How to Create a Light Leak Effect in Adobe Photoshop

Posted on 20th June 2023

Light leaks are a beautiful, organic way to add some style and flair to your photos. They can range from subtle to dramatic, and are a great way to give your photos a unique look.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to create a light leak effect in Adobe Photoshop. We’ll be using a few different tools and techniques, so even if you’re a beginner, you should be able to follow along. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Choose an Image

The first step is to choose an image that you want to add a light leak effect to. For this tutorial, we’ll be using a photo of a cityscape at night.

Step 2: Duplicate the Background Layer

Once you have an image open in Photoshop, go to the Layers panel and click on the Background layer to select it. Then, press Command + J (Mac) / Control + J (Win) to duplicate the layer.

Step 3:Add a Radial Blur

With the duplicated layer selected, go to Filter > Blur > Radial Blur. In the Radial Blur dialog box, set the Amount to 50, the Blur Method to Spin, and the Quality to Good. Then, click OK.

Step 4: Invert the Radial Blur Layer

Next, we need to invert the radial blur layer. Go to Image > Adjustments > Invert, or press Command + I (Mac) / Control + I (Win).

Step 5: Change the Blending Mode

Now, go to the Layers panel and change the blending mode of the inverted radial blur layer from Normal to Screen.

Step 6: Add a Layer Mask

With the inverted radial blur layer still selected, go to Layer > New Layer Mask > Reveal All. This will add a layer mask to the layer, which we can use to control where the light leak effect appears in the image.

Step 7: Paint with Black

Now we need to paint with black on the layer mask. Select the Brush Tool from the Toolbar, and choose a soft, round brush. Then, set your Foreground color to black, and start painting over the areas of the image where you want the light leak effect to appear. As you paint, you should see the effect start to appear.

Step 8: Add a Curves Adjustment Layer

Next, we’re going to add a Curves adjustment layer. This will help us fine-tune the light leak effect and make it look more realistic. To do this, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves.

Step 9: Edit the Curves

In the Curves dialog box, click on the middle of the line and drag it up slightly. This will make the light leak effect more pronounced. Then, click OK.

Step 10: Add Some Noise

To add some noise to the light leak effect and make it look more realistic, go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise. In the Add Noise dialog box, set the Amount to 3% and the Distribution to Uniform. Then, click OK.

Step 11: Duplicate the Noise Layer

With the noise layer selected, press Command + J (Mac) / Control + J (Win) to duplicate it. Then, go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. In the Gaussian Blur dialog box, set the Radius to 2 pixels and click OK.

Step 12: Change the Blending Mode

Now, go to the Layers panel and change the blending mode of the blurred noise layer from Normal to Linear Dodge (Add).

Step 13: Add a Layer Mask

With the blurred noise layer still selected, go to Layer > New Layer Mask > Reveal All. This will add a layer mask to the layer, which we can use to control where the noise appears in the image.

Step 14: Paint with Black

Now we need to paint with black on the layer mask. Select the Brush Tool from the Toolbar, and choose a soft, round brush. Then, set your Foreground color to black, and start painting over the areas of the image where you want the noise to appear. As you paint, you should see the noise start to appear.

Step 15: Adjust the Levels

To fine-tune the light leak effect, we’re going to adjust the levels. Go to Image > Adjustments > Levels, or press Command + L (Mac) / Control + L (Win). In the Levels dialog box, drag the middle slider to the right until the light leak effect looks good. Then, click OK.

Step 16: Save the Image

Finally, we need to save the image. Go to File > Save As, and choose a file name and format. We recommend saving the image as a PNG or TIFF file to preserve the quality.

And that’s it! You’re now ready to add a light leak effect to your photos in Adobe Photoshop.

How to Create a Light Leak Effect in Adobe Photoshop

Overview

A light leak is a defect that allows light to enter the camera where it is not supposed to. This can happen through a crack in the body of the camera, through a gap in the lens mount, or through a faulty shutter. Light leaks can cause a variety of effects, from a slight change in color to a completely overexposed image. In Photoshop, you can simulate a light leak by adding a gradient overlay to a layer. You can also use a texture or a photo of a real light leak.

Instructions

1. Create a new layer in Photoshop. You can do this by clicking the “Create a new layer” button at the bottom of the Layers panel. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+Shift+N (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+N (macOS).

2. Click the “Gradient” tool in the Tools panel. Alternatively, you can press G on your keyboard. By default, the gradient tool uses the black-to-white gradient. If this is not the case, click the black-to-white gradient in the options bar.

3. Drag the gradient tool from the top left to the bottom right of the layer. As you drag, you will see the gradient overlay appear on the layer. You can also click and drag the gradient tool from the bottom left to the top right, or from the top right to the bottom left.

4. Change the blending mode of the layer to “Screen”. You can do this in the options bar at the top of the screen. The “Screen” blending mode lightens the colors of the layer.

Tips

• If you want to add a texture to your light leak, open the texture in Photoshop and drag it onto your light leak layer. Change the blending mode of the texture layer to “Screen”.

• If you want to use a photo of a real light leak, open the photo in Photoshop and drag it onto your light leak layer. Change the blending mode of the photo layer to “Screen”.