Are you looking at your photo or digital art and are you thinking that it needs something more? A little bit of pizzaz to take it to the next level? That extra little something which will transform it from every day to rockstar?

Photoshop is an app that is custom made for photo special effects. And it’s ease of use makes jazzing up an image within the reach of everyone.

Here we take a look a five photo special effects which can turn your image into something amazing.

Add A Touch Of Fantasy

Think glitz, glimmer, and well-placed shafts of sparkling light to bring an other-worldly aspect to your images.

Photo special effects which include the addition of a sprinkle of virtual fairy dust can quickly turn a picture into something magical. To achieve this effect you should play around with layering light, blending color, and trying different brush techniques.

Close your eyes and make a wish. A fantasy effect can be easier to create than you may think.

That Old Time Rock n Roll

To really make your images rock, you can add vintage photo special effects to creatively age the photo.

If you look back at photography from the 50’s and early 60’s you will notice that it has a distinctive yellowed look which gives the image its own special retro charm. You can use Photoshop to recreate eras past and instantly age modern day photos into images from days gone by.

For these types of photo special effects, you will need to apply the subtle use of color and layering.

Create A Glitch Effect

Have you seen those cool digitally-altered images that make it look as though the photo subject is being viewed through an alien TV screen? The images with a fade-out effect as though the reception is cutting in and out? The distorted photo almost seems to crackle and move as if a software bug has taken over your video screen.

To create a glitch look for your photos you will need to introduce jagged lines and waves, a frozen or static effect, and inverted colors. To achieve this in Photoshop you’ll need a central image with clear lines and a solid background color.

Once again, layering, color, and fill will play a key role in the process.

Photo Special Effects For Dynamic Motion

Photos which highlight and define the central character and blur the background to give a sense of speed and movement look awesome. The eye is tricked into thinking that the person is quickly moving past or through their background environment.

These type of creative photo special effects really make your artwork pop. The focus is on blurring the background while sharpening the image that you want to put into motion.

Background Swaps

Don’t you love the fact that you can have a photo of someone lying on their living room carpet and, through the magic of Photoshop, you can transport them to a sunny tropical beach?

Swapping background is a popular photo effect that delivers outstanding results. The key point to remember is to get your edges sharp. Once that point is mastered, use your imagination with wonderful backdrops.

Check out the great range of tutorials at PSD Learning and let your creativity flow!