In this tutorial, you will learn a number of useful tips and tricks about the application of the Lens Flare Filter in Photoshop.
Along the way, we will learn where to find lens flare filter in Photoshop, how to use it non-destructively and the most interesting part – making an awesome-looking special effect with it.
Lens Flare Filter – The “Amateur” Filter?
The Lens Flare filter in Photoshop has long been known as the “Amateur” filter, due to its relatively easy application. This unfortunately leads to the overuse of this filter and ugly-looking result.
I on the other hand, believe that the Lens Flare filter is one of the most versatile filters in Photoshop. With the correct settings, you can add some awesome effect for your photo with the lens flare filter.
Where to Find Lens Flare Filter in Newer Versions of Photoshop
In the latest Photoshop, the menu layout is slightly different from the previous version. You can locate the lens flare filter under Filter > Render > Lens Flare
You will have the following window, with 4 Lens Types to choose, as well as the Brightness option which you can adjust for each individual lens:
You can then hit “ok” to apply this filter on your photo.
Apply Lens Flare Filter Non-Destructively
The only problem with the above process, is that the lens flare filter was applied on the original photo layer. By doing so, we make things harder down the track if you wish to remove the filter.
A better way of applying lens flare filter without affecting the original photo, is to create a new layer on top as a dedicated layer just for the lens flare filter:
Fill this new layer with black colour:
Apply the lens flare filter on this new layer:
Change the layer blending mode to “Screen”:
and this is the effect:
As you can see, the lens flare filter is now applied on a seperate layer. You can easily turn this layer on and off to keep/remove the effect.
How to Use Lens Flare Filter to Create Special Effect
If you have difficulty with this part of the tutorial, check out this video below:
With some creative touches, lens flare filter can be used to make some very interesting effect. I will show you here how to make an awesome shining eye effect with it. Let’s get started!
Download this stock image by CathleenTarawhiti, use the steps previously described in step 2, apply the lens flare filter with 105mm prime lens type:
Move the centre of the lens flare to cover the eye of the model:
Duplicate this lens flare layer once and cover the other eye:
Duplicate the lens flare layer once more, use the Free Transform to warp this layer until it form this following shape, reduce its layer opacity to around 50%:
This is the effect you will have (I added some colours to the image):
That’s it for this tutorial! Hope it’s of use to you and taught you a thing or two about the Lens Flare filter in Photoshop 2020. There is more effect you can create with lens flare, use your imagination and experiment!
If you’re looking for more beginner Photoshop tutorial, check out the Basics section of my blog.