Light trails are an exciting and interesting way to add dynamic motion to your photographs. They are also a great tool to use for leading lines as they can steer the viewer’s eyes towards something important in the image and help to create a sense of movement and bustle.
If you are looking to add this effect to your photos then it is very easy to do in Photoshop, as long as you know how to use the tools available. There are a few different ways that you can do this, but the most effective is to layer multiple images together to form one long stream of light.
The first thing that you need to do is to take several photographs of the same location at different exposures. You can do this by shooting a series of single shots with different shutter speeds, or you can shoot many multiple exposures at the same f-stop and time each image to be exposed for a certain amount of time.
You can then stack the images together using Raya Pro to make sure that they all line up correctly and that you have a great base exposure to work with. Once that is done you can then open the stacked images in Photoshop and adjust them accordingly to get the best results possible.
Step 1: Compose the Photo
Having a good composition will give you an edge when it comes to getting the best light trail effects in your images. You want to ensure that the light trails are directional and that they flow around the subject of your photo in a way that is going to draw the viewer into the frame. This can be achieved by selecting an appropriate angle of view, as well as by ensuring that you place the camera in a position that will allow for good movement of the light trails as they move across the image.
Step 2: Set the Shutter Speed
When it comes to taking photos of light trails you need to be careful not to set the shutter speed too low, as this can cause the light trails to break up and fade. For this reason it is recommended that you use an external shutter release cable so that you can lock the shutter and not have to touch it to trigger the shot.
Step 3: Choose a Long Exposure
The longer the exposure, the more dramatic the light trails will be. This is especially true for a street scene, so be sure to pick a time when there are a lot of cars and a good amount of traffic in the area.
It is also a good idea to ensure that you have a tripod with you, as this will ensure that your camera is held steady and prevent blurring from the resulting light trails. This will also make it easier to take the photographs, as you don’t have to worry about the camera shaking while you take the pictures.
