Today I'm going to show you how to create
the popular 3D image post in Facebook using
Photoshop.
Yes, you can turn your normal images or composites
into 3D using the power of Photoshop and upload
it to Facebook right from your computer.
This feature is not any more restricted to
the iPhone.
Today, we're going to turn this composite
into 3D.
So, without any further ado, let's get started.
Back in the magical world of Photoshop, and
if you want to go ahead and download this
complete composite in the form of PSD with
every layer intact, check the link in the
description so that you can follow along.
So first of all, we have the composite ready,
all we need to create is the Depth map.
So before we do anything awesome, let us understand
what our Depth maps or what our maps for that
matter.
Maps give us information about a particular
area, right?
Depth maps give us information about the depth
of the image, or in other words, how far or
near the objects are.
And the way it does that is by using blacks
and whites.
The further the object is the blacker it's
going to be, the nearer the object is, the
whiter it's going to be.
Sometimes the color representation can be
opposite, but the concept remains the same.
Let's say the car is very far, it's going
to be very dark in the Depth map and in the
same image, the lamppost is very near to the
camera, it's going to be very bright.
So let's go ahead and create a Depth map for
this composite.
So as you can see, the sky is the furthest
from the camera.
So let's go ahead and make it completely black.
So create a new layer and we can put it under
the Depth group.
So, let's press Ctrl or Command + G with the
layer selected so that it's all inside one
group, and we can name this Depth.
Select this one and you can name this Sky,
if you wish to.
Now, let's go and select the sky.
You can choose any selection tool that you
like.
I'm going to use the Pen tool.
Press P for the Pen tool or select the Pen
tool right there.
Now, let's make a selection of the earth and
the sky and the outline over there.
Click, click and drag just like this.
Now, you can hold the Ctrl or Command and
play with the handle right there to make it
accurate.
It looks fine.
Let's complete it, bring it to the starting
point.
Right click on it, and choose Make Selection.
There you go, zero is fine and hit OK.
Now, let's fill the sky with black.
Make sure the foreground color is black and
then with the selection active, press Alt
+ Backspace or Option + Delete.
It's black now.
Press Ctrl or Command + D. Now have a look
at the earth.
It goes from nearer to further.
So, we need to create one more gradient.
So, let's click on the New Layer button right
there, place it under the Sky.
Now let's select the gradient.
It should be from black to white or white
to black, depending upon which direction you
stretch.
Further will be black, right, so I'm going
to stretch from there to here.
Fine.
Let's start from the sun area and go until
a little bit more.
There you go.
Now have a look at the line.
This line is too harsh.
We need to make it a little soft, right?
So select the sky and then go to Filter - Blur
and then Gaussian Blur.
Just a little bit of Gaussian Blur.
Not so much.
Just a touch.
Let's zoom in quite a bit here, about 4.9
or let's add 4.5.
It's fine for this example.
Hit OK and we are good to go.
Now let's add the cyclist.
The advantage of making the Depth group is
that you can always turn it off for reference.
Now, first of all, let's name this Earth,
then we will work on the cyclist.
Alright, so let's turn it off for a moment
and select the cyclist.
Now, since this is a composite, we already
have that layer, right.
So let's go to the Subject layer right there
at the bottom.
So this is the subject layer.
Let's open up this group and inside of that
we should have the subject.
To make a selection of the objects of a particular
layer, hold the Ctrl or Command, click on
the layer thumbnail to make a selection.
Now, we can turn on the depth.
Do you know what the color would be on the
cyclist?
The same color which is on the base of the
earth because it's on the same focal plane,
right.
So let's open up the group.
Now, above the Sky layer, let's create one
more new layer.
We can name this Cyclist.
Now, sample the color from the point where
the tyre touches the ground.
Double click on in here, then make sure Sample
- All Layers is selected, just sample this
color from right there, it's fine and hit
OK.
Once that is done, press Alt + Backspace or
Option + Delete to fill up the cyclist.
Now press Ctrl or Command + D, and we are
pretty much good to go.
Now it's time for us to add depth for the
aircraft.
So let's turn off the Depth for reference
and now we need to make a selection of this
area.
So we can use the Pen tool or any tool that
is your favorite.
So, I'm going to choose the Pen tool.
Select the Pen tool or press P to select the
pen tool, and now let's make a selection of
this area.
Now, to see the edges better, you can create
a Curves Adjustment layer.
You always know Curves is always going to
be my favorite and pick up the shadows just
to see this area properly.
