Photoshop’s new Sky Replacement feature has been getting a lot of great feedback. In this tutorial we’ll take a deeper look at all of the settings in Photoshop 2021’s brand new Sky Replacement tool (including how to create a reflection).
Free Sky Sample Pack: https://mattk.photos/sky-landing
The Full Sky Replacement Pack: https://mattk.com/product/sky-replacement/
About Me
I love teaching and photography... In that order. I feel that enjoying photography, and photo editing can get WAY too complicated. So my personal mission (and favorite thing to do), is to create education that simplifies the process of taking great photos, and how to edit them to get the results you’ve always wanted.
Hi Matt, I love this option. However I came to replace a sky on my Surface Pro and when I clicked on Sky Replacement the box opened and also a box with ” Could not complete your request because of a program error”. If I click OK it just closes. I have uninstalled Photoshop 2021 and reinstalled it but it is still the same. Have you any ideas please. I am on the Photography Plan and all works perfectly on my main pc. The way you put things over Matt is brilliant and I really enjoy all the videos, usually watch them late at night over here in England.
Hi and thanks for the kind words. Unfortunately that’s not a “teaching” related error and… well… exactly what it says “a program error”. Best I can suggest is a google search or contacting Adobe. Good luck! 🙂
Is there a way to add skies to the collection without opening another image for replacement? I just want to photograph and edit my own skies and then save it directly in PS as a sky replacement. It seems you have to take the extra step to save it and then open an image so the sky replacement box opens and then “create new sky presets” to add them.
What I liked about your presentation is that it is thorough and easy to follow. The information you convey is very compete. Thank you.
Hi Matt, your tutorial is awesome. But I have a problem when I got to the using of the “Move” tool. I was trying to practice all the way to creating a reflection. When attempting to move the sky, after flipping it vertical, the whole thing move and therefore revealed the original sky.
Hi Dina. That’s a hard one to troubleshoot via comments. Best I can suggest is maybe stop the video a few times and see if you have the same things selected that I have. Thanks.
Hi Matt
Excellent intro to the sky replacement tool,
especially the finite adjustments!
Thanks as always for getting us started!
Hi Matt, awesome tutorial. I did practice following the instructions until I get to the using of the “Move” tool. This is when creating a reflection. I click the “move” tool on the sky and attempted to move it on the bottom of my image. But then the original sky showed or revealed.
Fantastic tutorial…extremely helpful, especially the reflection. Thank you for all of you instructions…always needed…
Hi Matt:
I’m trying to order your preset replacement skies package, but don’t seem to be able to. I also tried to get the free sky replacement, put in my email and never got it. Please help me!!
Hi. Can you please click the Contact or Support link in the menu and let us know why you can’t order? Thanks!
Hi Matt,
As usual, the course is top notch.
Two questions.
In what folder are the sky photos stored?
Other than size, is there a reason not to store the skies as RAW files?
Thanks
Hi Jack.
1) I don’t know
2) You won’t get to edit the raw file once you add the sky, so there would be no purpose to adding them as raw files.
Thanks.
Hi Matt, excellent video, thank you. One question: does any sky do, for example can I use a sky photo that has 6 Mpix to replace a sky in a photo that has 24 Mpix (using Scale, I presume)? Or use a sky cut out from another photo?
Hi. If it’s a smaller sky than the size of the file, then it will need to scale. I think PS auto sizes it to fit the canvas, but it’s always worth giving it a try to see what happens and how it looks. Thanks!
Thank you, it seems it’s working. I used a 12 Mpix 240 DPI sky photo (jpg) to replace the sky in a 24 Mpix 300 DPI jpg photo, and the resolution of the resulting photo is still 24 Mpix, 300 dpi.
Hi. The resolution of the resulting photo will always be exactly what the resolution of the photo you have open. Now… the sky you added will have automatically gotten upsized, but from the sounds of it, it still looks good.
Matt, I’m curious about the components of the Foreground Lighting layer. There is a mask similar to the Sky mask, but how is that adjustment layer to its left made up?
Hi Bert. I don’t know how to explain that. It’s part of what they’re doing behind the scenes to make a good blend is about all I know is happening.
Excellent lesson…. Thanks
Excellent explanation! I wasn’t knowing all these adjustments when I watched a few videos on the new features o PS 2021. Thanks Matt.
As always Matt you do such a wonderful job of explaining the new features. I look forward to your explanations when a new version of Lightroom/Photoshop come out.
Thanks, Matt, Wonderful video about a great new PS feature.
Thank you Matt;
You are the best, it most likely would have taken me weeks to learn the sky replacement tool, but now I feel a lot more comfortable using it.
As always Matt, you are a great teacher! When Photoshop comes out with all these new items, some of us (or atleast me) are not as technically advanced with layers, masking, blend modes…your straigh forward transulate as to all that is happening makes using these new tools more approachable. Thank you so much, I have always been and always be a follower…a happy follower!
Great video Matt! One problem, when I save the new photo with the sky replacement, it does not have the sky replacement change back it LR. I have two copies without edits. What am I doing wrong?
Matt, thanks so much for the thorough explanation! I have noticed that when ‘moving’ or shifting, the replacement sky that has been selected does not cover the entire image. Is there a way to adjust (transform) the selected sky so that it will catch those areas that may have sky showing towards the bottom of the image? Similar to the transform tool when masking in OnOne?
Hi Pat. If you re-watch the video you’ll see I covered the “Scale” option which will do that. Alternatively you can always adjust the layers and mask afterwards. Thanks!
Thanks Matt. I did see the scale explanation. But unless I’m missing something it doesn’t seem to scale to the point of covering the original image entirely. I’ll try adjusting the layers afterward, as you suggest.
Sky replacements are great if there are skies there. But I would like to be able to put sky replacements in just regular images where there are no skies. I have needed that many times. When is PS going to do that?
Use select subject under the selection menu. It can output a mask. Then put the picture you want to replace below the subject layer.
Hi Anne. They did add that a few years ago. Just go to Select > Subject. Also there is an Object Selection tool you can look up for more info. And finally there is a “Remove Background” option as well. If you google them you’ll find out more on how to use them. Good luck!
Luminar came out with this sky replacement a while back and I guess Photoshop just added some more to it. Great job explaining how it works.
Great … thanks as always … I have so many photos that can be better! I do a lot of guided tours which are great for sightseeing but they are not so focused on being at the right place with the right light. So many white skies! I haven’t practiced with the reflection yet … that’s tomorrow. Appreciate you Matt!
Thanks Matt for all you do and for sharing your knowledge
Love your video and easily understandable instructions. Now if only the update to Photoshop is ever made available to me I’ll get to go try it out!!
You are a great instructor!!!
Super!
Matt….this was great. I watched both and learned a lot. So thanks.
By the way, did you notice the large increase in the size of the file once the sky replacement is applied? It really gets very big.
Thanks again.
Doug
Hey Doug. Any time you add a duplicate layer, a sky layer and adjustment layers your document will grow exponentially. Just add one layer and save it as a PSD and your file size will go up x 4. So it’s not necessarily a sky replacement that’s doing it. Its just the nature of editing in Photoshop.
Excellent explanation. You do a wonderful job of step by step instruction.
Thanks Jeff!
I have many photos that could use this feature. Awesome
Liked this video.
Great video Matt, as usual. Thanks!