Using The Portrait Relight Tool

With the Portrait Relight tool, you can change your image from a simple portrait to a great headshot or high-drama photo. Step up your lighting game and use adjustable depth and lighting placement options to capture and create a perfectly lit image or bring out those moody shadows. Choose from a preset option or customize your lighting setup to create the perfect portrait.

Not only do you have the option to use the effects as is, but you can also fine-tune the settings to fit your needs. You can just head over to the Effects tab and follow along to learn more about the settings below. 

Original Background

Studio presets will by default, use the original background of the image, and this option will be deselected. Click the box next to "Orignal Background" to use a preset background.

The more creative presets will by default, use the provided preset background. To use your original background, just select the box next to "Orignal Background". Click it once more, to deselect your original background.

Ambient Lighting 

Ambient light (or available light) can be considered to be any light that is preexisting in a space.  Or it can also be thought of as any light source that was not added by the photographer. This can come from natural sources like sunlight, artificial lamps, or overhead lighting. For example, increasing ambient lighting can enhance brightness and clarity, making colors appear more vibrant and increase the visibility of details. Decreasing ambient lighting can create a softer, more subdued, or moody effect.

The ambient light settings can be individually manipulated for the Subject and  Background. Move the sliders to the left or right to decrease or increase the setting.  

•  Color: Select the Color swatch box to open the Color Picker, if desired.  By default the color swatch will be set to white. 
• Intensity: Drag the slider to fade between the amount of the original color and the light color. The higher the Intensity setting, the less of the original color will appear. The lower the Intensity, the more of the original color will show through.
• Saturation: Saturation controls the intensity of light color within your image. Moving the slider down will cause colors to get more muted and greyscale while moving it up will create a brighter intensity of color. Adjust this slider until you get the results you're looking for.
• Highlights: Move the slider to adjust the lightest areas of the image. 
• Shadows: Move the slider to adjust the darkest areas of the image.

Light Settings 1-5

The five lights can be individually manipulated and adjusted. By default, each effect will have a selection of lights already set and positioned into place.  Lights that are turned off will be grayed out. 

Step 1: To select a light and locate the corresponding light on the canvas, select the light in settings, and a blue ring will appear around it.  The corresponding light on the canvas will have a dial appear around it,  along with the mini light source icon off to the side.

Each light will either have Omni (lightbulb icon) or Direct (cogwheel icon) when selected and turned on. To turn off a light, click the 'off' button.

• Omni: Omnidirectional lighting is light that radiates evenly in all directions. This can be used to cast shadows in all directions and bring more dimension to an image. Omnidirectional light behaves similarly to candlelight.
• Direct: Direct lighting is lighting that points in a singular direction and is emitted parallel from the source. Omnidirectional light behaves similarly to the light beam of a flashlight.

 Step 2: Light Color - For each light you can select the Color swatch box to open the Color Picker. Each light icon will change to the color selected for it. 

Step 3: Light location and Direction - To move the selected light source, click + drag the light icon on canvas, into position.

To adjust the direction of the light source, click on the light icon and drag out.  A mini target will appear, click + drag to change the direction of the light. This controls the horizontal and vertical location of the light source.

Step 4: Move the sliders left or right to decrease or increase the setting for the following items:

• Affect Subject: How much the light setting will affect the subject.  
• Affect Background: How much the light setting will affect the background. 
• Falloff: The decrease in brightness as distance increases. The lower the number, the brighter the image.
• Depth: Depth is the perception of distance and dimension created by lighting. This can also be controlled by dragging the dial located around the light source icon on canvas. As you adjust the amount, the dial around the light will rotate.

Step 5: After you have your image set, click 'Apply' to save your changes. 

Step 6: Continue adding to and editing your creation. If you're done, be sure to save your project!