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Replace the sky in your photos

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  1. Photoshop User Guide
  2. Introduction to Photoshop
    1. Dream it. Make it.
    2. What's new in Photoshop
    3. Edit your first photo
    4. Create documents
    5. Photoshop | Common Questions
    6. Photoshop system requirements
    7. Migrate presets, actions, and settings
    8. Get to know Photoshop
  3. Photoshop and other Adobe products and services
    1. Work with Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
    2. Work with Photoshop files in InDesign
    3. Substance 3D Materials for Photoshop
    4. Photoshop and Adobe Stock
    5. Use the Capture in-app extension in Photoshop
    6. Creative Cloud Libraries
    7. Creative Cloud Libraries in Photoshop
    8. Use the Touch Bar with Photoshop
    9. Grid and guides
    10. Creating actions
    11. Undo and history
  4. Photoshop on the iPad
    1. Photoshop on the iPad | Common questions
    2. Get to know the workspace
    3. System requirements | Photoshop on the iPad
    4. Create, open, and export documents
    5. Add photos
    6. Work with layers
    7. Draw and paint with brushes
    8. Make selections and add masks
    9. Retouch your composites
    10. Work with adjustment layers
    11. Adjust the tonality of your composite with Curves
    12. Apply transform operations
    13. Crop and rotate your composites
    14. Rotate, pan, zoom, and reset the canvas
    15. Work with Type layers
    16. Work with Photoshop and Lightroom
    17. Get missing fonts in Photoshop on the iPad
    18. Japanese Text in Photoshop on the iPad
    19. Manage app settings
    20. Touch shortcuts and gestures
    21. Keyboard shortcuts
    22. Edit your image size
    23. Livestream as you create in Photoshop on the iPad
    24. Correct imperfections with the Healing Brush
    25. Create brushes in Capture and use them in Photoshop
    26. Work with Camera Raw files
    27. Create and work with Smart Objects
    28. Adjust exposure in your images with Dodge and Burn
  5. Photoshop on the web beta
    1. Common questions | Photoshop on the web beta 
    2. Introduction to the workspace
    3. System requirements | Photoshop on the web beta
    4. Keyboard shortcuts | Photoshop on the web beta
    5. Supported file types | Photoshop on the web beta
    6. Open and work with cloud documents
    7. Apply limited edits to your cloud documents
    8. Collaborate with stakeholders
  6. Cloud documents
    1. Photoshop cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Photoshop cloud documents | Workflow questions
    3. Manage and work with cloud documents in Photoshop
    4. Upgrade cloud storage for Photoshop
    5. Unable to create or save a cloud document
    6. Solve Photoshop cloud document errors
    7. Collect cloud document sync logs
    8. Share access and edit your cloud documents
    9. Share files and comment in-app
  7. Workspace
    1. Workspace basics
    2. Preferences
    3. Learn faster with the Photoshop Discover Panel
    4. Create documents
    5. Place files
    6. Default keyboard shortcuts
    7. Customize keyboard shortcuts
    8. Tool galleries
    9. Performance preferences
    10. Use tools
    11. Presets
    12. Grid and guides
    13. Touch gestures
    14. Use the Touch Bar with Photoshop
    15. Touch capabilities and customizable workspaces
    16. Technology previews
    17. Metadata and notes
    18. Touch capabilities and customizable workspaces
    19. Place Photoshop images in other applications
    20. Rulers
    21. Show or hide non-printing Extras
    22. Specify columns for an image
    23. Undo and history
    24. Panels and menus
    25. Position elements with snapping
    26. Position with the Ruler tool
  8. Web, screen, and app design
    1. Photoshop for design
    2. Artboards
    3. Device Preview
    4. Copy CSS from layers
    5. Slice web pages
    6. HTML options for slices
    7. Modify slice layout
    8. Work with web graphics
    9. Create web photo galleries
  9. Image and color basics
    1. How to resize images
    2. Work with raster and vector images
    3. Image size and resolution
    4. Acquire images from cameras and scanners
