THE MISSION
Create lens flare effects with filters and gradients
Time needed 20 minutes
Skill level Intermediate
Kit needed Photoshop CC
Natural lens flare occurs when sunlight – or another source of strong, hard light – directly shines on the front element of a lens. We photographers are often at pains to prevent flare, either by using a lens hood, or shielding the front of the lens with a hand. But the slight softness, specular highlights and colour shifts that are characteristic of lens flare can be great for enhancing the atmosphere of a scene. However, you don’t necessarily need to wait until the sun is in the perfect position in order to create flares. With a few simple skills in Photoshop, we can make our own gorgeous, realistic, flare effects.
Our starting point is the Lens Flare filter in Photoshop. It’s not bad for a simple effect, but the flare it creates tends to look too clean and sharp and it gives a generic result. That being said, it can still be useful as a starting point for further edits, as we can go on to augment the filter to make it look more natural.
This story is from the December 2021 edition of PhotoPlus : The Canon Magazine.
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This story is from the December 2021 edition of PhotoPlus : The Canon Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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