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THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL

Quick Guide
Written by Jenn Mishra

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 In October 2020, Adobe released a
powerful new tool in Photoshop 2021: the
Sky Replacement tool. Other programs
have sky replacement tools (e.g. Luminar),
but this is the first time Photoshop has
included this option.

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

Before and after comparison of a church tower at dusk. The image on the left shows the
original sky. The image on the right shows the same image after the sky was replaced.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 2

 Photographers have been using Photoshop to Let’s take a look at Photoshop’s surprisingly easy-to-
replace skies all along, but the process could be use Sky Replacement tool. In this guide, we’ll cover
time- intensive. Before the Sky Replacement tool, the following:
you’d have to carefully select the sky using various
selection tools and create a layer mask. If the • An introduction to sky replacement
foreground and sky formed a clean edge, then this • Using the Sky Replacement tool
wasn’t too difficult. But if there were trees or other • Using your own images as sky replacements
complex edges overlapping with the sky, masking
could be difficult. Recommended Reading: If you’re interested
in improving your post-processing workflow,
With the new Sky Replacement tool, two clicks check out Photzy’s Understanding Masking
in Photoshop will take care of the masking. premium guide. It has sections on
Even Lightroom users who don’t have a Lightroom and Photoshop, as well as
lot of experience in Photoshop will find Snapseed for mobile users, too.
this tool accessible. You don’t have
to know how to create layers or layer With the new Sky
Replacement tool, two
masks. The program will do it for you.
clicks in Photoshop will
take care of the masking.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 3

 INTRODUCTION TO THE
SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL

WHY REPLACE A SKY?

If you’ve never replaced a sky in

your images, you may be wondering
what all the fuss is about. Why would
photographers replace a sky?

The most common reason to replace a sky

is to add drama to an image. Blue skies
are nice but boring. Clouds, storms, and
sunsets make an image more interesting.
Even if you’re not after drama, adding
textured clouds to your image will break
up uniformly gray or blue skies and add
visual interest.

You should know that opinion is

Photograph by Jenn Mishra divided about sky replacement. Many
Before and after comparison of a Cuban classic car. Sometimes I replace a sky to make photographers replace skies freely while
it visually less distracting. In the ‘before’ image, the sky is blown out and distracts from
the main subject. The ‘after’ image shows a muted sky that enhances the subject. others think it’s cheating.

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 A sky replacement is a type of compositing. HOW PHOTOSHOP’S SKY
Composites are made up of two or more images. REPLACEMENT TOOL WORKS
Compositing is common in photography, but it
does not accurately represent reality. The sky really The Sky Replacement tool in Photoshop automates
didn’t look like that when you took the photo. This what photographers have been doing all along when
isn’t necessarily a problem. There’s no rule that says replacing skies.
that you have to accurately represent reality in your The tool analyzes your image and detects areas of
photographs; though documentary photographers, sky. Then the program creates a layer mask.
like photojournalists, are expected to be faithful to
reality. A layer mask selectively shows or hides parts of your
image. In this case, the mask allows the new sky to
Most photographers post-process their images, but show through foreground elements.
it’s up to each photographer to decide what they will
and will not do. Some photographers clone out bits Photoshop also adds a layer that adjusts lighting
of trash or power lines, whereas others won’t. Some on the foreground to help blend the new sky with
will replace skies, whereas others won’t. your original image. This means adjusting color
temperature and exposure.
In the end, it’s up to you to decide. The only thing I
will say is that if you decide to use sky replacements, Using layer masks means that your original image is
be open about it. Don’t hide the fact that the image never changed. The tool is non-destructive. You have
is a composite. the ability to adjust the mask if you think Photoshop
didn’t quite get it right. You can also remove the sky
layer and mask anytime you want.

I’ve done some informal testing on my images and

the masks Photoshop creates are fairly accurate even
with a complex foreground.

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 USING THE SKY
REPLACEMENT TOOL

Let’s walk through the process of

replacing a sky with Photoshop. Follow
along with an image of your own. Here is
my image before replacing the sky.

I don’t mind the soft sky in this image, but

the color is too close to that of the domes
of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice. The colors
are too monochrome for my taste. I
needed a sky with some color.

Before you get after me for not being

patient enough to wait for color to appear
or being dedicated enough to visit at
the right time, this WAS sunrise. It was
a winter sunrise in Venice on a gray day.
When we travel, we don’t have control of
the weather.

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

Original image of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice with a muted sky.

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 Let me take you through the steps for
replacing the sky:

STEP 1: OPEN YOUR IMAGE

IN PHOTOSHOP

If you’re a Lightroom user, this is called

“round tripping.”

