Photoshop Inverted Colors Photo Effect

Step 3: Invert The Background Copy Layer

To invert the colors in the image, with the copy of the Background layer selected, I'll go up to the Image menu at the top of the screen, choose Adjustments, and then choose Invert:

This inverts all of the colors on the layer, making each color its exact opposite color, replacing the greens and browns with magentas and blues. Notice that the person in the image has kept his original colors, and that's because he's sitting on his own layer above the layer that we just inverted:

Step 4: Change The Blend Mode Of The Inverted Layer To "Color"

Unfortunately, inverting the image not only inverts the colors, it also inverts the luminosity (lightness) values, making light areas dark and dark areas light. All I want to do is change the colors while leaving the brightness values alone, so to do that, with the inverted layer still selected, I'll go up to the Blend Mode options at the top of the Layers palette and change the blend mode from "Normal" to Color:

The Color blend mode restores the original brightness values in the image, leaving only the colors inverted:

The basic effect is now complete, but I'm going to add a bit more of a mystical look to the image to finish it off.