Photo Effects Tutorials for Photoshop
Add light, atmosphere, and style to any photo in Photoshop: glows, light rays, lens flares, motion blur, textures, double exposures, film and vintage looks, glitch and painterly effects, and other visual effects. More than 180 free and PRO video tutorials from Aaron Nace, each building a complete effect from scratch.
Follow along to add subtle motion blur, film grain, subtle coloring, and a vintage film border to any image—and in just a few easy steps.
Photoshop Template
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Easy | 15 mins | 1 video
3 Sample Images | 1 PSD Template | 1 PDF Guide
Learn how to create a sci-fi hologram effect in Photoshop.
Sample Image & PSD Included
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Medium | 15 mins | 1 video
1 Sample Image | 1 Hologram Texture | 1 PDF Guide
Learn how to use glitter textures with Layer Masks and some easy adjustments to make anything in a photo shine.
Sample Images & Brushes Included
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Easy | 15 mins | 1 video
1 Sample Image | 4 Glitter Textures | 1 Photoshop Brush | 1 PDF Guide
Learn how to use the new Style Transfer Neural Filter in Photoshop to apply eye-catching art styles to your photos in just a few clicks.
Sample Image & PSD Included
Photoshop | AI & Generative Tools | Easy | 15 mins | 1 video
1 Sample Image | 1 Sample PSD | 1 PDF Guide
Learn how to blur any background in just a few clicks using Photoshop’s new Depth Blur Neural Filter!
Sample Image & PSD Included
Learn how to turn a photographed texture into a custom Photoshop brush, and then use that brush to add subtle vintage textures to your own photos!
Sample Image & PSD Included
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Easy | 15 mins | 1 video
2 Sample Images | 1 Sample PSD | 1 Photoshop Brush | 1 PDF Guide
Learn how to create the illusion of a glass window in front a subject in Photoshop!
Sample Images Included
Learn how to create a realistic crumpled paper texture effect in Photoshop!
Sample Images Included
Learn how to add realistic steam, smoke, or fog to any image in Photoshop!
Sample Images Included
Learn how to create a stylish neon graphic effect in Photoshop! Perfect for creating stylized portraits or profile photos for your website or social media accounts.
Sample Images & PSD Included
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Easy | 30 mins | 1 video
1 Sample Image | 1 Sample PSD | 1 PDF Guide
Learn how to create a custom fog brush in Photoshop and then use it to add realistic fog and atmosphere to a photo!
Sample Image & PSD Included
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Easy | 30 mins | 1 video
2 Sample Images | 2 Sample PSDs | 1 Photoshop Brush | 1 PDF Guide
Learn how to add fire effects to a photograph using free stock images, Blending Modes, Layer Masks, and other common Photoshop tools!
Sample Image & PSD Included
Photoshop | Compositing | Easy | 15 mins | 1 video
5 Sample Images | 1 Sample PSD | 1 PDF Guide
Learn how to add sun glow and sun flare effects to your photos in just a few quick steps. (And using our free Sun Glow Gradient!)
Sample Image & Gradient Included
Learn how to convert photos into textures using Blending Modes in Photoshop!
Sample Images & PSD
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Easy | 15 mins | 1 video
4 Sample Images | 1 Sample PSD | 1 PDF Guide
Learn how to combine two images for a quick and effective double exposure effect in Photoshop!
Sample Image Included
Help your photos shimmer, sparkle, glimmer, and glow! Learn how to make any object in a photo glow in Photoshop.
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Medium | 2.25 hours
4 Sample Images | 1 Sample PSD | 1 Photoshop Brush
Learn how to simulate a shallow depth of field in any photo by blurring the background in Photoshop!
Sample Image Included
Learn how to create a glowing ring effect, integrate it into a photo, and add particle effects with the included free Photoshop Brush.
Sample Image, PSD & Brush Included
Instantly add depth and atmosphere to any photo with the Depth-Aware Haze Neural Filter in Photoshop.
Sample Images Included
Create a realistic embossed effect, adding texture, depth, and dimension to a logo to make it appear as though it was pressed into a piece of paper.
Sample Image Included
Turn any photo into a beautiful painting using the Filter Gallery in Photoshop!
Sample Image Included
Learn some best practices for turning your favorite edits into beautiful, and versatile, Lightroom Presets.
Sample Images & PSD Included
Photoshop | Video & Animation | Easy | 15 mins | 1 video
2 Sample Images | 1 Sample PSD | 1 PDF Guide
Learn how to create a classic risograph effect using simple shapes, paper texture, and a realistic print effect made in Photoshop.
Sample Textures & PSD Included
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Easy | 30 mins | 1 video
2 Sample Textures | 1 Sample PSD | 1 PDF Guide
Add textures and overlays to any photo in Photoshop using free stock images! Learn how to blend images together for a stunning bokeh style effect.
Sample Images & PSD Included
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Easy | 15 mins | 1 video
Sample Images | 1 Sample PSD
Learn how to create a realistic dispersion effect in Photoshop! Follow along with the sample image and included Photoshop Brushes to make your own amazing effects from scratch.
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Medium | 2.5 hours
1 Sample Image | 1 Sample PSD | 7 Photoshop Brushes
Add gradients to your photo editing toolbox! Learn how to create light rays, brighten a subject, create interesting backgrounds, create epic sunset effects, and more!
Sample Images Included
Learn how to add soft sunset coloring to a portrait, how to add realistic motion blur to an action shot, how to create realistic depth of field in a portrait, and more!
