Question about shading photos

[vestal mirage]

Hello! I am new here so let me know if there is a better place to ask this question. I am trying to shade some portraits so that they look similar to those in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJr7_VkMZJc&list=RDxJr7_VkMZJc . I have watched many videos, read articles, and experimented with various approaches. It seems as though using gradients is the right approach, but I cannot get them to work. Perhaps I am not applying the right steps in my editing process. Can someone explain the way to achieve this "shaded" look or suggest a video that explains the process step by step? Thank you.

[eager fractal]

The thing is: those people in that intro were photographed under those lighting conditions: heavy Side Light and Rembrandt Style lighting. You could try to mimic this in Photoshop but you would have to add Adjustment Layers and then paint on the Layer Mask for the Adjustment. Or using Camera Raw as a filter. Either way you go, you'd be allowing light to hit here and adding shadow there. It's going to be tricky. NGL. This tutorial is somewhat old but it does discuss that dramatic Rembrandt Style Lighting...

https://youtu.be/OEHHouS7EVw?si=wwQvsmU-OCrqs_AM

[vestal mirage]

Thanks for your reply. I didn't realize this shading technique would be so complicated to reproduce. I will check out the video you referenced.

[eager fractal]

You can use an AI image gen model to do it. That would be simple. Otherwise, you'll have to paint it. Sorry.

[vestal mirage]

Interesting. I haven't used AI for much of anything and definitely didn't think about its creating an image for me. So, I just tried "use.ai" image generator. I loaded my portrait and described what I wanted it to do. It produced a photo that was totally unrelated: https://use.ai/chat/2e4fce61-17df-4b91-94b9-d6817a649d74 So, then I gave it a more detailed instructions. However, it said that I had no more free requests and that I had to upgrade. LOL! The video that you linked does include some methods on achieving the shading I want. I've got over 20 images, so I'll have to give it some more consideration.... Thanks again!

[eager fractal]

Try Google Gemini 3

Upload the image and tell it: "change the lighting on the person in the photo to Rembrandt Lighting style and change the background to a black studio backdrop" or something similar.

You can try this right in Photoshop if you have the latest version installed.

[vestal mirage]

Great suggestions! I read your latest message after I found another website (chatlyai.app). It does give me some results. I might be able to use them. Not sure how many times I'll be able to use it before having to subscribe. On the video you just posted, did you do that through AI on Photoshop?

[eager fractal]

Yes. Google Gemini 3 inside Photoshop.

And Adobe Camera Raw as a filter in Photoshop for the last adjustment.

[vestal mirage]

Seems like that would do the trick if I can replicate it. 😉

[eager fractal]

I gave you prompt. I proved it works. Experiment with it. If you have the latest version of Photoshop, that is.

If not, I don't know. You'll have to use Gemini elsewhere and bring the images into Photoshop for further adjustments.

[vestal mirage]

Thanks for all your help! I'll spend some time looking into everything.

[eager fractal]

No prob. Good luck with it!

https://x.com/dhumann/status/1998978734863593771?s=20

D. Humann (@dhumann)

Not happy with the lighting in your photo? Need a specific result? No problem. The @Google @GeminiApp is now inside @Adobe @Photoshop!

Open the image in Photoshop, enter a simple prompt and watch Nano Banana Pro change the lighting style in a flash. Then use the powerful image

X · Dec 11, 2025, 4:50 AM