How to Add Sun Glow in Lightroom

How to Add Sun Glow in Lightroom Using Light Brushes

The Illuminate Collection is all about adding beautiful light effects to your photo that will bring a bit of extra interest or beautiful focus to your subject.

In this tutorial, we will focus on the incredible light brushes that are included in the Illuminate Collection that allow you to place bokeh and sun glows in custom locations around your image - exactly where you want them to be!

1. Using Light Brushes to Add a Sun Glow

Sun glow effects are some of my favorite effects to add to my photos and I love the Sun Glow presets included with the Illuminate Collection.

However, if you have already edited your image and used any of the Center Light presets (or any other presets that use a radial filter) included with many of the Pretty Preset collections, adding a sun glow preset will remove the previous center light preset since they both use radial filters.  This is the perfect time to use the Light Brushes to create the sun glow effect on your photo because they will not overide your Center Light preset.

This is easy enough to do.  First, select the brush that you wish to use (the Light Brushes have similar color names to the Sun Glow Presets).

In order to create your own sun glow, you'll want a very large brush with the feather and flow set to 100.  Position your brush where you want to add the sun glow effect.  Ideally, your approximately one-half or two-thirds of your brush will be off the top or corner of your image.  Clicking just one time should give you the effect you want.  If you want to MORE of the sun glow effect, just increase the Exposure slider just a touch or click "New" at the top of the brush panel and click again!

2. Using Light Brushes to Add Bokeh

I am always looking for opportunities to create bokeh in my image using my camera and lens.  However, sometimes adding a little extra can be a fun way to enhance what is already there and maybe even bring more attention to it.

In the image below, I added the Illuminate Compound Flare I - Right preset and then moved to the Brush Panel and selected the Illuminate Clean Linen Light Brush.  I adjusted the feather on the brush down close to 0 and flow to varying amounts between 65 and 95.  Then I added a bunch of little clicks to add more bokeh - similar to what was already showing in the image.

The Light Brushes included in the Illuminate Collection are an incredible tool that allows you to add and customize bokeh and sun glow effects on ANY image right from the comfort of Lightroom.

I always love tools that save me time and these brushes certainly do that!

If you are more of a visual learner and would like to see these tips in action, check out our video tutorial below: