Choose Filter >
Render > Lighting Effects.
Last updated on
Oct 14, 2024
- Photoshop User Guide
- Introduction to Photoshop
- Photoshop and other Adobe products and services
- Photoshop on the iPad (not available in mainland China)
- Photoshop on the iPad | Common questions
- Get to know the workspace
- System requirements | Photoshop on the iPad
- Create, open, and export documents
- Add photos
- Work with layers
- Draw and paint with brushes
- Make selections and add masks
- Retouch your composites
- Work with adjustment layers
- Adjust the tonality of your composite with Curves
- Apply transform operations
- Crop and rotate your composites
- Rotate, pan, zoom, and reset the canvas
- Work with Type layers
- Work with Photoshop and Lightroom
- Get missing fonts in Photoshop on the iPad
- Japanese Text in Photoshop on the iPad
- Manage app settings
- Touch shortcuts and gestures
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Edit your image size
- Livestream as you create in Photoshop on the iPad
- Correct imperfections with the Healing Brush
- Create brushes in Capture and use them in Photoshop on the iPad
- Work with Camera Raw files
- Create and work with Smart Objects
- Adjust exposure in your images with Dodge and Burn
- Auto adjustment commands in Photoshop on the iPad
- Smudge areas in your images with Photoshop on the iPad
- Saturate or desaturate your images using Sponge tool
- Content aware fill for iPad
- Photoshop on the web (not available in mainland China)
- Common questions
- System requirements
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Supported file types
- Introduction to the workspace
- Open and work with cloud documents
- Generative AI features
- Basic concepts of editing
- Quick Actions
- Work with layers
- Retouch images and remove imperfections
- Make quick selections
- Image improvements with Adjustment Layers
- Add a fill layer
- Move, transform, and crop images
- Draw and paint
- Draw and edit Shapes
- Work with Type layers
- Work with anyone on the web
- Manage app settings
- Generate Image
- Generate Background
- Reference Image
- Photoshop (beta) (not available in mainland China)
- Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
- Common questions on generative AI in Photoshop
- Generative Fill in Photoshop on the desktop
- Generate Image with descriptive text prompts
- Generative Expand in Photoshop on the desktop
- Replace background with Generate background
- Get new variations with Generate Similar
- Generative Fill in Photoshop on the iPad
- Generative Expand in Photoshop on the iPad
- Generative AI features in Photoshop on the web
- Content authenticity (not available in mainland China)
- Cloud documents (not available in mainland China)
- Photoshop cloud documents | Common questions
- Photoshop cloud documents | Workflow questions
- Manage and work with cloud documents in Photoshop
- Upgrade cloud storage for Photoshop
- Unable to create or save a cloud document
- Solve Photoshop cloud document errors
- Collect cloud document sync logs
- Invite others to edit your cloud documents
- Share files and comment in-app
- Workspace
- Workspace basics
- Preferences
- Learn faster with the Photoshop Discover Panel
- Create documents
- Place files
- Default keyboard shortcuts
- Customize keyboard shortcuts
- Tool galleries
- Performance preferences
- Use tools
- Presets
- Grid and guides
- Touch gestures
- Use the Touch Bar with Photoshop
- Touch capabilities and customizable workspaces
- Technology previews
- Metadata and notes
- Place Photoshop images in other applications
- Rulers
- Show or hide non-printing Extras
- Specify columns for an image
- Undo and history
- Panels and menus
- Position elements with snapping
- Position with the Ruler tool
- Web, screen, and app design
- Image and color basics
- How to resize images
- Work with raster and vector images
- Image size and resolution
- Acquire images from cameras and scanners
- Create, open, and import images
- View images
- Invalid JPEG Marker error | Opening images
- Viewing multiple images
- Customize color pickers and swatches
- High dynamic range images
- Match colors in your image
- Convert between color modes
- Color modes
- Erase parts of an image
- Blending modes
- Choose colors
- Customize indexed color tables
- Image information
- Distort filters are unavailable
- About color
- Color and monochrome adjustments using channels
- Choose colors in the Color and Swatches panels
- Sample
- Color mode or Image mode
- Color cast
- Add a conditional mode change to an action
- Add swatches from HTML CSS and SVG
- Bit depth and preferences
- Layers
- Layer basics
- Nondestructive editing
- Create and manage layers and groups
- Select, group, and link layers
- Place images into frames
- Layer opacity and blending
- Mask layers
- Apply Smart Filters
- Layer comps
- Move, stack, and lock layers
- Mask layers with vector masks
- Manage layers and groups
- Layer effects and styles
- Edit layer masks
- Extract assets
- Reveal layers with clipping masks
- Generate image assets from layers
- Work with Smart Objects
- Blending modes
- Combine multiple images into a group portrait
- Combine images with Auto-Blend Layers
- Align and distribute layers
