Rainbow glare effect

[Di Jana]

Hello Everyone,
I've been super in love with photographers/photoshoppers who use lots of rainbow glare type effects. I'm attaching photos. I've been trying to figure out how they do it, with gradients and brushes and all sorts of things, endless hours on youtube and I still can't replicate this effect. Anyone know how to achieve this effect? I would be SOOOO grateful and worship you for your genius.

 

[Tom Mann]

Hi Di Jana -

Welcome to PSG.

The examples you posted were done by compositing some conventional base image with real photographs of the rainbow patterns produced by sending white light through a prism or diffraction grating films. Below are some photographs of typical, real-world rainbow patterns produced by prisms and diffraction grating films.

Examples:
http://www.dansdata.com/images/blog/diffraction/bigcfl1280.jpg
http://www.dansdata.com/images/blog/diffraction/halogen1280.jpg
http://www.lightingsciences.ca/graphics/prismrainbow.JPG
http://thebluebottletree.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Sparkle-Zone.jpg
http://friendlyfirestore.com/sites/default/files/uploads/images/products/7.jpg.crop_display.jpg
http://lauren-myers.blogspot.com/2012/04/color-prism.html
http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mVxkWAtLvDRh5fvxPD7orhA.jpg

To find these, I just searched Google Images using terms like {rainbow diffraction} and {rainbow prism}.

IMHO, probably the only semi-advanced Photoshop concepts they used were layers, layer opacities and layer blending modes.

If you don't want to produce your own rainbow patterns, just use some of the images I cited above. However, if you are interested in producing your own rainbow patterns (...it's lots of fun!), here are some links that I found to inexpensive materials that you can use to generate the rainbow patterns.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prism-Rainb...t-Glasses-Delivery-to-COACHELLA-/151069775531
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/rainbow-prism-glass
http://friendlyfirestore.com/accessories/glasses/rainbow-prism-glasses-acid-glasses

You can also get some good multiple patterns by placing a CD in the sun and photographing it with a macro lens, being careful not to overexpose the image.

HTH,

Tom

 

[Tom Mann]

PS - Don't forget that you aren't limited to layering on just one pattern. You can use several patterns; you can mask them in and out of different areas (eg, avoiding the face) using layer masks. You can also use the transform tool to intentionally introduce keystone and other perspective / geometric distortions into the rainbow patterns.

T

 

[IamSam]

I found it interesting that this photographer used glasses held in front of the camera to get the effect!

http://lauren-myers.blogspot.com/201...lor-prism.html

 

[Di Jana]

Thank you so much, didn't even think of that. Just googled those glasses and they're just 15 bucks a pair. The overlays are really nice, I'll play with the ones you provided, thank you! Also, do you know a good place to find nice overlays for glare type effects?