Go to Photo > Edit In > Edit in

Photoshop 2021 (Ctrl or ⌘E). The image
will open in Photoshop. When you’re
finished editing in Photoshop, save your
file. The saved file will automatically be
added to your Lightroom catalog.

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

Lightroom screenshot showing how to roundtrip an image into Photoshop.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 7

 STEP 2: OPEN THE SKY
REPLACEMENT DIALOG BOX

In Photoshop, select Edit > Sky

Replacement

If you’re not seeing the Sky Replacement

option under Edit, check that you’re using
Photoshop version 22.0. Older versions
won’t have this option.

If you see the Sky Replacement option

but it’s grayed out, check that your
background layer is selected in the Layers
panel.

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

Photoshop screenshot showing how to open the Sky Replacement tool.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 8

 STEP 3: CHOOSE SKY
REPLACEMENT OPTIONS

By default, Photoshop will automatically

apply a pre-loaded sky replacement
to your image. If you’ve used the Sky
Replacement tool before, Photoshop will
replace the sky with the last selected sky.

You can see what other skies would look

like in your image by clicking on the arrow
next to the icon at the top labeled “sky.”
Adobe has pre-loaded some blue skies,
spectacular skies, and sunsets for you to
experiment with. You can also load your
own sky images into Photoshop. I’ll show
you how to do this in the next section.

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

Screenshot of the Sky Replacement dialog box showing
how to see more sky replacement options.

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 The sky you choose is up to you. I usually
experiment with a few options before
settling on a replacement sky. The lighting
in your foreground doesn’t have to match
the background sky exactly. But if your
image has obvious shadows, select a sky
that has directional light that matches the
light source in your original image.

Don’t force it. Choose a sky that looks

good with your image.

For my image, I selected one of the pre-

loaded Spectacular skies.

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

Image of St. Mark’s Basilica with the sky replaced.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 10

 Take a look at the mask that Photoshop
created. You can see how Photoshop has
masked around all the bumps and fine
lines including the decorative tops on the
domes.

Recommended Reading: If
you’re interested in improving your
post-processing workflow, check out
Photzy’s Understanding Masking
premium guide. It has sections on
Lightroom and Photoshop, as well as
Snapseed for mobile users, too.

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

Screenshot of the mask created by Photoshop during the Sky Replacement process.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 11

 Before you click OK, look at some of
the other options you have in the Sky
Replacement dialog box. Photoshop
automatically makes adjustments, but
you have control. If you don’t like the way
something looks, you can fix it before
applying the sky replacement.

Shift and Fade Edge

The Shift and Fade Edge sliders allow you

to change how the sky and foreground
intersect. You can move the boundary
between the sky and the foreground and
change how much one fades into the other.

Sky adjustments

In this section, you can adjust the

brightness and temperature settings of
the sky. You can also resize the sky using
the Scale slider. Checking the Flip box will
horizontally flip the sky.

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

Screenshot of the Sky
Replacement dialog box showing
editing options available.

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 Foreground adjustments Additional tools

Photoshop automatically applies a lighting and color cast Along the left side of the Sky Replacement tool dialog
on the foreground to better blend with the new sky. box, you have four additional tools. Photoshop users will
recognize these tools.
The default Lighting Mode is “Multiply,” which darkens the
image. You can switch this to “Screen” mode for a lighter The top tool is the Move tool. This allows you to move
touch. Photoshop users will recognize Multiply and Screen the sky around in the background. You can reposition the
as commonly used blend modes. horizon line to best work with your image. The Brush tool
lets you fine- tune how the sky background fades into the
You can also lighten or darken your foreground to better foreground.
blend with the new sky and add a color cast.
The Hand tool and Magnifying Glass allow you to zoom in
Output close and move the image around for detailed editing.
By default, the sky replacement is set to output as new
STEP 4: CLICK OK
layers. This means that Photoshop is applying the sky in a
non-destructive way. Your original image is not changed. That’s it!
After you click OK, Photoshop will create two new layers. If you look at your Layers panel, you will have new layers
One is the sky replacement, and the other are the color with layer masks. You can easily adjust the layer masks by
changes applied to your foreground. You will be able to go clicking on the mask and using a black brush to exclude or
into the individual layers and change them if you wish. a white brush to include information.
If you want Photoshop to simply apply the sky replacement For my image, I applied a Photo Filter and Brightness/
and don’t want to edit individual layers, you have the Contrast layer to add a bit of warmth and brightness to the
option of changing the output to Duplicate Layer. A copy image and the transformation was complete.
of the background layer will appear in your Layers panel
with the sky applied. The background copy merges all of A boring sunrise in Venice became a spectacular sunrise.
the individual layers and layer masks.

