Trick Photoshop

Focus and light is important for any image. Photoshop shows you to do it artificially with most images. The lights in an image highlights the focus which you not have been able to catch on camera. Never mind, with photoshop you can change mundane photos  to something definitely different. It will seem that you are painting with light.

I will be using this free stock image. You will find it here

It belongs to jessangel2003

This is the effect I want.

Step 1 : Make sure that the Foreground Color is set to Black

Step 2 : Go to Layer>New Fill Layer>Gradient.

Step 3 : This dialogue box appears. Photoshop even gives it a name.

Click OK.

Step 4 : This dialogue box now opens.

Step 5 : I am using the Foreground to Transparent Gradient.

Step 6 : Change the Style to Radial, Angle to 130 and Scale to 150 (nothing hard and fast about it though). Check Reverse. Align with Layer should be checked already.

Click OK.

The image looks like this.

Step 7 : Click the New Layer icon. A new Layer 1 forms above the Gradient Fill 1 layer. Change the Blend Mode to Soft Light.

Step 8 : Change the Foreground Color to White.

Step 9 : Press b on the keyboard for the Brush Tool. To make the Brush large press ] (right bracket key) and to make it small [ (left bracket key). To make the Brush hard press SHIFT+] and to make it soft SHIFT+[. We will be using a soft brush.

Step 10 : Check in the left top corner of the panel. I am using a Soft Brush. Drop the Opacity of the Brush to 40%.

Step 11 : I have painted over the girl with the brush just a few times. Each time you apply the Brush you make a portion brighter.

Step 12 : Click the new Layer icon. Layer 2 forms. Change the Blend Mode of Layer 2 to Overlay.

Step 13 : Press b for the Brush Tool. Use the same soft brush to paint. It will seem that you are painting with light.

Step 14 : If the light seems a tad too bright, lower the Opacity.

The finished image.

Other photoshop tutorials are here