How To Make Reflections

NOTE: Video of this technique
is at the bottom of the page

Original Photograph
Right Click to download
You've seen those funky product reflections everywhere in advertising. They must be very effective because they are used a lot!

Here is how to make your own reflections with Photoshop ... This technique works best on a single image like a bottle or a baseball or anything by itself with no distracting background. Once you get the hang of the technique then you can try more complicated images.

If you don't have an image handy then download a copy of the camera ...

Making A Reflection

Open the file with the image you want to 'reflect'. If the image is on the background layer you will need to move it up one level and have the background layer empty and white. In my example I used the Magic Wand to select the white around the old camera and then pressed delete to keep only the image.
Move the image to a new layer by inverting the selection and then press Ctrl-J or Cmd-J. This will move your selected image on a new later.
Create a new file that is about 1/3 larger than the image you want reflected, select the Move Tool and make the layer with you image active. Use the Move Tool to drag the image to your new file.
Now you should have a blank white Background Layer with you image one layer above the background.
Phew - that was the most difficult part of this tutorial ...

Layer 1 Photo on
Large Background
Now we are going to create the background for our reflection.
Select the background layer and then Layer > New > Layer or click on the new layer icon in the layers palette. We are going to put a Gradient on this layer.
Press the G key to select the Gradient/Paint Bucket Tool (they live together). If the Gradient Tool is not visible then click on the little arrow at the bottom to activate the fly out and then choose the Gradient Tool.
Now you get to choose what colors you want for the gradient. In my example I used the eyedropper to sample two different colors directly from the image.
Now you should have the Gradient Tool active and the two colors that will make up your gradient.
Now here comes a fun part - you want to use a radial gradient from the foreground color to the background color.
At the top of the screen you will see the Gradient modifier. Click on this and look at the different gradients available - one of them will have the same foreground color and background color you selected. Hover your mouse over it until it tells you it's name - you want it to be "foreground to background".
Select this one. Now move to the right where there a bunch of little icons. The second one in is the "Radial Gradient". Select it ...
What you are going to do now is apply this gradient to the last layer you made.
Simply select that layer and start your gradient somewhere in the middle of your image (it will still be visible). Put your pen (or left click and hold) on the layer and drag to a corner and there is your gradient behind your image.
If you don't like the placement simply undo it and try again.

Gradient Layer Gradient Behind Image
Now that you are happy with the gradient behind your image add a new layer directly above the gradient layer and below the image - Layer > New > Layer. Select this layer.
Grab the Marquee Selection Tool and make a rectangular selection of the bottom 1/3 of this new layer.
Go get your Paint bucket, set the foreground color to black and fill the selection.
The reflection you are going to make will appear on the black you just created on this layer.
Summary - you have your image as the top layer, the next layer down has the bottom 1/3 filled with black and the next layer down is your gradient.

Reflection Layer Reflection Surface
Now for the fun parts. Select the image layer and hit Ctrl-J or Cmd-J to create a new image layer.
Re-select the original image layer and type Ctrl-T or Cmd-T to enter Free Transform mode - a little bounding box will appear on your image.
Right click or Ctrl click in the bounding box and scroll down to Flip Vertical. Now go grab the move tool, press the shift key and drag the transformed image down so that it is just below the other image (the shift key forces the drag to move straight down).
You now have a mirror image!

Copy of Image Layer Image

Transforming Original Flip Vertical
For the last step you need to add another foreground to background gradient with the default colors, black and white.
Select the gradient tool and double click on the gradient box. Click the foreground to background gradient and make white the foreground color.
Drag the gradient down from about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. You should see the reflected image tone down a bit. If you are not happy then undo the gradient and do it again until you are satisfied with the reflection.
Flatten your image and that's it - you are done!
Good job!