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 IMPORT YOUR OWN SKIES

Adobe has included a couple of dozen

skies for you to use, but it’s easy to
import your own. This makes your
images uniquely your own. You won’t
be flipping around the internet and see
someone else’s photo with the same sky
background.

Let me show you how to import a sky

and apply it as a sky replacement to this
image.

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

Photo of a Ferris wheel against a city skyline.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 14

 STEP 1: SELECT A SKY IMAGE

Find an image that is mostly sky and

which has a clear horizon. I look for
images that have the horizon low in the
frame. It’s ok if there are low trees or hills
along the horizon, but avoid including any
prominent subjects. It doesn’t matter if
the image is horizontal or vertical.

Save the image as a jpg or tiff file.

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

A sky image taken
at sunset near my
home along the
Mississippi River.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 15

 STEP 2: OPEN THE SKY
REPLACEMENT DIALOG BOX

Select Edit > Sky Replacement.

STEP 3: CLICK THE ARROW NEXT

TO THE SKY IMAGE AT THE TOP

STEP 4: CLICK THE GEAR ICON

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

Screenshot of the Sky Replacement dialog box showing how to access the import features.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 16

 STEP 5: SELECT THE
“NEW SKY” OPTION

Photograph by Jenn Mishra

Screenshot of the Sky Replacement dialog box showing how to add a new sky.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 17

 STEP 6: NAVIGATE TO YOUR SKY
IMAGE AND SELECT OPEN

The sky will automatically import and be

applied to your image.

Notice how well Photoshop has replaced

the sky around the spokes of the Ferris
wheel and even the tiny airplane.

I’ve created a new group for my skies so

that I know which are mine and which are
Adobe’s. To do this, select the “New Sky
Group” option under the gear dropdown
menu.

The next time you see an amazing sky,

take a few photos, even if you don’t have
an interesting foreground element. You
may be able to use these images later as
sky replacements.

Recommended Reading: If
you’re interested in improving your
Photograph by Jenn Mishra post-processing workflow, check out
Photo of a Ferris wheel against a city skyline with the sky replaced. Photzy’s Understanding Masking
The sunset adds color and drama to the scene.
premium guide. It has sections on
Lightroom and Photoshop, as well as
Snapseed for mobile users, too.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 18

 CONCLUSION

Use sky replacement both to add drama

to skies and to add texture to a blown out
or boring sky.

Sky replacement won’t work in every

photograph, but it will work for many.
Photoshop is good at detecting the
sky, but if it’s a very complex scene, the
program may become confused.

The ease of replacing skies in Photoshop

makes this option available to
photographers of all levels. Simply open
an image in Photoshop and select the Sky
Replacement option in the Edit dropdown
menu. Photoshop will do the rest. You can
use the pre-loaded skies or upload your
Photograph by Jenn Mishra own.

In two clicks, you can add a new sky and

completely change your image.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 19

 Self-Check Quiz: Assignment:
1) How did photographers replace skies • Open an image in Photoshop that has a
before the Sky Replacement tool was prominent sky. For this exercise, it doesn’t
included in Photoshop? matter what the original sky looks like.
2) Where is the Sky Replacement tool • Replace the sky using the Sky Replacement tool.
located in Photoshop? • Experiment with different pre-loaded skies or
upload your own.
3) Describe two reasons photographers • Adjust sliders in the Sky Replacement dialog
may want to replace skies in their box and notice what changes.
images.
4) What is a composite image?
5) In what circumstance would replacing a
sky not be considered ethical?
6) The Sky Replacement tool in Photoshop
is non-destructive. Describe what this
means.
7) What is a layer mask?
8) How do you select a different sky to use
as a replacement?
9) Describe three settings you can change
in the Sky Replacement dialog box.
10) How do you import a sky image that you
took into the Sky Replacement tool?

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PHOTOSHOP’S SKY REPLACEMENT TOOL // © PHOTZY.COM 20

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understand the basics. photography back. everything you can imagine.

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to your inbox, 5 days a week. So you can start your day right, with actionable tips to
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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Congratulations! You’ve completed this
Photzy guide!

If you’ve found this photography tutorial helpful,

you may be interested in this Photzy premium
guide on using masking techniques to improve your
editing workflow: Understanding Masking.

Jenn Mishra is a fine art travel and landscape

photographer based in the St. Louis metro area. Jenn
is an active photographic educator and has been
invited to speak at conferences such as Out of Chicago.
Her photos have been featured in a number of solo
exhibitions. Her studio is Wits End Photography. IF YOU’D LIKE TO CONTINUE
LEARNING AND IMPROVING
Webpage: https://www.jennifermishra.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.mishra YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY PLEASE
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennatwitsend/ VISIT PHOTZY.COM
Blog: https://witsend-travel.com/
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jae_at_wits_end/

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