How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop.

Hello and welcome to the Vintage Light Leak tutorial for Adobe Photoshop! In this tutorial, we will demonstrate how to create a realistic looking vintage light leak that gives your photos a nostalgic look. Follow along with this step by step tutorial and be sure to watch the video below! The video will provide you with simple and easy instructions. Once you have mastered this technique, you’ll have hours of fun adding cool light leaks to any photo!

Step 1. Gradient One

Load your image in Photoshop then select: Layer > New Fill Layer > Gradient. Now you should have a new Gradient in the layers panel.

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop Step One

Step 2. Set Gradient

The gradient fill window will appear. Set the angle to “0” and double click the small gradient window as seen in the image below.  

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop Step two

Step 3. Light Leak Base

In the Gradient Editor you will need to set up the “color pins.” Set both bottom pins to black. Now drop a couple of black pins to the right as seen in image below. Click one of your “new pins” and you will notice a tiny diamond shape to the left and right of the selected pin, move the “diamonds” closer to the main pin (see video below for details.) Finally, click the Top left/right pin and set each to “0” opacity.

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop Step Three

Step 4. Vertical Black Band

Click OK to get out of the Gradient Editor window. You should now see black band running vertically down your page. Now you can click OK out of the Gradient Fill window.  

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop Step Four.

Step 5. Screen Blend Mode

Set the blend mode to Screen and the black band will now disappear.  

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop Step Five

Step 6. Gradient Two

Create a second gradient by selecting: Layer > New Fill Layer > Gradient. Now in the Gradient Fill window, double click the small gradient window (same as step two) to get to the Gradient Editor window.

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop Step Six

Step 7. Light Leak Color

Double click on the two bottom pins to select your light leak colors. Example: Bottom left pin we are using a red color and the bottom right pin we are using an orange color.

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop Step Seven

Step 8. Almost Done

After clicking OK out of the Gradient Editor window, you can angle the light leak color in the Gradient Fill window. In the image below the light leak color is angled from the top right down to the left.

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop Step Eight

Step 9. The Alt Key Trick

Finally, create your “Vintage Light Leak” by linking the two gradient layers. Hold down the Alt Key and hover between the two gradient layers. Once you see the “arrow and box” (as seen below) click your mouse while still holding down the alt key.

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop Step Nine

Step 10. Voila! All Done

Below you will see the final Vintage Light Leak. (Notice: Gradient Fill 2 is attached to Gradient Fill 1.)

How to Make Vintage Light Leaks in Photoshop Step Ten

Watch the How To Video Below!

Hope you enjoyed this Vintage Light Leak Tutorial. Please watch the video below to see the easy step by step instructions!

FREE Light Leak Photoshop Action!

Download a Free Photoshop Action “Light Leak” compliments of Presetpro.com Easily add a vintage styled light leak to your image! Get your free light leak Photoshop action here or click the button below!

Free Photoshop Action

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