Pixiq

Before you read this, make sure you check out Part 1 of this post!

Now that you've taken all of the photos it's time to make them look like something that can actually sell a product. These cellphone cases are basic, with a simple white background and a small reflection underneath, nothing super fancy, but the final image is exactly what the client wanted. Here's how I got it:

This is the photo straight out of the camera. There are some major problems here: the case isn't straight, there is a visible umbrella reflection, the curve of the table I was shooting on is seen in the bottom left, and there are shadows and funky shades everywhere. 

Step 1: Straighten the phone! Zoom in real close, and find a nice straight line on the phone. In this case the only straight lines are the sides between the pink and black. Grab your handy ruler tool (found in the eyedropper icon) and draw a line along the straight edge. Next, go to Image>Image Rotation>Arbitrary click ok and this should rotate your image to make the case straight up and down. 

Step 2: White out. Hit command (control on a PC) J to duplicate your layer. Get your paint bucket and make sure your foreground color is white. Paint it all white. 

Step 3: Add a layer mask (the white circle in a grey rectangle button). Click B for brush and make sure your foreground color is black. Now paint over where the phone should be. You should have something like this now: Looking better, but we still have that ugly shadow there. 

Step 4: Command E to flatten your layers and then command J to add a new one. Image>Adjustments>Replace Color and click on the eyedropper with the plus sign next to it. Then click on the shadow areas. After you've added the shadows drag the "brightness" slider all the way to 100%. This should eliminate the shadows. 

Step 5: Click your Levels Adjuster button and take up your blacks and bring down your highs until you get a nice balance. Usually balcks around 5-10 and highlights around 230-245. This not only makes your blacks blacker, but adds nice natural saturation. Flatten All layers.

Step 6: Command J to add a new layer. Edit>Transform>Flip Vertical. Hit "V" to get your pointer and drag your flipped case down below the background layer. You won't be able to see the right side up case until you get it low enough. Next hit "E" for your eraser and erase the area above the flipped case. Should look like this while you're erasing:  When you erase enough of the top layer, line up the flipped case so it is just below the right side up case so that it looks like a natural reflection. 

Step 7: Grab the Gradient tool (in the same spot as your paintbucket). Make sure you have the far left gradient selected on the top of your toolbar. The one that fades from white to black, left to right. And make sure that in the drop down gradient menu you select the second one: fading white to checkered (background). Lastly, make sure white is your foreground color. Now place your cursor at the bottom of the upside down phone case, hold the shift key and drag it up to where the 2 phone cases meet. Let go of the mouse, and Voila! Command E to flatten, and you're finished!