & EASY]...
    M
    141 Shares
  •  
    Photoshop 2021 All The Best NEW Features EXPLAINED!...
    P
    106 Shares
  •  
    Make Better Cut-Outs in Photoshop with These 3 Amazing Tricks!...
    L
    89 Shares
  •  
    Photoshop 2021: Color Grading in Camera Raw...
    60 Shares
  •  
    How To Remove a Background In Photoshop [For Beginners!]...
    L
    50 Shares

My Tutorials in Spanish – Mis Tutoriales en Español

videosptc.com

Footer

About PTC

The Photoshop Training Channel is a Photoshop resource site for beginners. PTC was founded in July 2012 by Jesús Ramirez. The main goal of this site is to provide quality tips, tricks, hacks, and other Photoshop resources that allows beginners to improve their skills. More.

Connect with Us

Questions? If you have any questions, please feel free to Contact Us!
  • Behance
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Every week we'll send you Photoshop in-depth tutorials!
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY OF 52,000+ Photoshop Users!

Privacy Policy | Sitemap
Copyright © 2012 - 2021 Photoshop Training Channel.
Adobe, the Adobe Logo, Photoshop and Lightroom are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.