How to move moon behind mountain

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
October 19, 2019
3 replies
1369 views

I have Lightroom 2020 and am just learning how to use layers and masks. I have a photo of a mountain with a rising full moon in the sky above the mountain. I would like to move the moon so the mountain is in front of part of it, and about half of the moon is visible rising behind the mountain. What is the quickest way to accomplish this with the fewest number of steps? I think I'm making it way too complicated and end up getting lost in all the layers and masks.

Thanks

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Greg_S.

Community Expert

OK. Here's one way to do it.

Create a copy of the background layer (Ctrl+J)
Select the top layer.
Use the Content Aware Move tool to make a selection around the moon and to move it to the mountain top. See this article for more details.
Add a layer mask to the top layer by clicking on the icon shown:
Press X to make sure the foreground color is black.
Press B to select the brush tool. Resize if necessary (using square bracket keys).
Paint over the moon to expose the mountain top below.

This sounds more complicated than it is.

B

Bp99

Participating Frequently

Thanks - that works! Is there also a way to do it that would preserve the fine jagged details of the trees along the edge of the mountain? In other words have the unchanged image of the mountain edge actually be in front of the moon. I know I can enlarge the view and carefully make my masking selection around them but it is time consuming and not perfect.

(I was having trouble signing in and had to change my user name from Billp99 to billporter6)

B

Bp99

Participating Frequently

I just figured this out after some trial & error attempts. Beginning with the photo as the duplicate background layer, I seperated the land from the sky using the Magic Wand tool (very easy and precise), and copied the land mass onto its own layer (Cntrl J - Windows). Next I selected the moon and put it on its own layer (Cntrl J). Then I placed the moon layer below the land layer. Using the Move tool on the moon, I was able to place it behind the edge of the land with a beautiful silhouette of the tree tops in front of the moon.

Greg_S.

Community Expert

Can you post the photo so we have a better idea of what you have in mind.