I decided to take a short cut at this point by loading up the original photo and stealing some of the colours using the colour picker (aka eye dropper). I painted these colours into a new layer, which I set to overlay mode. I worked very quickly and loosely here, but it may be worth taking more time at this point and introducing more tones. During these stages I frequently returned to previous layers and adjusted the transparency and overlay modes, or the levels and hue and saturation sliders. It’s just a matter of trial and error and just messing around until it looks right.


I decided to add another orange layer and set it to colour. I then used the eraser to remove some of it from the image. I added a grey layer which I set to multiply to darken the image, then used the eraser tool on areas I want highlighted. I repeated the process again - only this time I used the eraser with a smaller brush just to emphasise the finer highlights.

I flattened the image and duplicated the background layer, which I set to lighten and added a strong gaussian blur. I adjusted the brightness and contrast sliders, the levels and layer transparency until it starts to look like fog (or smog). I used the eraser again just to remove some of this fog from areas where I want to preserve detail. This gives the fog a more natural feel. I added a new layer, which I set to multiply, and applied another gradient. I removed parts of this using the eraser tool to emphasise the shadows.

Returning to the background layer, I painted in some smoke from the chimneys using the dodge tool on midtones. I then set the dodge tool to highlights and worked over some areas of the picture, just to sharpen the detail a touch.

I decided to crop and resize the image at this point in order to draw in the viewer’s focus and remove some superfluous detail.
Time to add some lights and add to the overall atmosphere. In a new layer, I painted in the lights with a soft brush then applied an orange outer glow in the layer styles menu, adjusting the sliders to give the impression of diffused light. I created a new layer and painted reflected lights in the water. I copied the layer style of the previous layer and pasted into the current layer before lowering the opacity and applying a motion blur filter.

I repeated these processes in different areas of the picture, including windows. I also pasted a street lamp from another photo and added some light inside it. After playing with the transparency, levels, hue and saturation sliders some more, the image is finished! Kinda simple eh?



note: Many of the techniques used here are explained more extensively throughout the Tricks of the Trade DVD.
If you like this tutorial, please let me know. Thanks!
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