Step By step Bring on The fireworks

Use blend modes and layer masks to combine fireworks and reflections with your photos

01 Drop it in

Open fireworks_base and fireworks01 into Photoshop Elements and click on Expert mode at the top of the display. Grab the Move tool from the Tools Panel, then drag the fireworks up to the tab of the main image, then down inside the window to copy the layer over.

02 blend with lighten

Go to the Layers Panel (Window>layers), click the Blend Mode drop-down at the top, and change it from Normal to Lighten. Press Cmd/ctrl+t, then use the bounding box to transform, resize and position the layer in the sky. Hit Enter to apply.

03 Control the brightness

Click the Create Adjustment Layer icon in the Layers Panel and choose Levels. Click the square Clip To Layer icon in the Levels box, then drag the black point across until the green smoke disappears. Repeat steps 1-3 to add more fireworks in the same way.

04 tuck it behind

Highlight the bottom layer and hit Cmd/ctrl+j to make a copy, then drag it to the top of the stack. Grab the Magic Wand. Set Tolerance to 8, hold Shift and click repeatedly over the sky to select it all. Hold Alt and click the Add Layer Mask icon in the Layers Panel.

05 Make a reflection

Hold Shift, click top Levels layer and bottom fireworks layer. Hit Cmd/ctrl+g to group them, and Cmd/ctrl+j to copy group. Drag it to top of stack. Go to Layer> Simplify Layer. Change Blend Mode to Lighten, go to Image>rotate>flip Layer Vertical and place reflection.

06 fine-tune with filters

Hit Cmd/ctrl+a to select all. Go to Filter>distort> Displace. Set Horizontal and Vertical to 40, then load ripples.psd. Go to Filter>blur>lens Blur. Set Angle 0, Distance 30. Click Add Layer Mask, grab Brush, paint black to hide reflection where it’s behind buildings.