Introduction

Adding a drop-shadow effect like this can be an elegant way to present a picture. It is very easy to do this using Photoshop.

This example assumes that the image is in 8-bit mode and there are no other layers:

1. Duplicate the Background layer to create Background Copy.

2. Ensure the background colour is set to white (or the light colour of your choice).

3. Select the Background layer and increase the canvas size. By checking the "Relative" option, you can specify how many pixels to add to the height and width rather than having to do the sums yourself.

The amount of white space you choose to have is a matter of personal taste, but you need sufficient space to allow for the shadow to be added. You could, of course, decide to have more space at the bottom of the picture, in which case, you will have to increase the canvas size in two steps.

4. Select the Background Copy layer and either double-click or right-click and choose "Blending Options" from the context menu.

There are a variety of style options from which to choose. Check the Drop Shadow, and make sure that it is selected. You will see that there are several adjustments that can be made to customise the drop-shadow effect. I will not explain them as it is easier for you to play around and see the effect.