    5. Create, open, and import images
    6. View images
    7. Invalid JPEG Marker error | Opening images
    8. Viewing multiple images
    9. Customize color pickers and swatches
    10. High dynamic range images
    11. Match colors in your image
    12. Convert between color modes
    13. Color modes
    14. Erase parts of an image
    15. Blending modes
    16. Choose colors
    17. Customize indexed color tables
    18. Image information
    19. Distort filters are unavailable
    20. About color
    21. Color and monochrome adjustments using channels
    22. Choose colors in the Color and Swatches panels
    23. Sample
    24. Color mode or Image mode
    25. Color cast
    26. Add a conditional mode change to an action
    27. Add swatches from HTML CSS and SVG
    28. Bit depth and preferences
  10. Layers
    1. Layer basics
    2. Nondestructive editing
    3. Create and manage layers and groups
    4. Select, group, and link layers
    5. Place images into frames
    6. Layer opacity and blending
    7. Mask layers
    8. Apply Smart Filters
    9. Layer comps
    10. Move, stack, and lock layers
    11. Mask layers with vector masks
    12. Manage layers and groups
    13. Layer effects and styles
    14. Edit layer masks
    15. Extract assets
    16. Reveal layers with clipping masks
    17. Generate image assets from layers
    18. Work with Smart Objects
    19. Blending modes
    20. Combine multiple images into a group portrait
    21. Combine images with Auto-Blend Layers
    22. Align and distribute layers
    23. Copy CSS from layers
    24. Load selections from a layer or layer mask's boundaries
    25. Knockout to reveal content from other layers
  11. Selections
    1. Get started with selections
    2. Make selections in your composite
    3. Select and Mask workspace
    4. Select with the marquee tools
    5. Select with the lasso tools
    6. Adjust pixel selections
    7. Move, copy, and delete selected pixels
    8. Create a temporary quick mask
    9. Select a color range in an image
    10. Convert between paths and selection borders
    11. Channel basics
    12. Save selections and alpha channel masks
    13. Select the image areas in focus
    14. Duplicate, split, and merge channels
    15. Channel calculations
  12. Image adjustments
    1. Replace object colors
    2. Perspective warp
    3. Reduce camera shake blurring
    4. Healing brush examples
    5. Export color lookup tables
    6. Adjust image sharpness and blur
    7. Understand color adjustments
    8. Apply a Brightness/Contrast adjustment
    9. Adjust shadow and highlight detail
    10. Levels adjustment
    11. Adjust hue and saturation
    12. Adjust vibrance
    13. Adjust color saturation in image areas
    14. Make quick tonal adjustments
    15. Apply special color effects to images
    16. Enhance your image with color balance adjustments
    17. High dynamic range images
    18. View histograms and pixel values
    19. Match colors in your image
    20. Crop and straighten photos
    21. Convert a color image to black and white
    22. Adjustment and fill layers
    23. Curves adjustment
    24. Blending modes
    25. Target images for press
    26. Adjust color and tone with Levels and Curves eyedroppers
    27. Adjust HDR exposure and toning
    28. Dodge or burn image areas
    29. Make selective color adjustments
  13. Adobe Camera Raw
    1. Camera Raw system requirements
    2. What's new in Camera Raw
    3. Introduction to Camera Raw
    4. Create panoramas
    5. Supported lenses
    6. Vignette, grain, and dehaze effects in Camera Raw
    7. Default keyboard shortcuts
    8. Automatic perspective correction in Camera Raw
    9. Radial Filter in Camera Raw
    10. Manage Camera Raw settings
    11. Open, process, and save images in Camera Raw
    12. Repair images with the Enhanced Spot Removal tool in Camera Raw
    13. Rotate, crop, and adjust images
    14. Adjust color rendering in Camera Raw
    15. Process versions in Camera Raw
    16. Make local adjustments in Camera Raw
  14. Image repair and restoration
    1. Remove objects from your photos with Content-Aware Fill
    2. Content-Aware Patch and Move
    3. Retouch and repair photos
    4. Correct image distortion and noise