- Copy CSS from layers
- Load selections from a layer or layer mask's boundaries
- Knockout to reveal content from other layers
- Selections
- Get started with selections
- Make selections in your composite
- Select and Mask workspace
- Select with the marquee tools
- Select with the lasso tools
- Adjust pixel selections
- Move, copy, and delete selected pixels
- Create a temporary quick mask
- Select a color range in an image
- Convert between paths and selection borders
- Channel basics
- Save selections and alpha channel masks
- Select the image areas in focus
- Duplicate, split, and merge channels
- Channel calculations
- Get started with selections
- Image adjustments
- Replace object colors
- Perspective warp
- Reduce camera shake blurring
- Healing brush examples
- Export color lookup tables
- Adjust image sharpness and blur
- Understand color adjustments
- Apply a Brightness/Contrast adjustment
- Adjust shadow and highlight detail
- Levels adjustment
- Adjust hue and saturation
- Adjust vibrance
- Adjust color saturation in image areas
- Make quick tonal adjustments
- Apply special color effects to images
- Enhance your image with color balance adjustments
- High dynamic range images
- View histograms and pixel values
- Match colors in your image
- Crop and straighten photos
- Convert a color image to black and white
- Adjustment and fill layers
- Curves adjustment
- Blending modes
- Target images for press
- Adjust color and tone with Levels and Curves eyedroppers
- Adjust HDR exposure and toning
- Dodge or burn image areas
- Make selective color adjustments
- Adobe Camera Raw
- Camera Raw system requirements
- What's new in Camera Raw
- Introduction to Camera Raw
- Create panoramas
- Supported lenses
- Vignette, grain, and dehaze effects in Camera Raw
- Default keyboard shortcuts
- Automatic perspective correction in Camera Raw
- Radial Filter in Camera Raw
- Manage Camera Raw settings
- Open, process, and save images in Camera Raw
- Repair images with the Enhanced Spot Removal tool in Camera Raw
- Rotate, crop, and adjust images
- Adjust color rendering in Camera Raw
- Process versions in Camera Raw
- Make local adjustments in Camera Raw
- Image repair and restoration
- Image enhancement and transformation
- Drawing and painting
- Paint symmetrical patterns
- Draw rectangles and modify stroke options
- About drawing
- Draw and edit shapes
- Painting tools
- Create and modify brushes
- Blending modes
- Add color to paths
- Edit paths
- Paint with the Mixer Brush
- Brush presets
- Gradients
- Gradient interpolation
- Fill and stroke selections, layers, and paths
- Draw with the Pen tools
- Create patterns
- Generate a pattern using the Pattern Maker
- Manage paths
- Manage pattern libraries and presets
- Draw or paint with a graphics tablet
- Create textured brushes
- Add dynamic elements to brushes
- Gradient
- Paint stylized strokes with the Art History Brush
- Paint with a pattern
- Sync presets on multiple devices
- Migrate presets, actions, and settings
- Text
- Filters and effects
- Saving and exporting
- Color Management
- Web, screen, and app design
- Video and animation
- Printing
- Automation
- Troubleshooting
As of July 2024, Photoshop’s legacy 3D features have been removed. However, now in the Photoshop (beta) app you can seamlessly add 3D objects to your 2D Photoshop design using the Adobe Substance 3D Viewer (beta) app. Click here for more details.
Apply the Lighting Effects filter
The Lighting Effects filter lets you produce myriad lighting effects on RGB images. You can also use textures from grayscale files (called bump maps) to produce 3D‑like effects and save your own styles for use in other images.
Note:
The Lighting Effects filter works only on 8-bit RGB images in Photoshop. You must have a supported video card to use Lighting Effects. For more information, see this FAQ.
-
-
From the Presets menu at upper left, choose a style.
-
In the preview window, select individual lights you want to adjust. Then, in the upper half of the Properties panel, do any of the following:
- Choose a light type (Spot, Infinite, or Point) from the top menu.
- Adjust color, intensity, and hotspot size.
-
In the lower half of the Properties panel, adjust the entire set of lights with these options:
Colorize
Click to tint the overall lighting.
Exposure
Controls highlight and shadow detail.
Gloss
Determines how much surfaces reflects light.
Metallic
Determines which is more reflective: the light or the object on which the light is cast.
Ambience
Diffuses the light as if it were combined with other light in a room, such as sunlight or fluorescent light. Choose a value of 100 to use only the light source, or a value of –100 to remove the light source.
Texture
Applies a texture channel.
From an Expert: Lighting Effects tutorials
Quickly master the dedicated Lighting Effects workspace. This tutorial from Dan Moughamian gives you a step-by-step tour.
Also, see this Lighting Effects overview video by Matt Kloskowski.
Lighting Effects types
You can choose from several lighting types:
Point
Shines light in all directions from directly above the image—like a light bulb.
Infinite
Shines light across an entire plane—like the sun.
