gojing

Download the Action: http://www.f64.co/rays


There are many programs and plugins you can use to make light rays bursting through your image.  However, few have the control over the effect that Photoshop does.  Using things like Blend If, or Opacity you can protect specific areas from receiving the impact.  One of the dead giveaways that a filter was used is a contrived look that happens when shadow areas do not show through the bursting light effect.



In this tutorial, I will show you how to fake the look of sun rays bursting through a trees canopy.  It is beneficial for this type of image, but keep in mind that not all photos are created equal!  Some pictures will look fake even when you do put forth the effort to protect your shadows with Blend If.

I have included an Action and a Video Tutorial below, but here are the steps in written form as well.

 1.  Make a stamp of all of your work by pressing CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+E (CMD+Option+Shift+E on Mac)

2.  Go to select in the menu bar of Photoshop, then navigate to Color Range

3.  Choose either the "Sampled Color" and make a selection with the eyedropper for the highlights, or choose "Highlights" from the drop-down.

4.  Use the Fuzziness and/or range to dial in those highlights just right

5.  When you press okay Photoshop will output the selection with the "racing ants."

6.  Make a mask on your Stamped Layer for the newly selected Highlights.

7.  Drag the mask to the trash and when prompted select "Apply."

8.  Go to Filter, Blur, Radial Blur

9.  Set it to Zoom, and Best, and drag the slider as far as it will go to the right.  Press Ok.

10.  Open the Blending Options Dialog by double-clicking next to the text of the sampled layer.

11.  Use the Blend if slider to protect the shadows.  Pressing Alt or Option will allow you to feather the effect.

12.  Thats it!  Now you can lower the Opacity, Duplicate the Effect, or optionally Gaussian Blur the Effect for a more hazy approach.