Mark Rotondella.

This tute will show you how to fake snow.

The first step is to find a good source image. You can use this image if you like Click on it to get the larger version.

Open your image in Photoshop.

Select [Layer] [New] [Layer Set...] we will name this set Ground Cover - Click [OK]

Click on the Quick Mask Mode Button or Press Q on your keyboard.

Use the Paint Bucket Tool with the foreground set to black to fill the picture.

Use the Paint Brush Tool with a white foreground to paint the areas of photo where you want snow to have fallen. If you accident paint any areas you don't want change your brush to black and paint back over them. Although you should take your time to get it right you will be able to edit this area later.

Click on the Edit in Standard Mode Button or Press Q on your Keyboard.

Click on Add Layer Mask Button in the Layers Palette.

Click on the Create New Layer Button in the Layers Palette.

Use the Paint Bucket Tool to fill the layer white then change the Blend Mode to Colour.

Click on the Create New Layer Button in the Layers Palette.

Use the Paint Bucket Tool to fill the layer white then change the Blend Mode to Overlay.

Click on the Create New Layer Button in the Layers Palette.

Change the Blend Mode to Overlay and use the Paint Brush Tool to paint over any areas that need more snow. Usually the dark areas need another coat - in my case this means the road and the roof. Don't forget because it is in it's own layer if you mess up you can just use the Eraser Tool to go back.

Click on the Create New Layer Button in the Layers Palette.

Change the Blend Mode to Lighten and use the Paint Brush Tool with a brush with a low flow rate to paint over any suborn areas that are still not light enough. In my case I just painted the top of the roof.

Click on the little triangle arrow thing next to the Ground Cover layer set to hide the set.

You can now perfect your snow by Clicking on the Ground Cover Set Mask

If you paint on this mask with a white brush you will add snow and a black brush will remove snow.

It would be a very good idea to save your work at this stage.

Ok now lets have some snow falling.

Click on your backgound layer.

Select [Layer] [New] [Layer...] and name it Delete Later.

Use the Paint Bucket Tool to fill the layer white, change the Blend Mode to Dissolve and change the Opacity to 1 or 2 %.

Click on the eyes next to the Ground Cover and Background layers to turn off their visibility.

Select [Select] [All]

Select [Edit] [Copy Merged]

Select [Edit] [Paste]

Select the Delete Later Layer and Select [Layer] [Delete] [Layer]

You can turn the visibility of your other layers back on.

Double Click on the title of your falling snow layer (Layer 5 in my case) and rename it Snow Small. Drag this layer to the top of your stack being careful not to put it in the Ground Cover Layer Set.

Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to select approximately 75% of the Snow Small Layer.

Select [Edit] [Copy]

Select [Edit] [Paste]

Select [Edit] [Transform] [Scale] and resize this new layer to fill the picture.

Click on the Tick when your done.

Rename this layer Snow Medium.

Click on the Snow Small Layer.

Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to select approximately 25% of the Snow Small Layer.

Select [Edit] [Copy]

Select [Edit] [Paste]

Select [Edit] [Transform] [Scale] and resize this new layer to fill the picture.

Rename this layer Snow Big.

Click on the Snow Small Layer.

Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to select approximately 10% of the Snow Small Layer.

Select [Edit] [Copy]

Select [Edit] [Paste]

Select [Edit] [Transform] [Scale] and resize this new layer to fill the picture.

Rename this layer Snow Big.

Reorder your snow layers from Biggest to smallest in the Layers Palette

and that's it!

To tweak my picture I duplicated the Snow Small layer flipped it and then erased the snow in front of the church in both layers to add depth. I did the same with the medium layer but only deleted the snow from the copied layer. You could also add a little motion blur to the largest falling snow - I thought it looked good without it, so I didn't for this picture.