Spot
Casts an elliptical beam of light. The line in the preview window defines the light direction and angle, and the handles define the edges of the ellipse.
Adjust a Point light in the preview window
-
In the Properties panel, choose Point from the top menu.
-
In the preview window, adjust the light:
- To move the light, drag anywhere on the canvas.
- To change the spread of light (reflecting a light moving closer or farther away), drag the white section of the Intensity ring at the center.
Note:An Intensity value of 100 is brightest, normal lighting is about 50, negative intensity takes away light, and –100 intensity produces no light.
Adjust an Infinite light in the preview window
-
In the Properties panel, choose Infinite from the top menu.
-
Adjust the light:
- To change the direction, drag the handle at the end of the line.
- To change brightness, drag the white section of the Intensity ring at the center of the light controls.
- To change the direction, drag the handle at the end of the line.
Adjust a Spot light in the preview window
-
At the top of the Properties panel, choose Spot.
-
In the preview window, adjust the light:
- To move the light, drag within the outer ellipse.
- To rotate the light, drag beyond the outer ellipse.
- To change the hotspot angle, drag the edge of the interior ellipse.
- To extend or shrink the ellipse, drag one of the four outer handles.
- To change how much of the ellipse is filled with light, drag the white section of the Intensity ring in the center.
Lighting Effects presets
Use the Presets menu in the Lighting Effects workspace to choose from 17 light styles. You can also create your own presets by adding lights to the Default setting. The Lighting Effects filter requires at least one light source. Only one light can be edited at a time, but all added lights are used to create the effect.
2 o’clock Spotlight
A yellow spotlight of medium (17) intensity with a wide (91) focus.
Blue Omni
A blue overhead omni light of full (85) intensity with no focus.
Circle Of Light
Four spotlights. White has full (100) intensity and a concentrated (8) focus. Yellow has strong intensity (88) and a concentrated focus (3). Red has medium (50) intensity and a concentrated (0) focus. Blue has full (100) intensity and medium (25) focus.
Crossing
A white spotlight of medium (35) intensity with a wide (69) focus.
Crossing Down
Two white spotlights of medium (35) intensity with a wide (100) focus.
Default
A white spotlight of medium intensity (35) with a wide focus (69).
Five Lights Down/Five Lights Up
Five white spotlights, down or up, of full (100) intensity with a wide (60) focus.
Flashlight
An omni yellow light of medium (46) intensity.
Flood Light
A white spotlight of medium (35) intensity with a wide (69) focus.
Parallel Directional
A directional blue light of full (98) intensity with no focus.
RGB Lights
Red, blue, and green lights that produce a light of medium (60) intensity with a wide (96) focus.
Soft Direct Lights
Two unfocused white and blue directional lights. White has a soft (20) intensity. Blue has a medium (67) intensity.
Soft Omni
A soft omni light of medium (50) intensity.
Soft Spotlight
A white spotlight of full (98) intensity with a wide (100) focus.
Three Down
Three white spotlights of soft (35) intensity with a wide (96) focus.
Triple Spotlight
Three spotlights of slight (35) intensity with a wide (100) focus.
Add or delete a light
-
In the Lighting Effects workspace, do one of the following:
- At upper left, click the Lights icons to add Point, Spot, and Infinite types. Repeat as desired for a maximum of 16 lights.
- In the Lights panel (at lower right by default), drag a light to the Trash icon to delete it.
- At upper left, click the Lights icons to add Point, Spot, and Infinite types. Repeat as desired for a maximum of 16 lights.
Create, save, or delete a Lighting Effects preset
-
In the Lighting Effects dialog box, do one of the following:
- To create a preset, choose Custom from the Preset menu, and click the Lights icons to add Point, Spot, and Infinite types. Repeat as desired for a maximum of 16 lights.
- To save a preset, click Save, name the style, and click OK. Saved presets include all the settings for each light and appear in the Style menu whenever you open the image.
- To delete a preset, choose it, and then click Delete.
Apply a Texture channel
In the Lighting Effects workspace, the Texture channel lets you control lighting effects using grayscale images (called bump maps). You add bump maps to the image as alpha channels. You can add any grayscale image to your image as an alpha channel, or create an alpha channel and add texture to it. For an embossed text effect, use a channel with white text on a black background, or vice versa.
-
If necessary, add an alpha channel to your image. Do one of the following:
- To use a texture based on another image (for example, fabric or water), convert that image to grayscale, then drag the grayscale channel from that image into the current image.
- Drag an existing alpha channel from another image into the current image.
- Create an alpha channel in your image, then add texture to it.
-
In the Lighting Effects workspace, choose a channel from the Texture menu in the Properties dialog box. (Choose either an alpha channel you’ve added or the image’s Red, Green, or Blue channel.)
-
Drag the Height slider to vary the texture from Flat (0) to Mountainous (100).