Adding lighting effects to a photograph

Published: 18.01.2022

Lighting in a photograph is crucial. With the help of light, you can give volume to the image, create an interesting play of shadows, highlight certain objects, and hide flaws. To take a quality photograph, good lighting is essential. However, photos are not always taken in studio conditions with spotlights and lamps. Also, natural sunlight does not always allow you to achieve the desired effect in a photo. It is best to take photos in not too bright sunlight and shoot in the morning at sunrise or in the evening before sunset, as this creates a soft and warm image. However, many photos are taken in the evening or at night, often under aggressive daytime lighting when the sun is at its zenith. If you didn't manage to take a photo with perfect lighting right away, don't get upset, you can fix the situation by adding lighting effects in graphic editors. Let's consider what to pay attention to when creating photos and how you can add various lighting effects using Photoshop.

"What should be considered when shooting?"

No matter how advanced and multifunctional graphic editors may be, always try to take a high-quality photo. If minor flaws can be easily corrected, there's nothing you can do with a completely dark and blurry image. Initially, the lighting for the photo should be sufficient to later give it an interesting effect in Photoshop. A flat image can be made three-dimensional, and a dark one can be made lighter, but it's best to capture shadows and texture well from the start. When creating a photo, consider the following lighting features:

Frontal lighting, when the light source is directed directly at the subject, minimizes shadows and smooths out texture. This type of lighting is well suited for further editing of photos in Photoshop, as the image appears flat and there is no need to remove extra shadows in the shot.





Side lighting adds volume and drama. Light directed from the side of the subject makes the image more three-dimensional, and you can enhance this effect in graphic editors.







The backlighting of the object in the photo emphasizes the silhouette but reduces the level of detail. This type of lighting creates a dramatic and mystical effect in the photo.








A light source located at a distance from the subject reduces the brightness of the lighting, creating an intimate and romantic effect in the photo. If the image turns out to be not bright enough, you can add color and contrast in Photoshop.






Diffused lighting is great for creating portraits. The light in the photo turns out soft and even, emphasizing all the necessary elements. When using diffused light sources, minimal photo editing is needed.





Reflected light has a similar effect to scattered light, it does not create extra shadows and the image turns out bright and contrasty.

"Lighting effects on photos using Photoshop"

The Photoshop program provides great opportunities for editing lighting in photos. The program has special filters with lighting effects that allow you to simulate light from real spotlights. You can simultaneously apply multiple light sources and achieve an effect that is very difficult to create during shooting. Lighting effects in Photoshop allow you to use 17 varieties of "lamps", each of which creates different textures in the photo. To add lighting effects to a photo using a graphic editor, we recommend following the following algorithm of actions:

1. "Choose a photo in digital RGB format."
2. Open Photoshop and select the menu filter-lighting-lighting effects.
3. "Choose the effect you need and see the result in the preview field located on the left."
4. Select the control element in the viewing field. You can adjust the position of the light on the image using a special ellipse.
5. "Manage markers to adjust the width and height of the lighting effect."

If you didn't like the lighting effect you added to the photo, drag the spotlight marker to the trash and choose another effect. At the bottom of the window, below the preview field, click on the button to create a light source and continue experimenting with the lighting.

Cool photos deserve unusual framing. Print your cool photos in a polaroid style. Fans of instant photography from the 90s may experience familiar feelings when holding a photo in the style of Polaroid. Those unfamiliar with traditional polaroids may enjoy square images with space for captions.

"Take photos"
"in the style of a polaroid"

Photo processing is as labor-intensive a process as creating them. Sometimes after processing, you get an image that looks absolutely nothing like the original. With Photoshop, you can completely transform a photo, brighten it, crop it, change the color. Working in graphic editors is not difficult, like any other task, it requires experience and skills. The more you experiment with different effects in Photoshop, the easier and faster you will be able to process photos. Over time, you will intuitively choose the necessary effects and your photos will become more professional. And the best photos with interesting lighting effects can be saved by ordering a Light album or a photobook from Mapi.