Change a portrait's background, outfit, and pose in Photoshop

Experiment with new ideas after a photo shoot: use a reference image in Firefly Boards to inspire new looks.

Published October 19, 2026

00:01

Introduction and meet author Lisa Carney

[Lisa Carney]: What if you could change poses, wardrobe, lighting, and even backgrounds just from one photo shoot?

Hi, I'm Lisa Carney, a professional photographer and Hollywood retoucher, and in this video, I will show you how to use Adobe Firefly Boards and Photoshop to change poses, wardrobe, lighting, and even background environments to match your client's needs.

Adobe lets me seamlessly move files back and forth between Photoshop and Firefly Boards so I can experiment with variations, then continue refining them in Photoshop.

I start in Photoshop with a fully retouched base image that has been saved as a Photoshop document.

I go up to the File menu, navigate down to Export, then select Send to Firefly Boards.

If you are using a JPEG, PNG, or PSB, this option will not be available.

Save your image as a PSD.

Click on Create board in the upper right-hand of the window.

Photoshop will upload my image into the Adobe cloud and open Firefly Boards in a separate web application window.

Once Firefly is launched, Firefly will create a new board window.

01:03

Make multiple edits from one plain-language prompt

Your image is now in the clipboard.

Tap on the screen with your cursor to place your image onto the board.

Open the magnification icon at the top.

I like to view my boards at 50% so I can see all the elements as they are created.

I can move the position of the image on the board.

I'm going to make my first image generation, but first I will explain the generative image interface, or UI, for Firefly.

The box at the bottom of the board will say Generate image.

When you select that, you will get options.

First is for the prompt.

In this case, I'd like to change the background to a contemporary pink studio setting.

Here is my prompt.

When writing your prompt, be as specific as you possibly can.

For example, replacing the green background with a pink background.

I even give it a hex number.

Tell Firefly what you don't want it to change,

01:51

Pick the rendering model behind your image expansion

like her face and her characteristics.

This will help you get a much better result.

I would like to ensure that my subject fits into the environment and does not look cut out, and that is why I add prompts like color wrap and clean edges.

Next, I will choose the rendering model.

In this case, I will use Gemini 3.1.

Currently, I find I get the most realistic results with Gemini 3.1.

Tap on the delta on the Rendering Model box.

You will see the options here.

Next I will choose the aspect ratio.

For this render, I will select Auto, which will keep this image at the same ratio as the original image.

Next is resolution.

I will often use 1K or 2K for ideation and concepting.

I use 4K for final high-res production.

The higher the resolution, the more generative credits you will use.

However, you get a much better production quality.

Once I have the prompt and the settings ready, I choose my input.

Select the Image box.

It will highlight blue, and an eyedropper will appear.

02:49

Clear out empty layers before you hand off a file

Select the picture on the board you want to change.

On the Generative Image dialog box, select the blue Generate button.

A progress indicator will appear while Firefly is rendering.

Once Firefly is done rendering out your generation, an image will pop out on the top of the Image Generation dialog box.

Select the image and drag it onto your board.

Wow, look at that!

I'm able to instantly change the background

03:14

Naming your layers as you go saves the next person real time

to a contemporary pink color and even change the color of her clothing.

Now, I'd like to do a new render in a neutral color and a slightly different pose.

I will type in a new prompt.

I want to change the background and clothes to a warm beige color palette.

Here's my prompt.

And again, you want to be as specific as possible

03:32

Rename and group your layers with a custom naming request

what you'd like to change and what you don't want to change.

Now, I need to delete the green background image from the prompt box by tapping the X in the upper right-hand corner.

I'm going to choose the pink backdrop image I just generated.

Select the image box.

It will turn blue.

With the eyedropper, select the new pink background image.

Select the blue Generate button.

You can render out as many variations as you need.

Change the prompt to get different results.

Here's my pro tip to get dramatic changes easily.

I use assets from Adobe Stock to find interesting backgrounds, locations, poses, and even lighting effects, and use them as reference samples.

Once you've downloaded your images from Adobe Stock, come back to your Firefly board on the left side of the window.

