How To Create The Lens Flare Effect

In GIMP you can create stunning lighting effect to your photo, one of them is the Lens Flare filter effect. Nevertheless, when shooting with your camera facing sunlight, try adjust the exposure compensation down by -0.3 or more. Although the photo may look darker originally, it can be edited with the GIMP.

Before

The photo look darker originally.
[ Photo by favorizer.net / cc by-sa 2.0 / bigger size ]

After

Final brighter result with Lens Flare fffect.
[ Edited by favorizer.net / cc by-sa 2.0 / bigger size ]

[ This tutorial is for The GIMP, you may apply similar steps in Photoshop ]

STEP 1

Click on the “Duplicate Layer” icon at the bottom of the Layers Dialog to duplicate a layer from the original image. Name the layers as “L1″. You may click the ‘eye’ icon to make the original layer invisible.

STEP 2

Make sure “L1″ is selected & follow the menu go to Filters > Light and Shadow > Lens Flare. In the “Lens Flare” dialog, move your mouse to the preview area & click on the sun as shown in the above illustration. Click Ok to process the Lens Flare effect.

STEP 3

Next, duplicate the layer “L1″ & name it as “L2″. We want to make the photo looks brighter. Make sure “L2″ is selected & go to “Adjust Color Curves” ( Menu : Colors > Curves ) & make the curve as shown in the above illustration & click Ok (you may repeat the step until you satisfy with the brightness of the photo). The photo looks better now, however the sun is too bright & over exposed. Don’t worry, we are going to fix it.

STEP 4

Raise the layer “L1″ by moving it to the top of the layer stack, click & drag layer “L1″ as shown in the above illustration. This makes layer “L1″ as the foreground of the photo. Next, add a layer mask to layer “L1″. Right click the layer “L1″ & select “Add Layer Mask”. In the “Add Layer Mask” dialog, select “Black (full transparency)” & click “Add”. Layer “L1″ is now invisible, we have just masked out the whole layer.

STEP 5

Select layer “L1″ & make sure you are selecting the layer mask. Click the “Airbrush Tool” in the Toolbox Window & make sure the foreground is in white. change the brush type to “Circle Fuzzy (17)” & make the brush bigger by adjusting the scale. Now use the Airbrush to paint on the sun & surrounding area.