6.10. Lights & Flares

Chromatic aberration

Creates an offset between the color channels of the image.

• Channels: Choose the channels of the image which are shifted. the two channels are shifted in opposite directions, along the axis of the angle chosen in the direction property.
  • Red & Blue: Shifts the red and blue channels in opposite directions.
  • Red and Green: Shifts the red and green channels in opposite directions.
  • Blue and Green: Shifts the blue and green channels in opposite directions.
• Size: Sets the distance of the shift applied to the selected channels. Negative values will shift each of the two channels in the opposite direction.
• Threshold: Raising the threshold will limit the effect to the brighter areas of the image, so only tonal values above the selected threshold will be affected.
• Threshold smooth: Softens the transition between affected and unaffected tones, around the threshold set above.
• Soften: Feathers, or blurs, the offset colors.
• Lens falloff: Enable or disable lens falloff in the effect.
• Direction: Set the angle of the offset. When the Size property is adjusted, the colors will be offset along the axis of the angle you choose here.

Glow

• Radius: Set the radius, in pixels of the glow that is generated.
• Exposure: Increase or decrease the brightness of the resulting effect.
• Threshold: Raising the threshold will limit the effect to the brighter areas of the image, so only tonal values above the selected threshold will be affected.
• Threshold smooth: Softens the transition between affected and unaffected tones, around the threshold set above.

Style

• Tint: Select the color with which the glow will be tinted.
• Spread: Shifts the mid-point of the gradient along the edge of the glow outward, to make the glow stronger.
• Aspect ratio: Give the glow a linear effect by changing the aspect ratio.
  • X: Reduce the X aspect to create a vertically stretched glow.
  • Y: Reduce the Y aspect to create a horizontally stretched glow.
• Blend mode: Choose the blend mode used to blend the glow onto the layer.
• Lighten: The glow will only be displayed on pixels where the glow value is lighter than the underlying image color.
  • Screen: Combines the glow value with the underlying color value to brighten the image.
• Blend original: Adjusts the opacity of the rendered glow effect, to reveal the underlying image.

Chromatic aberration

• Size: Sets the distance of the shift applied to the selected channels. Negative values will shift each of the two channels in the opposite direction.
• Channels: Choose the channels of the image which are shifted. the two channels are shifted in opposite directions, along the axis of the angle chosen in the direction property.
  • Red & Blue: Shifts the red and blue channels in opposite directions.
  • Red and Green: Shifts the red and green channels in opposite directions.
  • Blue and Green: Shifts the blue and green channels in opposite directions.

Hot spots

• Horizontal: Stretch the glow on the brightest areas of the image horizontally.
• Vertical: Stretch the glow on the brightest areas of the image vertically.

Light Rays

Generates rays emanating in all directions from a point of your choosing. Where the rays appear is based on the brightness of the source image, and the threshold you select.

• Source: Select the image to be used as the source for generating the rays.
  • From Layer: The layer containing the effect will be used as the source.
  • From File: Allows you to select an external image file to use as the source.
• Center: Defines the origin point from which the rays will radiate. Use the control handle on the viewer to visually place the center, or edit the values here to position it numerically.
  • X: Controls the position from left to right.
  • Y: Controls the position from top to bottom
  • Z: Controls the apparent distance of the origin point from the virtual camera, affecting the angle at which the rays approach the viewer.
• Threshold: Raising the threshold will limit the rays to the brighter areas of the image, so only tonal values above the selected threshold will be affected.
• Light Falloff: Adjusts the length of the rays within the total Distance range. A value of 100% makes the rays the full Distance length, while lower values shorten the rays.
• Distance: Defines the maximum length of the rays created by the effect. Higher values create longer rays.
• Exposure: Positive values increase the brightness of the rays, negative values decrease their brightness.
• Saturation: Increases (positive values) or reduces (negative values) the saturation of the ray tint.
• Tint: Select the color with which the rays will be tinted. Click the swatch to open a color picker, or use the slider to adjust the transparency of the color selection.
• Blend Mode: The blend mode you want to use to mix the color with the original pixels color. See blend modes for more information.