Render > Lighting Effects

KC
Posted By
KEV_CHAMBERLAIN
Jul 28, 2008
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516
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5
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Closed
For the first time ever I’ve been looking at (and trying to use) this effect in Photoshop. It seems like it could be good, but the method of moving settings and adjustments seems incredibly cheap and nasty.

When you start to place a lighting effect on an image you get a small preview image alongside the adjustment controls, but that image is so small it’s almost impossible to see what you’re doing and where you’re doing it. Surely there is a bigger/better way of seeing where you are placing the effect and making adjustments?

Have I missed something, or is that as good as it gets?
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JM
J_Maloney
Jul 28, 2008
Well, you can try doing the lighting effects to a separate layer of 50% gray, and then using blending modes to drop it on top of your image. It will add a little flexibility to your workflow. But yes, you’re correct to complain about the interface for this filter.

J
WG
Welles_Goodrich
Jul 28, 2008
Hi Kev,

The Lighting Effects is a very valuable filter from my perspective as I use it on about a dozen images each year. The problem with the interface is that it is a very old filter and has never been updated. The little preview window is particularly hard to get used to as it is easy to lose the light outline handles and even manipulating them is problematic. There is no better preview window that that which you find frustrating.

That being said, with patience and some practice it can do great lighting effects. Using alpha channels can add bevel and emboss effects which have a different quality that those found in styles and sometimes are more valuable. I will say that even with considerable practice I still am accustomed to experimenting several times each time I use the filter before becoming completely satisfied with the result.

I really wish that Lighting Effects would be updated with a new UI but don’t believe it will be as the only ‘old’ filters which seem to get upgraded are those which benefit photographers who really are the bulk of the user base. I mean hey, they finally made the Brightness/Contrast filter useful after it had long ago proven to be useless.

Here’s a Lighting Effects piece. The background and puzzle were two 3D renders which were then manipulated in Photoshop. The table top, wainscot, molding and light fixture were all made in Photoshop. The whole thing was lighted with Lighting Effects.

<http://homepage.mac.com/wellesgoodrich/FrameIt_Puzzle.jpg>
L
Lundberg02
Jul 29, 2008
nice work
KC
KEV_CHAMBERLAIN
Jul 29, 2008
That proves something good can be done with it, regardless of the interface. As I mentioned previously, I’ve only looked at this effect for the first time ever, after all my years of using Photoshop, so maybe I’ll eventually learn to get a decent result
WG
Welles_Goodrich
Jul 29, 2008
Here’s another sample done with a modification of the Three Down ‘preset’ from the Style dropdown menu. It was a Thanksgiving image done back in 2001 (I think). I’ve found that lighting stuff on walls, like a picture gallery is an effective use of Lighting Effects.

<http://homepage.mac.com/wellesgoodrich/Thanksgiving.jpg>

One aspect of the UI which might not be immediately obvious is to drag a light from the little square lightbulb icon below the preview window to set a new light. Dragging from the center point of an existing light to the trash can also a little square icon below the preview will delete a light.

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