Creating Masks Using Auto Shapes To Enhance Photos

For this activity I am using a photo from a CD created by Comstock Inc. The photo I am using is shown below:

Create a new document 250 X 250 on a transparent background. Import the photo above into this document. Click on the canvas to place the photo on the canvas.

Draw a polygon, fill white with the following settings located on the Properties panel:

On the Properties panel set the size to 240 X 240:

Select both the picture and the polygon with the Selection tool while holding down the Shift key on the layers palette to select both:

Click Modify > Mask > Group as Mask:

We need to add two filters to really bring out the shape of the picture. With the polygon picture still selected, click on the filter button on the Properties panel and select Shadow and Glow > Drop Shadow with the following setting:

The next filter will be a glow effect. Click on the Filters button to open the live filters setting and select Shadow and Glow > Glow with the following setting:

I selected the color from the photo with the eye dropper tool. Using masking with filters can make any photo much more interesting. Here is my finished product: