Let It Shine: Unexpected Ways to Use Lens Flare Effects in Your Photography
Lens flare is one of those magical photography quirks that can turn a simple photo into an unforgettable cinematic image. Whether you're adding glow to a golden hour portrait or lending realism to a sci-fi composition, BeFunky’s Lens Flare effect can take your creative photos to the next level. And thanks to BeFunky’s online tools, you don’t need fancy equipment or the perfect lighting to create it.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to use the Lens Flare effect in BeFunky’s Photo Editor, and explore five stunning ways to apply it across different styles of photography. Let’s get started.
What Is an Optical Lens Flare Effect?
Lens flares happen in real life, but they’re not easy to create without the perfect lighting. Optical lens flares occur when a bright light – usually the sun or a spotlight – hits your camera lens at just the right angle, scattering and reflecting inside the lens to create streaks, rings, or a soft haze. It’s that dreamy light you sometimes see in backlit portraits or sweeping landscape shots.
While it does happen naturally, and we have some tips and tricks on capturing lens flares with your camera alone, you don’t need to wait for the perfect sunbeam to add a lens flare to your photos. BeFunky’s Lens Flare effects gives you full control over the look – no special lens or camera required.
How to Add a Lens Flare Effect Online
If you want to add professional-looking light flares without expensive gear or complex editing software, BeFunky has you covered. Simply upload your image to the Photo Editor and choose the style of lens flare that works best for your image. You can drag the flare to position it exactly where the light source would naturally be and adjust the intensity for just the right level of glow. Types of lens flares include Simple, Sun Beam, Strobe, and Laser, but there are over a dozen customizable options. You can also combine lens flares with the Photo Editor’s other lighting effects like Vibrance, Vignette, or Glow for even more unique results.
If you’re looking for a lens flare effect app that lets you create dramatic lighting right from your phone, you can also use the BeFunky mobile app. This lets you instantly add a lens flare to any image in your camera roll.
5 Creative Ways to Lens Flare Effects in Your Photography
Lens flares added during post-processing can be used to add a soft, natural coronas of light, which is helpful for increasing the wow factor in your portraits, landscapes, product shots, and more. But they can also be used more creatively for fantasy photoshoots, cinematic stills, and other types of storytelling photography. Here are just a few examples of what you can do with BeFunky’s Lens Flare Effects:
Add a Surreal Glow to Fantasy or Concept Art
Editing a whimsical forest, mystical portrait, or other fantasy-inspired scene? Lens flares can create otherworldly light sources like magical orbs, alien suns, or enchanted portals. Place the flare in unexpected spots, like behind a tree or emerging from someone’s hand, to amplify the surreal quality. This particular example uses Warm Sun.
Up the Drama in Your Glam Shots
Doing a runway shoot or fashion edit? Add a sharp, cool-toned flare like Spotlight to mimic the snap of a camera flash or spotlight on stage. It gives portraits an instant “celebrity” edge. Combine it with BeFunky’s Color Grading tool for bold, editorial-style edits.
Turn Everyday Moments Into Cinematic Masterpieces
Want your snapshots to look like stills from a movie? Add a lens flare. Think of a street photo at dusk, a moody concert shot, or even a casual selfie – when you layer in a lens flare, your photo instantly feels elevated and intentional. The BeFunky Lens Flare effect app lets you play director: You control the light, the scene, and the mood. The Laser lens flare effect used below recreates the dramatic flares that hit car headlights in racing movies like Fast and Furious.
To really sell the cinematic feel, pair your lens flare with some creative cropping and a widescreen aspect ratio. You’ll be amazed at how a small effect can make your photo feel like part of a larger story.
Create a Sci-Fi Scene That’s Out of This World
If your photo edit needs to feel like it belongs on another planet – or another timeline – lens flare is your secret weapon. Whether you're channeling Blade Runner vibes or crafting a cyberpunk cityscape, a well-placed flare instantly teleports your image into the future.
Start with a moody, high-contrast image: Try including tower skylines, neon lights, or reflective surfaces. Then drop in a cold-toned lens flare to simulate artificial suns, spaceship lights, or high-tech energy sources. Try combining multiple flares with Glitch effects or the Vibrance tool to make your sci-fi world feel more real. This one uses Laser and Nova along with the Corrupted Glitch effect.
Give Your Photos a Retro Look
Before Instagram filters existed, photographers often relied on natural light leaks and lens imperfections to create the vintage look we now try to emulate digitally. Lens flare was part of that charm – unpolished, spontaneous, and full of character.
To recreate this feel, apply a neutral or warm-toned lens flare near the edge of your photo – this one uses the classic Simple lens flare. Pair it with scratched, faded tones using BeFunky’s Analog Tones, Vignette and Texture tools, and the Film Grain effect to mimic the look of old film. It’s perfect for nostalgic and cinematic shots like childhood photos, old cars, analog-style portraits, or even travel photography that you want to look like it came from another era. Easily achieve that authentic vintage imperfection without needing to dust off an old film camera.
Get Creative With Lens Flare Effects
In the right hands, Lens Flare effects aren’t just a simple photo editing tool – they’re a vehicle for creating unique art. Whether you're crafting dreamy nostalgia, high-gloss drama, or futuristic fantasy, a well-placed flare can shift the entire mood of your image. With BeFunky’s Lens Flare effect, you have full artistic control – no need to wait for the perfect sunlight or save up for expensive gear. Move the light, change the tone, or stack it with other effects for the unforgettable results. Explore the Lens Flare category today and see where your imagination takes you.