Now with the help of the Pen tool, let's start
making the selection.
Now, keep in mind, you have to be super accurate
in here.
If you want to learn how to use the Pen tool,
you can always watch this complete guide.
And by the way, you can also use the Quick
Selection tool.
Whatever is your favorite.
It's almost done, let's complete the path.
From here, it's completed from the outside.
Doesn't matter how accurately you do it.
From the outside, it just doesn't matter.
Right click on it and choose Make Selection.
Now, before we do anything, here's a warning.
Once you have completed a path, let's just
name it Aircraft, so that you have it at your
disposal in case you lose the selection due
to any reasons.
So, Aircraft, there you go, it's safe right
now inside of the Paths tab.
Now let's go to the Layers tab and right click
on it and choose Make Selection.
Feather Radius zero is fine for now.
And hit OK.
Now we need to use Quick Mask to make the
selection soft in some areas.
So Press + Q to get to the Quick Mask mode.
The areas which are selected are in color,
the areas which are not selected are in red.
You can always change the setting by double
clicking on here and choose whatever color
you like and what that color represents.
I always keep it at these settings.
Hit OK.
You can choose whatever you want.
Press Q to get back to the Quick Mask mode
and now let's blur this area out.
If I press Q again, these selections were
meant to be a little softer, right?
So press Q, select the Blur tool right there,
click on in here, click on the group and select
the Blur tool and let's start blurring it
a little bit.
50% strength is fine.
Let's just add a simple blur in there, right,
just a simple blur.
There as well, a little bit over there.
Now, these are very sharp, so you don't have
to add blur so much.
Now, here there was a transition.
So let's add some transition.
Take the brush.
The areas where you paint white, those areas
will be selected, where you paint black, those
areas will not be selected.
So take the brush, make sure the foreground
color is white, press X to toggle between
the foreground and the background.
Let's make the brush a little smaller and
let's draw this gradient right there.
There we go.
Once we are happy with this, press Q again.
We're back to the selection.
Now, we can turn off this Curves, we don't
need this anymore.
Let's turn on the Depth.
Now, inside the Depth, on the top layer, so
let's select the topmost layer and click on
the New Layer button and fill this with white
because it's the nearest of the camera.
Make sure the foreground color is white.
Press X to toggle between the foreground and
the background.
Alt + Backspace or Option + Delete to fill
this up.
It's looking pretty good, right?
Now we are totally ready to upload it to Facebook.
So first of all let's turn off the Depth group
and save it as a complete image.
So go to File - Export - Export As, you can
choose PNG, you can choose JPG.
For this example, I'm going to leave it at
PNG and click on Export All.
Make sure the scale is 100%.
Export All.
Let's save it in a folder called Depth.
Let's name it.
This is very important.
Naming is the most important thing.
Let's name this Composite.
Simple.
And hit Save.
Now let's turn on the Depth map.
Let's go to Export As again.
Go to File - Export - Export As.
It should be the same.
It was 100%, it should be 100%, everything
same and click on Export All.
And this time, in the same folder, let's name
this one Composite_depth.
Whatever the name of the main file was, just
add '_depth'.
A simple trick is just click on this file,
this name will show up and let's add this
_depth and let's hit Save.
Now, we have both the images ready.
All we have to do is to upload it to Facebook
and let Facebook do the math.
So, here's my profile.
So I'm going to click on Photo/Video, locate
the folder and select both of these images.
So let's select both of them and click on
Open and Facebook will automatically do everything.
Have a look.
It's creating this 3D photo.
Have a look at it.
This is not bad.
Wonderful, isn't it?
Now, you can play with the settings and everything
and once you're ready, once you're happy with
everything, just click on Share.
So that's how to create 3D image posts on
Facebook using Photoshop.
By the way, you can use any software you want.
All you need is an image and its Depth map.
That's it.
Upload both of them on Facebook.
Just keep in mind, if the main image is named
ABC, the depth map should be named ABC_depth.
And upload both of them and let Facebook do
the math.
And also keep in mind, the nearer to the camera
or the screen, the brighter, the further,
the blacker.
That's it.
And it can vary in different platforms.
Maybe Facebook just updates tomorrow and tells
you the further the whiter and the nearer
the blacker, but the concept will remain the
same.
I hope this video helped you and if it did,
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Thanks so much for all your support.
Thank you for watching.
I'll see you guys in my next one.
Till then, stay tuned and make sure that you
keep creating.
