This is an easy technique that helps you to create a ripple effect in your image. This is possible using some simple tools on Photoshop.

Any object can be used for this effect, but an object with well defined edges would no doubt make your job much easier. In this example, we have selected a feather as the object around which we will create the ripple effect.

Step 1: Select an image of a feather. Open it in Photoshop so that we can create the ripple effect.

Step 2: Now use the Marquee tool to make a rectangle on a new layer. On the Menu bar, go to Filter, select Render and click on Clouds.

Step 3: Now, in Filter, go to Distort and select Twirl.

Step 4: After this, in Layer 1 (water), either right click and select Free Transform or press Ctrl + T. Now, right click and select Distort.

Step 5: In Layer 1 (water), free transform again (either by right clicking and selecting Free Transform or by pressing Ctrl + T). Now, right click and instead of Distort, this time select Skew. Now, stretch the image to both the sides and adjust accordingly.

Step 6: Now, in the Image option in the Menu bar, go to Adjustments and click on Hue/Saturation (The shortcut is Ctrl + U). When the dialog box opens, select the option Colorize.

Step 7: Go to Layer 2 (feather), and duplicate it. In the new layer (feather copy), go to the Menu bar, and select Filter. In Filter, go to Blur and select Motion Blur.

Step 8: Go back to layer 1 (water). In Menu bar, go to Filter, select Blur and click on Gaussian Blur.

Step 9: Duplicate Layer 2 (feather) once again. Free transform again (either by right clicking and selecting Free Transform or by pressing Ctrl + T) and invert the image. Then finally, in the Layers menu on the right set Opacity to 20 percent.

And voila! You will have the final image where the feather is creating ripples on the water.