Anna Shaw


Anna Shaw

Written by:

Anna Shaw
October 14, 2009

The EASIEST WAY TO MAKE RAYS OF LIGHT: A Photoshop tutorial for beginners

THE EASIEST WAYS TO MAKE RAYS OF LIGHT

A Photoshop Tutorial for beginners

I have used Photoshop CS4 but it will work in earlier versions.

This tutorial is an adaptation of ‘Creating An Underwater Scene’ by the truly wonderful Mark Monciardini

—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-——
As with anything in Photoshop, there are many ways to achieve the same end.Making rays of light is no exception. There are many ways to make these.This is the easiest and most effective way that I have found to do this.

Essentially it is only four main steps to achieve this result…

Steppleland Stock from Deviantart has kindly given permission to use the lovely start image.

If you click on this LINK you can download the image.

Make sure that you download the full size image and not just the thumbnail or the technique that you will be learning will not work properly. To do this click on the download button, and when the full size image shows, right click and use ‘save image as’.

Please make sure that you tick the Add to Favourites button before you download, as a way of saying ‘Thanks’ for the use of the stock.

Step 1
Open the image and immediately create a new layer by clicking on the new layer icon at the bottom of your layers palate. Name this layer ‘Light Rays”
See below…


Step 2

Set colour palate to the default White foreground, Black background
Go to the menu bar and select Filter/Render /Clouds and hit ‘Enter’.
Your layer should now look like this…


Step 3

Go to your menu bar and select Image/Adjustment/Threshold and hit the ‘OK’ button in the little box that comes up.
Your layer will now look like this..

Step 4

Go to
Filter/Blur/Radial Blur

When the box pops up, set

Amount = 84
Blur Method = Zoom
Quality = Good

The arrow here shows you where the zoom will radiate from.

You need to place the blur centre over your light source ie the sun or the moon, or where the strongest light is in the sky. In this image, we need to have the Blur Centre it in the top left hand corner. So, with your mouse, slide the zoom centre to the top left of the square box.
The dialogue box should look like this…

Hit the OK button.

Your image will now look like this.

You are nearly there now!

Step 5

Now set the blending mode of this layer to Soft Light (See image below)
Reduce the opacity to 77%
Reduce the Fill to 94%
(The reduction in opacity and fill is a personal preference. Just adjust them until you are happy with the effect.)


Step 6

Now add a layer mask to this layer by clicking on the layer mask icon at the bottom of your layers palate. (See image below)

Now set your foreground colour to Black.
Set the background colour to White.

Select a soft round brush 200px.



With the layer mask selected, paint over the areas you want to hide with the black brush.

Here I have painted out the rays over the tree trunk, to give the impression that the light is falling behind it. I also painted out the front foreground to set the rays further back in the image.

If you go too far, change the foreground colour to White and that will bring the rays back.

And that’s it!! How simple was that?

Special thanks go to my dear friends LorraineCreagh &Francis
for their kindness and help in learning how to upload and post this tutorial.
xx

  • artisandelimage

    artisandelimage

    wow, it makes me almost want to get photoshop !!! lol
    great tutorial…
    my best, francis.

  • Anna Shaw replied

    xx
    Thanks dear friend.

  • Anna Shaw replied

    So sorry Francis, I forgot to add my thanks to you and Lorraine for helping me post this. That is now remedied!!
    xx

  • nishagandhi

    nishagandhi

    very nice tutorial!!

  • Anna Shaw replied

    Thanks so much.
    xx

  • Lorraine Creagh

    Lorraine Creagh

    Wow, this is such a good tutorial Anna. I must try it myself. x

  • Anna Shaw replied

    So sorry Lorraine, I forgot to add my thanks to you and Francis for helping me post this. That is now remedied!! Your help was invaluable.
    xx

  • MagpieMagic

    MagpieMagic

    Thanks for that. Good way of doing it. Mine was far more complicated. LOL

  • Anna Shaw replied

    Hi – I haven’t seen yours, could you send me the link please? As I said, there are so many ways in Photoshop to create the same thing. I think it is just a matter of personal preferences in the end. I love your work by the way!!
    xx

  • Lucindawind

    Lucindawind

    awesome thank you :)

  • Anna Shaw replied

    You are welcome.
    xx

  • laxwings

    laxwings

    Anna, Great tutorial. I took a photo last week that I want to try this on. The arrows and labels make it so easy to read and understand. Hope you do one on removing a background with color range…think about it. We all learned something new and easy.