Sample Image Included
Turn any photo into a realistic watercolor painting in Photoshop. Hand-paint in color and detail using the included custom Photoshop Brushes and then apply realistic paper textures made from scratch.
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Advanced | 5 hours
5 Sample Images | 1 Sample PSD | 3 Photoshop Brushes | 1 Photoshop Action | 1 PDF Help Guide
Give your photos a worn and faded film look in Photoshop! Learn how to apply creamy sepia tone coloring, realistic noise and grain, and subtle light and blur effects to recreate that classic 35mm look.
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Medium | 1.75 hours
9 Sample Images | 3 Textures | 1 Custom Gradient
In Part 3 of our Fantasy Composite Series, we show you how to remove objects and distractions, add realistic lighting and fog effects, and apply dramatic color toning to a fantasy scene!
Sample Images Included
Tap into your inner Warhol by creating pop art in Photoshop! Learn how to transform any photo with bright and vibrant colors and comic book halftone effects to create your own stunning works of art.
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Easy | 3.75 hours
6 Sample Images | 14 Custom Textures | 15 Photoshop Brushes | 1 Photoshop Action | 1 Photoshop Pattern
Follow along as we show you how to transform any photo into a realistic pencil sketch in Photoshop! Learn how to recreate the natural highlights and shadows in a photo using our custom pencil stroke brushes and real paper textures.
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Medium | 3.25 hours
8 Sample Images | 2 Photoshop Actions | 22 Photoshop Brushes | 13 Custom Textures
Digital distortion. VHS vibes. Learn how to create your own custom glitch effects in Photoshop with the included brushes, textures, and action!
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Medium | 2 hours
8 Sample Images | 15 Photoshop Brushes | 1 Photoshop Action | 7 Custom Textures
See how much a Wacom Tablet can do in Photoshop! From object removal, to Frequency Separation, to creating realistic snow and rain effects, a pen tablet can help you be more creative than ever!
Sample Images, Brushes, and Action Included
Photoshop | Retouching | Easy | 30 mins | 1 video
5 Sample Images | 5 Sample PSDs | 1 Photoshop Action | 1 Photoshop Brush | 1 PDF Guide
Learn how to create your own cute (or spooky!) Halloween face paint effects in Photoshop! And add colorful, realistic paint to any portrait using our exclusive custom face paint brush.
Sample Image, PSD, and Photoshop Brush Included
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Easy | 30 mins | 1 video
1 Sample Image | 1 Sample PSD | 1 Photoshop Brush | 1 PDF Guide
Add soft colorful bokeh to any image in Photoshop! Learn how blend bokeh from one image into another, while changing the color, size, and position!
Sample Images Included
Photoshop | Photo Effects | Easy | 15 mins | 1 video
2 Sample Images | 1 PDF Guide
What You’ll Learn
Good visual effects are built from the same things a photographer works with on set: light, atmosphere, and depth. These tutorials teach the effects as lighting and physics first and Photoshop tricks second, which is why they hold up at full size.
- Light. Glows, highlight bloom, light rays, sun flares, neon, and painting light onto a subject so it matches the scene.
- Atmosphere. Fog, haze, rain, snow, dust, smoke, and depth of field, layered so the subject sits inside them rather than in front of them.
- Elements. Fire, water, lightning, sparks, and particles from stock and from scratch, with the blend modes and masks that make them believable.
- Stylized effects. Double exposure, dispersion and pixel stretch, portrait slice, glitch, 3D and long-shadow text, and film and vintage looks.
- The finish. Grain, vignette, color grading, and sharpening that make an effect feel like part of the photograph.
Where to Start
Begin with the Special Effects Learning Path, which sequences the fundamentals of light and atmosphere before the showpiece effects. For the deep dive, the PRO course Advanced Lighting Effects in Photoshop is the one most people come back to. Many effects here start with a clean cutout, so the selection tutorials in Tools & Techniques are worth a look first.
Free and PRO Tutorials
Free tutorials are complete lessons, not previews. PRO tutorials go deeper and longer, and they include the sample images, RAW files, actions, and presets used in the lesson so you can follow along on the exact same file. A PHLEARN PRO membership unlocks every PRO tutorial on the site, including all of the ones in this category.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my effects look pasted on?
Usually because the effect ignores the light already in the photo. Match the direction and color of the existing light, add the effect on its own layer with a soft mask, and let it interact with the subject through blend modes like Screen and Soft Light. The light tutorials here show each step.
Do I need plugins or stock images?
No plugins. A few tutorials use free stock elements for fire, smoke, or particles and show where to find them; most build the effect entirely inside Photoshop with brushes, gradients, and filters.
Which blend modes are used for effects?
Screen and Linear Dodge for light, Multiply for shadows and darkening, Soft Light and Overlay for contrast and color, and Blend If for fitting an effect into the tones of a photo. The blend-mode tutorials in this category explain each.
Where to Go Next
Visual effects sit on top of a solid edit and often a composite. See Compositing for placing subjects in scenes, Color & Tone for the cinematic finish, and Text & Graphic Design for painterly and illustrative looks. The PRO library is at PRO Visual Effects.
Learn Effects in Order
The Special Effects Learning Path teaches light and atmosphere first, then the showpiece effects.
On This Page
PHLEARN PRO
Every PRO tutorial in this category, with sample and RAW files, plus the full PRO library.