Are you aiming for lighting or a soft, natural look?
Shadows are rarely pure black. Sample a dark color from the existing shadows in your background image. Download File PHLEARN_PRO_-_How_to_Create_Reali...
Is the background or an uneven surface (like grass or stairs)? Are you aiming for lighting or a soft, natural look
The darkest, sharpest part of the shadow where the object touches the ground. Download File PHLEARN_PRO_-_How_to_Create_Reali...
Standard Gaussian Blur often looks fake because it applies the same blur to the whole layer. Use or Tilt-Shift Blur .