    5. Basic troubleshooting steps to fix most issues
  15. Image enhancement and transformation
    1. Replace sky in your images
    2. Transform objects
    3. Adjust crop, rotation, and canvas size
    4. How to crop and straighten photos
    5. Create and edit panoramic images
    6. Warp images, shapes, and paths
    7. Vanishing Point
    8. Content-aware scaling
    9. Transform images, shapes, and paths
  16. Drawing and painting
    1. Paint symmetrical patterns
    2. Draw rectangles and modify stroke options
    3. About drawing
    4. Draw and edit shapes
    5. Painting tools
    6. Create and modify brushes
    7. Blending modes
    8. Add color to paths
    9. Edit paths
    10. Paint with the Mixer Brush
    11. Brush presets
    12. Gradients
    13. Gradient interpolation
    14. Fill and stroke selections, layers, and paths
    15. Draw with the Pen tools
    16. Create patterns
    17. Generate a pattern using the Pattern Maker
    18. Manage paths
    19. Manage pattern libraries and presets
    20. Draw or paint with a graphics tablet
    21. Create textured brushes
    22. Add dynamic elements to brushes
    23. Gradient
    24. Paint stylized strokes with the Art History Brush
    25. Paint with a pattern
    26. Sync presets on multiple devices
  17. Text
    1. Add and edit the text
    2. Unified Text Engine
    3. Work with OpenType SVG fonts
    4. Format characters
    5. Format paragraphs
    6. How to create type effects
    7. Edit text
    8. Line and character spacing
    9. Arabic and Hebrew type
    10. Fonts
    11. Troubleshoot fonts
    12. Asian type
    13. Create type
  18. Filters and effects
    1. Use the Liquify filter
    2. Use the Blur Gallery
    3. Filter basics
    4. Filter effects reference
    5. Add Lighting Effects
    6. Use the Adaptive Wide Angle filter
    7. Use the Oil Paint filter
    8. Use the Liquify filter
    9. Layer effects and styles
    10. Apply specific filters
    11. Smudge image areas
  19. Saving and exporting
    1. Save your files in Photoshop
    2. Export your files in Photoshop
    3. Supported file formats
    4. Save files in graphics formats
    5. Move designs between Photoshop and Illustrator
    6. Save and export video and animations
    7. Save PDF files
    8. Digimarc copyright protection
  20. Color Management
    1. Understanding color management
    2. Keeping colors consistent
    3. Color settings
    4. Duotones
    5. Work with color profiles
    6. Color-managing documents for online viewing
    7. Color-managing documents when printing
    8. Color-managing imported images
    9. Proofing colors
  21. Web, screen, and app design
    1. Photoshop for design
    2. Artboards
    3. Device Preview
    4. Copy CSS from layers
    5. Slice web pages
    6. HTML options for slices
    7. Modify slice layout
    8. Work with web graphics
    9. Create web photo galleries
  22. Video and animation
    1. Video editing in Photoshop
    2. Edit video and animation layers
    3. Video and animation overview
    4. Preview video and animations
    5. Paint frames in video layers
    6. Import video files and image sequences
    7. Create frame animations
    8. Creative Cloud 3D Animation (Preview)
    9. Create timeline animations
    10. Create images for video
  23. Printing
    1. Print 3D objects
    2. Print from Photoshop
    3. Print with color management
    4. Contact Sheets and PDF Presentations
    5. Print photos in a picture package layout
    6. Print spot colors
    7. Print images to a commercial printing press
    8. Improve color prints from Photoshop
    9. Troubleshoot printing problems | Photoshop
  24. Automation
    1. Creating actions
    2. Create data-driven graphics
    3. Scripting
    4. Process a batch of files
    5. Play and manage actions
    6. Add conditional actions
    7. About actions and the Actions panel
    8. Record tools in actions
    9. Add a conditional mode change to an action
    10. Photoshop UI toolkit for plug-ins and scripts
  25. Content authenticity
    1. Learn about content credentials
    2. Identity and provenance for NFTs
    3. Connect accounts for creative attribution
  26. Photoshop 3D
    1. Photoshop 3D | Common questions around discontinued 3D features

