Recreate James Popsys’ Multilocal image with Adobe Stock and Photoshop

We’ve teamed up with illustrator and photographer James Popsys to celebrate our recent Multilocalism Visual Trend. James has created an image that brings to life what multilocalism means to him, the merging of two different worlds into one.

James’s simple step-by-step guide to using Photoshop and Adobe Stock is designed to help you create your very own ‘multilocal’ creation. Let us know how James’ creation inspires your own creativity by tweeting us at @AdobeUK or dropping a note in our comments section…

1.Choosing your background

Go to the Adobe Stock Library in Photoshop, select the Skogafoss image, Choose** License image, then Right Click > Place Linked**, lower the opacity and place layer as you see fit.

Hit Enter, then move the opacity back to 100%, and place this layer underneath the Manchester file.

2. Select your tools

Select the Pen Tool and the Manchester file, draw around the tops of the buildings that you want to keep included in the final image, selecting the sky and any objects you don’t want to be included.

Right click > Make Selection and feather the selection by one pixel. Hit Create Layer Mask at the bottom of the layers panel. Hit **Command **(Control on a PC) + I to inverse the selection, and you should only see the parts of the Manchester file you want included.

If not, select the Brush Tool and with the Layer Mask selected, paint black in areas you want to hide, and white in areas you want to show.

3. Adding a curve

Add a curves adjustment layer above the Manchester image. Add a point in the middle of the curve and drag down.

Select the Curve’s Layer Mask. Hit **Command + I **to inverse it, and paint white in areas you want to see more pronounced shadows in.

Add as many curves layers as required to get shadows and highlights that you’re happy with. Select Manchester image and the curves layers and add them into a group.

4. Adding a new layer

On a new layer, select the Brush Tool, and with a brush of 1000px and 0% hardness and an opacity of 40% paint in white under the bridge to introduce mist and spray from the waterfall.

With all layers visible and the top layer selected, hit **Command + Option + Shift + E **to merge all layers into a new layer.

5. Working with the Marquee Tool

With the new layer selected, choose the Rectangular Marquee tool and select everything above the bottom of the bridge. Hit Command + C then Command_ + V_ to paste the selection onto a new layer.

6) Duplicating your layer

On the new layer, choose Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical, lower the opacity and move reflection into place, where the bridge legs meet the water. Create a Layer Mask and paint black any areas which water are not, and therefore should not have a reflection. Then raise the opacity back to 100%, hit Command + J to duplicate that layer.

7. Creating a displacement map

With the duplicate layer selected, to go Filter > Distort > Displace, and select your new displacement map, following the settings suggested in the video.

Hit Filter > Blur > Motion blur and with the angle at zero, experiment with an amount you’re happy with. Raise and lower the opacity of this layer as you see fit.

8) Make the water look realistic

Create a curves adjustment layer and drag a curve down from a central point. Inverse the Layer Mask, select the gradient tool and a gradient of white to transparent. Add a gradient from the bottom of the image to give the effect of a shadow at the bottom of the river. This helps make the water look more realistic.

9) Your multilocal image is now complete

Once you’re done, click Save! Feel free to play around and add your own touches to the image.

And that’s it! Your creative ‘multiocal’ image is ready to be shared online! Using 10-free Adobe Stock images, what will you create?

Special thanks to James Popsys for this great tutorial. Check out more of his work here