Lighting effects

About lighting

Lighting effects simulate ambient, point, directional, and spot lighting in your design. You can supplement the single light source with additional light sources for more advanced lighting control; different light source types can be used in combination, each being independently configured and positioned using on-screen handles.

Affinity Photo also lets you create lighting effects from 3D bump maps made from texture inherent in any image.

Source types

Different source types give dramatically different results. The types are best imagined with a few examples.

Spot: Casts an elliptical beam of light focusing on a specific subject of interest, like a torch.
Point: Casts omnidirectional light, like a light bulb.
Directional. Casts light directionally from infinity, e.g. from the sun.

Lighting effects can be applied as a non-destructive, live filter, which can be accessed via the Layer menu, from the New Live Filter Layer category.

Settings

The following settings can be adjusted in the dialog:

Diffuse—sets the level of diffused 'scattered' light reflected from the surface. Higher values reflect more light.
Specular—sets the level of light reflected from the surface that reflects in a single outgoing direction (rather than being diffused), to form a highlight (hotspot).
Shininess—controls the spread of the specular reflection above. Set the value lower for larger and more widespread highlights; higher for smaller, sharper highlights.
Specular colour—sets the colour for specular reflection.
Ambient—Sets the level of uniform 'background' lighting.
Ambient light colour—Sets a colour for ambient light.
Light—Click to select a point light source. You can Add, Copy or Remove additional light sources.
Type—selects the light source type (see above).
Colour—selects the light source colour.
Distance—selects the light source distance from the page.
Texture—Creates texture from the image itself.

For 3D Bump Maps:

Load bump map—click to load an image that you want to convert to a 3D bump map. Use Clear bump map to remove any applied map.
Uncheck Scale Horizontally To Fit to retain the imported image's native width. When checked, the image is stretched/shrunk to the main image.
Uncheck Scale Vertically To Fit to retain native height.
Opacity—alters the transparency of the texture. Type directly in the text box or drag the slider to set the value.

To apply a spot light:

From the Filters menu, select Lighting.
From the Type pop-up menu, select 'Spot'.
Drag the on-screen handle at the apex of the 'fan' shape to adjust the distance and direction of the light.
(Optional) Drag the Elevation handle situated along the centre line to set the height of the spot light above the page.
(Optional) Drag the outer and inner handles at the end of the fan to set the outer and inner cone, respectively.

To apply a point light:

From the Filters menu, select Lighting.
From the Type pop-up menu, select 'Point'.
Reposition the default point light by dragging the centre handle over a subject of interest.
Drag the circle's edge inwards or outwards to set the light's distance from the page.

To apply a directional light:

From the Filters menu, select Lighting.
From the Type pop-up menu, select 'Directional'.
On the Lighting panel, drag the cross-hair within the Direction dial.

To load a 3D bump map:

On the Lighting panel, click Load bump map, navigate to, then select your image.
Click Open.
Adjust Texture to set the amount of texture displayed.

About lighting

Source types

Settings

SEE ALSO: