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Inspiring
June 22, 2022
Question

Lens Flare Preview Suggestion

  • June 22, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 998 views

Hello Hello - 

 

for certain projects - i like adding a lens flare between the foreground and background to back-light my subject.  I add the flare to black layer, and then set that black layer's mode to Screen. 

 

It can be a tedious process, because there is no preview function on lens flares.  When adding one, all you can see is the layer itself, not the entire project.  So I have to use trial-and-error, to make sure the flare is placed exactly where I want it inbetween the two layers.

 

Would LOVE the ability to preview and adjust lens flares as they appear in the entire project before applying them, and hoping others feel the same.

 

Thanks!

 

-G. 

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3 replies

Trevor.Dennis
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 14, 2024

If I am understanding your workflow, you don't need to preview because you can move and transform the flare layer.  Especially if you make it a Smart Object.

 

I have all of the Nuckly Photoshop assets like his flares.   (Just the flares are $19.)

My favourite method of adding flares is the Prodigital Starfilter Pro 4 plugin, in which II use the same workflow you described. Fill a new layer to black and set it to Screen, and add tiny white spots with the brush where I want the flares to be.  If I want to get fancy, then I use Boris fx or+ Partical Shop, but that takes a lot longer and is less predictable.

Participant
May 16, 2024

I don't recall having to do this before. I could just click on Render ––> Lens Flare and it would bring up a dialogue box where I could see where the flare was positioned on my image and which style it was.. I guess I don't understand why it has become more complicated than that now. At first, I thought it was a glitch of some kind, seeing a preview box that really served no purpose because it was just black. 

Participant
May 14, 2024

When I try to add any kind of lens flare to an image (JPG or PSD), the small preview box which would show where the effect is positioned on the image is black.

J E L
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 22, 2022

Yes, I see what you mean. It's a great suggestion, and I'll vote for it!