Add headlights to a car photo in Photoshop

Add headlights to a car photo in Photoshop

This video tutorial by Aaron Nace from PHLEARN demonstrates how to add realistic headlights to a car image in Photoshop. Aaron guides viewers through the process of creating the illusion of headlights, starting with sketching the desired light beams and selecting the headlight area using the lasso tool.

He then fills the selection with white, adds a blur filter, and uses a layer mask to create a natural light falloff. The tutorial continues with adding a glow effect, creating light streaks, and masking out unwanted areas. To enhance realism, Aaron shows how to illuminate the ground with an elliptical selection and adjusts blending modes and opacity.

The tutorial concludes with adding a lens flare for extra style, providing a comprehensive guide to achieving realistic headlights in car images.

Member discussion

Get tutorials & freebies delivered to you.

Subscribe to the Photoshop Roadmap newsletter, a weekly roundup of new tutorials, insights and quality downloads, trusted by 6500+ readers.

You might also like

How to Use AI Masking in Adobe Camera Raw for Professional Photo Editing

Adobe Camera Raw's AI masking tools automatically detect subjects, backgrounds, skies, and landscapes, letting you make precise adjustments to specific areas of your photos. These intelligent masks eliminate the need for manual selection work, while allowing you to combine and refine them for complete creative control. The technique...

How to Remove Objects from Photos Using AI Tools in Photoshop

Photoshop's AI-powered object removal tools can eliminate unwanted distractions from your photos with minimal effort. The Remove Tool and Generative Fill feature automated detection for common distractions like people and wires, plus manual painting options for custom removals. These tools work on separate layers, preserving your original image...

Speed Up Your Color Grading Workflow with Photoshop Actions

Color grading can transform your images, but manually adjusting curves and levels for every photo takes time. Photoshop actions offer a faster approach by applying professional color treatments with a single click. This workflow uses pre-built actions, tints, and LUTs to achieve various moods and styles instantly, letting you layer...

7 Essential Tips for Speed Painting in Digital Art

Speed painting isn't just about working faster—it's about eliminating friction from your creative process. These seven techniques help you get ideas onto canvas quickly without getting bogged down in unnecessary decisions or premature details. Whether you're exploring concepts for professional work or personal...

Professional Color Grading Techniques in Photoshop

Color grading transforms ordinary photos into compelling images with professional mood and atmosphere. These non-destructive techniques let you adjust tones, enhance specific colors, and create cinematic looks while preserving your original image data. Master these four essential color grading methods to develop a consistent editing workflow that elevates your photography....

How to Save Cut-Out Elements with Transparent Backgrounds in Photoshop

Creating seamless photo composites requires properly saving cut-out elements with transparent backgrounds. Whether you're extracting people, objects, or other elements for later use, the file format you choose determines how easily you can place these elements into new scenes. Two main approaches work best: saving as PSD files...

You’ve successfully subscribed to Photoshop Roadmap
Welcome back! You’ve successfully signed in.
Great! You’ve successfully signed up.
Success! Your email is updated.
Your link has expired
Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in.