  • Anna Shaw replied

    Thanks Mary Ann – you never know!!
    xx

  • Rosalie Scanlon

    Rosalie Scanlon

    Thanks for the info Anna, put in my favorites to try it sometime.

  • Anna Shaw replied

    You are welcome dear Rosalie.
    xx

  • RabbitHeart

    RabbitHeart

    This looks incredibly useful Anna! I’ll definitely have to give it a try. Thanks so much for posting this!

  • Anna Shaw replied

    That’s so sweet of you.
    xx

  • hugh023

    hugh023

    Nice and quick and easy . . . Good stuff . . .

  • Anna Shaw replied

    Thanks Hugh.
    xx

  • Kelly Cavanaugh

    Kelly Cavanaugh

    Awesome! Thank you!!

  • steppeland

    steppeland

    Great tutorial so to see, Anna, and lovely effect. I am happy you could use one of my stock images for this! :)

  • Nature's Realm

    Nature's Realm

    awesome tutorial…...thank you so much. – Dennis

  • Patrick Desmet

    Patrick Desmet

    THank You Anna .

  • restlessd

    restlessd

    How awesome is this? Wow, you have made it so “basic” – cool, I can’t wait to try it. – I have been “cheating” & using brushes but this looks so real.
    Thank you for sharing Anna.
    Hugz♥
    Rhonda

  • tazzina

    tazzina

    thanks!!!

  • Anna Shaw replied

    You are welcome.
    xx

  • Helen Martikainen

    Helen Martikainen

    Thanks Anna, the tutorial looks really good and easy to follow.

  • Anna Shaw replied

    Thanks dear Helen.
    xx

  • Andrew Gordon

    Andrew Gordon

    Nice One Anna
    I knew the clouds filter was good for something!

  • Anna Shaw replied

    Thanks Andrew. The clouds filter is equally good for texturing and image and for creating mist. Very under-rated tool I think!
    xx

  • o0OdemocrazyO0o

    o0OdemocrazyO0o

    nice one :D

  • Anna Shaw replied

    Thanks so much.
    xx

  • bobculshaw

    bobculshaw

    Thank you Anna, will give it a try. Thank you so much for sharing. xx

  • Anna Shaw replied

    Thanks so much.
    xx

  • Anna Shaw

    Anna Shaw

    Thanks so much.
    xx

  • Geoff Carpenter

    Geoff Carpenter

    Anna you are a wonder! Many thanks for taking the time to post this tutorial. I found it very clear and concise. All In nedd to do now is try it out!!!

  • Anna Shaw replied

    Thanks Geoff.
    xx

  • redtree

    redtree

    Many thanks for this tutorial, this will save me so much time. xx

  • Anna Shaw replied

    You are so welcome. Thank you.
    xx

  • Phil Parkin

    Phil Parkin

    Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing :-)

  • Anna Shaw replied

    You are welcome. Thanks so much.
    xx

  • jacqleen

    jacqleen

    wowwwwwwww…the fact that you included pics to go along with your words…...made MY DAY :))) LOL
    thank you sooooo much for sharing this :)

  • Anna Shaw replied

    Oh, what a great response. Thank you so much.
    xx

  • Chris Wahl

    Chris Wahl

    Heh, never knew you could drag the zoom centre around. Thanks for that tip.

  • Anna Shaw replied

    I am so pleased. Thanks for letting me know.
    xx

  • MagpieMagic

    MagpieMagic

    Hi Anna,

    Just used your tutorial to great effect in my latest photo collage: Fire and Water. Many thanks for posting this! :-)

  • Anna Shaw replied

    That is wonderful. I am so pleased.
    xx

  • kristiane

    kristiane

    I often wondered about rays like this…thank you Anna for sharing this…very kind

  • Anna Shaw replied

    You are so welcome.
    xx

  • Linda Gregory

    Linda Gregory

    Fantastic tutorial, Anna. I’m definitely going to try this.

  • Anna Shaw replied

    I am delighted Linda. Thank you.
    xx

  • Mariano57

    Mariano57

    THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been struggling with this issue!! I love you for sharing this Ann!! I am so happy I could hug you!!

  • Anna Shaw replied

    How lovely – thank you so much, – it is lovely to wake up to an internet hug!
    xx

  • JennyDean

    JennyDean about 1 month ago

    now this is cool, can’t wait to try it!

  • Lee-Anne Rafferty-Evans

    Lee-Anne Raffe... about 1 month ago

    so cool thanks

  • Isa Rodriguez

    Isa Rodriguez 27 days ago

    wow!!!! i am soo appreciate of people like you whom teach us ! yay! this is really awesome.. thanks so much ..

