How to Make a Person Glow and Pop Using Photoshop

Adding glow to your image can make your subject really stand out.

To make the subject of your photo really stand out in a crowd, try a handful of easy Photoshop tricks that take under five minutes to apply. Photoshop's tools allow you to add a subtle, natural glow or a more prominent, fantasy-themed glow to your subject. In a portrait, the eyes are what most people notice first. You can really make your subject's eyes pop by sharpening them, then using the Dodge and Burn tools to add dimension.

Instructions

1. Load Photoshop. Select "File" and then "Open" to import your image.

2. Select the Dodge tool from the toolbox. Set the exposure to 50 percent and choose "Shadows" in the drop-down menu for the range. Choose a brush size just large enough to cover the iris of your subject's eyes. Select the Zoom tool from the toolbox. Click on the image to zoom in until the eye fills most of your screen. Trace around your subject's irises once to lighten the center.

3. Select the Burn tool from the toolbox, located under the Dodge tool. Set the exposure to 50 percent and choose "Midtones" for the range. Choose a very small brush size of between 1 and 3 pixels. Draw an outline around the outer rim of the irises to make a contrasting border.

4. Select the Sharpen tool from the toolbox, located under the Blur tool. Choose a brush size just large enough to cover your subject's eyes and smile with a single swipe. Set the mode to "Normal" and the strength to "15." Click and drag the brush over your subject's eyes and smile 1 to 3 times. This will highlight some of the most prominent features of your subject.

5. Right-click on the background layer in the Layers panel and choose "Duplicate Layer." Select "Filters," "Blur" and then "Gaussian Blur." Select a radius of about 11. Your radius should be large enough to completely blur the details of the objects in your image while retaining their general shape. Under "Blending Mode," choose "Overlay" from the drop-down menu in the Layers panel. Adjust the opacity to between 60 percent and 75 percent. These settings will soften your image, boost the contrast and give your subject a subtle glow.

6. Choose "Filter," "Artistic" and then "Neon Glow" to apply a much bolder glow to your subject. Choose a glow size of between -6 and -24 to suit your preferences. Select a glow brightness of about 35. Choose a glow color by double-clicking on the box in the Neon Glow dialogue box. Click "OK" to apply the changes to your image.

7. Select "Layer" and then "Flatten Image" to merge all of your layers.

References

• Adobe Photoshop CS5: Dodge or Burn Areas
• Digital Photography School: 4 Easy Photoshop Techniques to Make Your Pictures Pop!