• Brush size: 700px
  • Hardness: 0%
  • Opacity: 18%
  • Flow: 100%
  • #: ffffff

Then, paint:

image028[3]

The result of that should be similar to this:

image029[3]

Create another layer (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N) and name it “Light 3”.

Activate the Brush tool (B) and input the following:

  • Brush size: 700px
  • Hardness: 0%
  • Opacity: 8%
  • Flow: 100%
  • #: ffffff
image030[3]

The result:

image031[3]

Next, we will darken some parts of the photo to make it look more dramatic. Create a new layer (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N) and name it “Darken 1”.

Activate the Brush tool (B) and then input the following:

  • Brush size: 900px
  • Hardness: 0%
  • Opacity: 25%
  • Flow: 100%
  • #: 000000
image032[3]

Let’s paint here:

image033[3]

The result should be similar to this:

image034[3]

Create a new layer once again (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N) and name it “Darken 2”.

Activate the Brush tool (B) and input the following:

  • Brush size: 900px
  • Hardness: 0%
  • Opacity: 25%
  • Flow: 100%
  • #: 000000
image035[3]

The result of that should be similar to this:

image036[3]

Now let’s enhance the exposure of the image. To do that, first click on the “Create New Fill/Adjustment layer” button.

image037[5]

Once up, click on “Exposure”.

image038[3]

When the Exposure box opens, input the following:

  • Exposure: 0.44
  • Offset: -0.0098
  • Gamma Correction: 1.10
image039[3]

The result of that should be similar to this:

image040[3]

Step 4: Create the Warriors

Now, we will be creating the warriors who are battling for their life in this dark forest. To start, open the stock image: “Knights” by jmjvicente. Once open, activate the Polygonal Lasso Tool (L) and create a selection area around these warriors.

image041[3]
image042[3]

Once you’ve made the selection area, activate the Move tool (V) and drag those warriors to our canvas.

Position them as shown below:

image043[3]

Next, rename this layer to “Warriors”.

After that, we would need to blend this layer’s color to the background. We would need to make give them a bluish color – to do that, go to Image > Adjustments > Color Balance.

Once it opens, input the following:

  • Color Levels: -56, 0, 0
  • Tone Balance: Midtones
  • Preserve Luminosity: Checked
image044[3]

Next, open the Color Balance box once again and input the following:

  • Color Levels: 0, 0, 24
  • Tone Balance: Shadows
  • Preserve Luminosity: Checked
image045[3]

The result of both those changes:

image046[3]

Next, let’s enhance the Brightness/Contrast of the warriors. Make sure that the “Warriors” layer is selected and then go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast and then input the following once there:

  • Brightness: -44
  • Contrast: -50
image047[3]

The result:

image048[3]

That still isn’t good, so let’s lower the Brightness/Contrast levels a little further. Go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast and then input the following once there:

  • Brightness: -33
  • Contrast: -17
image049[3]

The result:

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