  • Terence Russell

    Terence Russell 27 days ago

    Excellent tutorial. I use Corel software instead of Adobe software (less expensive) so I will definitely have to experiment a bit to do the same thing, but I already have the idea how to do it from this tutorial.

  • Andrea Rapisarda

    Andrea Rapisarda 25 days ago

    Fantastic tutorial!!!

  • terezadelpilar

    terezadelpilar 25 days ago

    well done, thank you:))

  • SandraRos

    SandraRos 25 days ago

    I love, love your tutorials you really make it so clear what to do !!! THANK YOU SO MUCH !!

  • foppe47

    foppe47 25 days ago

    Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing :-)

    Foppe

  • PaulAlbert

    PaulAlbert 25 days ago

    Thanks Anna ! It’s settled ! I have my winter months filled to capacity ! Still a student ! Most appreciative ! paul

  • Lee-Anne Rafferty-Evans

    Lee-Anne Raffe... 25 days ago

    Wow thanks how easy was that” I have just tried it on sky to look like a long exposure and the clouds moving and it has turned out really well! Thank you

  • Anna Shaw replied 25 days ago

    Fabulous. Do please send me the link if you upload it.
    xx

  • ellcot

    ellcot 25 days ago

    Wow, thanks Anna! You’re amazing!

  • StacyLee

    StacyLee 25 days ago

    Wonderful :)

  • ldeiter78

    ldeiter78 25 days ago

    Thank you Anna – I just used your tutorial and it worked!!! I just need a bit more practice!!

  • Lee-Anne Rafferty-Evans

    Lee-Anne Raffe... 25 days ago

    Hi Anna here is one I have done, so impressed and thank you for the guide!

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/raffertyevans/4065353085/

  • Anna Shaw replied 25 days ago

    Dear Lee- Anne – that is just wonderful!!! I am so thrilled. Thank you so much for sharing it – and for the link. That has made me day.
    xx

  • Carol Lewsley

    Carol Lewsley 25 days ago

    Thanks Anna this is awesome thanks for sharing it

  • Mariebm56

    Mariebm56 25 days ago

    Thanks Anna, I will try it! Looks easy enough!!!
    Ü

  • Teresa Burnett

    Teresa Burnett 25 days ago

    Thank you Anna for sharing these tutorials with us.

  • Trudy Wilkerson

    Trudy Wilkerson 18 days ago

    thank you kindly for that tutorial…. I’ve tried to do this several times but not with such great effects….took out a pic I took this past summer and created it with the rays today…gave it a religious feel….like it a lot… I’ll submit here shortly….thanks a million for taking the time out to teach us that…best wishes, Trudy Wilkerson

  • Anna Shaw replied 18 days ago

    That is wonderful, thank you so much. I look forward to seeing what you have done.
    xx

  • Mel Brackstone

    Mel Brackstone 17 days ago

    Thanks Anna, I had a go here

  • Richard George

    Richard George 17 days ago

    Excellent tutorial!

  • BarbaraManis

    BarbaraManis 17 days ago

    Thank you very much!

  • Cathleen Tarawhiti

    Cathleen Taraw... 17 days ago

    Thanks Ann, I love learning something new, especially when it’s made into easy steps :)

  • Maxoperandi

    Maxoperandi 17 days ago

    Great tutorial…perfectly put together!

  • JudyBJ

    JudyBJ 17 days ago

    thanks,very nice tutorial and helpful too

  • RavenSoul

    RavenSoul 17 days ago

    AWESOME!

  • LudaNayvelt

    LudaNayvelt 17 days ago

    excellent, thanks for taking your time and publishing this

  • Rosie Appleton

    Rosie Appleton 17 days ago

    Fantastic… thanks for this and to Mel for leading me here!!!!

  • DragonFlyer

    DragonFlyer 17 days ago

    WOW! And here’s been me layering actual photos of rays of light in…..

  • Serena Dunaway

    Serena Dunaway 16 days ago

    Thanks for sharing! ;)

  • L. Haverkamp

    L. Haverkamp 6 days ago

    thankyou for sharing this,its very helpful.ty

  • ANNABEL S. ALENTON

    ANNABEL S. A... 3 days ago

    how unselfish of you to share this wonderful idea,i don’t have a photoshop yet but I’m thankful
    of this for future use,

  • Ann J. Przyojski

    Ann J. Przyojski 3 days ago

    You’re just the best for sharing. That’s why I’m always ready to help. So many have helped me. THANKS

  • BillAtherton

    BillAtherton 2 days ago

    Thank you Anna

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