Create the mood you want with a quick sky replacement

In the past, replacing the sky required multiple steps and careful fine tuning in order to achieve a seamless look. Now you can save time and get the look you want by letting Adobe Sensei do the masking and blending for you. 

Replaced sky

Add drama to your images with Sky Replacement

Introduced in October 2020 (v22.0) and updated in August 2021 (v22.5)

Reduce the number of steps in your photo editing workflow by using the new Sky Replacement feature.

Follow these 3 simple steps to get started:

  1. Access Sky Replacement

    Choose Edit > Sky Replacement.

  2. Choose a new sky

    • The Sky Replacement dialog will appear
    • Select a new sky from the included presets or add one of your own

  3. Adjust the settings to create the perfect image

    The sky area on the original image is automatically selected and masked, allowing the new sky to be displayed based on your selected options. For a seamless look, adjust the sliders to modify the sky and blend the foreground with the background colors.

    Easily replace the sky in your image
    Easily replace the sky in your image

Fine tune Sky Replacement settings

Sky Replacement panel in Photoshop

A. Sky Move tool B. Sky Brush C. Hand Tool D. Zoom Tool E. Manage sky presets F. Preset Preview Zoom G. Delete Skies H. Import skies from images I. Create a new sky group J. Recently used skies K. Sky Preset Menu 

In the Sky Replacement dialog, you can set the following options:

  • Shift Edge: Determines where the border between the sky and the original image begins.
  • Fade Edge: Sets the amount of fading or feathering from the sky image to the original photo along the edges
  • Brightness: Adjusts the brightness of the sky
  • Temperature: Adjusts the temperature of the sky warmer or cooler
  • Scale: Resizes the sky image
  • Flip: Flips the sky image horizontally
  • Lighting mode: Determines the blending mode used for lighting adjustments
  • Foreground Lighting: Use to set the contrast for foreground; a setting of zero will not make any adjustments
  • Edge Lighting: Slider to control the lighting adjustments applied to the object edges in your sky images; a setting of zero will not make any adjustments
  • Color Adjustment: Opacity slider that determines how strongly the foreground is harmonized with the sky colors - a setting of zero will not make any adjustments
  • Output: This allows you to select whether the changes to the image are placed on New Layers (named Sky Replacement Group) or a Duplicate Layer (single flattened layer)
sky replacement

Edge enhancement

With the April 2022 release of Photoshop 23.3, we have improved the quality along the edges of objects in Sky Replacement. Now the contrast between the foreground and background around the thin line objects is better preserved while the halo artifacts are also reduced when replacing a bright sky with a darker sky. The sky mask has been further enhanced for high-resolution images by introducing a new layer group with adjustments using multiply blend modes to improve the overall sky composite.

Edge enhancement in sky replacement
Use the Edge Lighting slider for better blending along edges of objects in your sky composite

To control the lighting adjustments applied to the object edges in your sky images, simply use the new Edge Lighting slider in the Sky Replacement dialog. Larger values provide higher contrast while reducing halos along the edges.

You can see a new layer group called the Edge Lighting Group is added to the layer stack of the sky replacement result. All the rest of the layers remains the same.

Edge lighting layer group

Select and manage sky presets

In the Sky Preset flyout menu, you can set the following options:

  • Import Skies:
    • Import Skies from images: Use for creating one or more new sky presets from your own sky images. This function allows you to select multiple images and import them as new presets in one batch.
    • Import Skies from Sky Presets: Use for importing existing sky presets from one or more .sky files.
sky replacement

  • Create New Sky Group: Create a new group of presets for various sky use cases that you frequently work with
  • Rename Sky: Change the name of a sky from the list
  • Delete Sky: Delete one or more skies from the list
  • Show Recents: Show recently accessed skies on the list
  • Append Default Skies: Use this option to append Sky defaults to the list of Sky presets
  • Export Selected Skies: Export chosen sky presets to a .sky file and save it on your machine.
  • Get More Skies: Takes you to the Adobe Discover website where you can view and download more sky images or sky presets, for free. 

Get More Skies for sky replacement

With the August 2021 (v22.5) release, a new menu item in the Sky Preset fly-out menu will take you to the Adobe Discover website where you can view and download more sky images for free.

Improved Sky Replacement panel
Use the Get More Skies option to browse through a number of free sky files and pick the perfect sky for your images

To access new sky files, do the following:

  1. Navigate to Edit > Sky Replacement.

  2. Click the Sky disclosure arrow to reveal the Manage Sky Presets panel.

  3. Click the gear icon in Manage Sky Presets panel to expose the fly-out Sky Preset menu.

  4. Choose Get More Skies...

    • The Sky Replacement dialog stays open, but the user’s default web browser is launched.
    • The web browser automatically opens to the Get More Skies page on the Adobe Discover website.

    If you are currently logged out on the website, you would be automatically logged in when being directed to the website from Photoshop.

  5. Select a Sky Pack for download. Each Sky Pack is represented with an animation of example images.

  6. The downloaded .sky file can be imported as a new sky preset in Sky Replacement by doing any of the following:

    • manually through the sky preset menu (both Mac/Win)
    • drag and drop .sky files to the Photoshop canvas while Sky Replacement is not open (both Mac/Win)
    • drag and drop onto the blank title bar area (Mac only)
    Get

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