Step by step Transforming your shadow

Turn your shadow into this sinister-looking hybrid of man and bird

01 Convert to mono

Open the shadow image and go to the Layers panel (Window>layers). Click the Create Adjustment Layer icon and choose Black and White. Open the bird wings picture and use the Quick Selection tool. Paint a wing to select it and click the Select and Mask button.

02 Fill with Black

In the Select and Mask command paint the edge feathers with the Refine Edge tool to improve selection. When you’re happy, change Output to: Selection and hit OK. Next click the New Layer icon in the Layers panel then go to Edit>fill. Set Contents: Black and hit OK.

03 Position the wing

Grab the Move tool and drag the black wing to your main image to copy it. Hit Cmd/ctrl+t and use the bounding box to resize and rotate the wing to match the shape of the body. Press Enter to apply. Right-click the layer and select ‘Convert to Smart Object’.

04 Blur the edges

Go to Filter>blur Gallery>field Blur. Position two blur points to create blur that slowly gets stronger the further it goes from the feet. Click OK to apply. Next click the Add Layer Mask icon in the Layers panel and paint black to tidy the edges by the body.

05 Blend the layer

Lower the layer opacity to 55%. Double-click the wing layer to open the Layer Styles box. Go to the Blend If ‘Underlying Layer’ slider then hold Alt and drag the left half of the white slider to split it in two. As you drag, textured highlights will begin to show through.

06 Build it up

Repeat the process to make the other arm and the beak-shaped head, by selecting and filling more black shapes then blending them with your image as before. When you’re happy, finish off with a Photo Filter adjustment layer to tint the colours slightly as shown.