Tap Add content.

Navigate to Your device and where you've put those images.

I'm going to go ahead and select three choices to show you how it works.

Tap Upload.

As in before, the images will now be in your clipboard.

Just tap on your screen to place your Adobe Stock onto the Firefly Board.

Now, I'd like to do a new prompt utilizing Adobe Stock.

In this case, I will add a reference image.

With Gemini 3.1, you can add up to 8 reference images.

This allows Firefly to reference the different backgrounds, lighting, and poses.

I will write a prompt telling Firefly to use my hero image, number 1, and place her into the background of my Adobe Stock selection.

Here's my prompt.

I'm going to leave my original input image as the pink render, but now I need to pick a new reference image.

I'm going to select the image number 2 when it turns blue.

Tap on an Adobe Stock image in the scene that I'd like to reference.

Firefly will come up with a beautiful render, putting my model in that scene with the lighting, pose, and wardrobe.

I can now send images back to Photoshop to add finishing touches.

To send images back to Photoshop, select the image you'd want to export, select the box with the three dots on the upper right, select Open in, then choose Photoshop.

Photoshop will launch, and you can continue to fine-tune your image.

Give Adobe Firefly Boards a try with your professional portraits.

It's a great tool for freshening up an existing portrait or to generate ideas for a future photo shoot.

Firefly can transform a single image into dramatically different visual styles, from polished business portraits to bold artistic concepts, all utilizing Firefly and Photoshop.

My name is Lisa Carney.

Thank you for watching.

Note: Stock assets provided are for practice purposes only. See terms.

What you'll learn

Send a portrait to Firefly Boards to generate new looks

A finished retouch doesn't have to be the end of the process. Send it into Firefly Boards to explore new looks. Uploading a PSD keeps your original work intact while experimenting with new backgrounds, wardrobe, and lighting.

Write a prompt that changes the scene but keeps your subject intact

A vague prompt gets a vague result, so be as specific about what stays the same as what changes. Naming the exact color and protecting your subject's face keeps a dramatic change from looking like a bad composite.

Build on your last render to compare variations

One render only shows one direction, so treat your first generation as a starting point, not the final look. Feed that render back in as the reference to try a new palette or pose without losing your progress.

Use Adobe Stock images as references to guide dramatic changes

Describing a new scene in words only goes so far, so add real photos to show what you are looking for. Try Adobe Stock images as references so Firefly can borrow the lighting, pose, or backdrop from a photo you like, with your subject placed right into it.

Send your favorite variation back to Photoshop for finishing touches

A strong Firefly render isn't always the final image, and that's expected. Send the variation back into Photoshop to retouch and finalize the small details that finish a portrait.

Tip: Start at 1K or 2K to explore ideas quickly, then switch to 4K for your final version. Higher-resolution generations use more generative credits.

Instruction by: Lisa Carney
Adobe Stock Contributors: Chris; Tom Merton/Caia Image; BullRun; Krakenimages.com; Gorodenkoff; Malambo C/peopleimages.com; Natalia Klenova; elmaslouhi; Loginova

Try these tutorials with Photoshop

Edit photos to create new images and graphics.

View all plans

Cookie Settings

General information

Cookies are small text files stored by your web browser when you use websites. There are also other technologies that can be used for similar purposes like HTML5 Local Storage and local shared objects, web beacons, and embedded scripts. These technologies help us do things like remembering you and your preferences when you return to our sites, measure how you use the website, conduct market research, and gather information about the ads you see and interact with.

If enabled:

We can improve your experience by tailoring the site and the content to things we think might be of interest
We can better keep track of your preferences — like what language you prefer to use
We will better understand your likely interests so we can provide you more relevant Adobe ads and content on non-Adobe websites and in non-Adobe apps
It will help us improve the performance of our website and those of our partners who use the Adobe Experience Cloud

If disabled:

We won’t be able to remember you from session to session so the experience may not be tailored to your interests
You’ll still have access to the content of the site but certain features that depend on cookies may not function
You’ll still see ads, they just may not be as relevant to you