Handling Light Sources

For this order, the original image was taken against the sun, which is why the head of the lady looks hazy and faded. In cases like this, we can improve the contrast in the hazy area slightly, but the edit will not look realistic unless we match the lighting. If the customer has chosen a Lookbook design that doesn't match the original lighting, we can look for elements in the background where light could be coming from (windows, lamps, fireplaces, sky, etc.), and simply paint in the light. Instead, the editor tried adjusting her contrast and burning the highlighted parts. The second version below was approved. But the customer re-edited, as she was unhappy with the way her face and hair looked.

Version 1

Version 2

Version 3

Version 3 is what we want to send to the customers! Instead of adjusting the subject to fit the background, we can adjust the background to fit the subject. I created a light beam coming from the chandelier, to match the highlight and fade effect on the woman’s head. This was done by painting on a new layer with a soft brush, blurring as needed, and then setting it to Screen or Color Dodge Blend Mode. The customer was thrilled with the results and gave the order 5 stars!

Here are some tutorials on adding light sources:


By painting on a new layer, then setting the Blend Mode to Overlay, Screen or Color Dodge (toggle between the different Blend Modes to find the one that works best), you can produce artificial light in your image.


A more detailed, advanced technique, using the Lighting Effects Filter. This filter provides you with 3 different type light sources (Point, Spot, or Infinite) and allows you control over the placement, intensity, and texture.

Explore these methods, as they can often help you quickly solve lighting issues to allow for better, more realistic blending!