Add pretty starburst effects to your shots

Use this issue’s free Photoshop brush kit with Jon Adams to pep up low-light shots or create your own fantastical starburst effects

- Jon Adams

THE MISSION

Discover how you can create lush starbursts in your photographs

Time needed 30 minutes

Skill level Beginner

Kit needed Photoshop CC

Whether you use them on a candle flame, a setting sun or a street lamp, starburst effects are a great way to add atmosphere to any night shot that has light sources in the frame. They occur naturally under the right conditions when you use a narrow aperture, but when the effect is stored as a brush, you can use them to enhance any image quickly.

For this issue’s download, we have a brush kit with 16 effects, and they’re simple to install. Copy the ‘Starburst Effects.abr’ file to your computer via the link on the left. To get them into Photoshop, open the Brushes panel (Window>Brushes) and click on the flyout (the four-line icon in the top-right). Select Import Brushes from the list, then navigate to where you’ve put the file on your computer. Once you’ve found them, double-click the .abr file, and the brushes will appear at the bottom of the list in the Brushes panel.

STEP BY STEP

ADD GLAMOROUS STARBURSTS Craft your own starburst brushes to get some extra star power in low-light shots