How to Make Light Rays In Photoshop

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Adding light rays to your images can give them a magical effect that you can easily implement in any of your photos. This is an extremely advantageous trick for designers that want to add some magic to their pictures for their website, clients, poster, or whatever else you might need.

If you’re ready to let the light in, just follow the simple set of instructions given below.

File > Open your image. In this case, I’ll be working on the image below from Pixabay.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11337″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Create a copy of the background layer by pressing Ctrl + J just in case as a backup. Then create a new blank layer by clicking on the Create New Layer.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11338″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Change the Foreground Color to Off-white[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11339″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Select the brush tool & change the size to 37 (yours can be different depending on the resolution of your photo), hardness 66%, Opacity 100%.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”11340″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”11341″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Go to Window > Brush to open the brush palette. Adjust the spacing.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11342″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Now go to the Shape Dynamics, change the Size Jitter to 40%.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11343″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Turn on the Scattering & adjust the Scatter. In this example, I’ve changed it to 1000%.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11344″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Make sure your empty layer is selected, in this example, it’s layer 2 & move your mouse and scatter the brush all over or according to your image (like in the diagram).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11345″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Now go to Filter > blur > Radial Blur… Slide the Amount to 100, Blur Method: Zoom & Quality: Best. Shift the Blur Center how you want to set the lighting. Click OK.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11346″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11347″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Create a New Layer & change the Blend Mode to Soft Light.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11348″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]And brush over the highlight areas. Press Ctrl + F to activate the Radial Blur from the previous setting.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11349″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Now merge the 2 light-ray layers and change the Blending Mode to Overlay. The final result looks like this.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11350″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row]