How to Use Light Hits in PhotoDirector
Simulate sunlight striking the lens, then save it as a photo, video, or GIF.
Updated Oct. 26, 2026 · 5 min read
In a hurry? Use the Light Hits quick guide instead.
PhotoDirector's Light Hits adds a lens flare to your photo, like the burst of light a camera captures when pointed toward the sun. Use it to warm up an outdoor portrait or add a burst of sun to a street scene. It comes with 26 flare templates, and six of them move, so you can save the result as a short video or GIF.
- In PhotoDirector, open Guided & GenAI, click Open to bring in your photo, click Effects, and choose Light Hits under Light / Lens Effects.
- Click a template, then drag the flare where you want it.
- Adjust Fade, Softness, Brightness, Contrast, Hue, Saturation, and Flip under Settings.
- For a still photo, click Export and save it as a PNG, JPG, or TIF file.
- For a moving flare instead, pick a template from 21 to 26 and drag the speed slider toward Faster.
- Click Export, choose New Video/GIF File, pick MPEG-4, WMV, or GIF, then click Produce.
Steps to Add a Light Hits Effect to a Photo
Step 1: Open Light Hits
From the PhotoDirector launcher, choose Guided & GenAI.
Click Open at the top left of the canvas to bring in your photo. Then click Effects in the rail on the left and choose Light Hits under Light / Lens Effects.
Step 2: Pick a Flare Template
Under 1. Select a template to apply it to your photo, click a template to add its flare to the photo. The list runs from 01 to 26, so scroll down to see more. Then drag the flare on the photo to where the light should come from.
This example uses 05, a warm starburst, and drags it into the sky at the top right, where the sun would be.
Step 3: Adjust the Settings
Scroll down the panel to 2. Settings. These controls adjust the flare, and the photo under it stays as it is:
| Control | What it does, and when to use it |
|---|---|
| Fade | Sets how see-through the flare is. Raise it for a subtler flare that lets more of the photo show through. |
| Softness | Softens the flare. Raise it for a gentler, less crisp burst of light. |
| Brightness | Sets how bright and strong the flare is. Lower it for a dimmer glow. |
| Contrast | Sets the contrast within the flare. |
| Hue | Shifts the flare's color. Use it to match the color of the light in the photo. |
| Saturation | Sets how strong that color is. Lower values move it toward white. |
| Flip | Mirrors the flare horizontally or vertically, so the rays point the way the light falls. |
| Enable template resize | Lets you drag the edges of the flare's box to make it bigger or smaller. |
Step 4: Compare Before and After
Click the side-by-side view button, the second icon at the bottom left of the canvas. The viewer shows Before and After next to each other, so you can judge whether the flare is strong enough before you save.
Step 5: Export the Photo
Click Export at the top of the window. With a still template like 05, the Save As window opens right away.
Name the file, choose PNG, JPG, or TIF as the file type, and save. The photo with the flare is saved as a new file, and the original stays as it was.
Steps to Animate a Light Hits Effect
Open Light Hits as in Step 1 above. Then follow these steps to make the flare move and save it as a video or GIF.
Step 1: Pick an Animated Template
Scroll to the end of the template list. Templates 21 to 26 carry a starburst and play icon, which marks a flare that moves. The arrow in the corner means the template downloads the first time you click it.
Click one to download and apply it. The flare starts moving in the preview right away, and the button under the photo stops or replays it. This example uses 26, a blue starburst.
Step 2: Set the Animation
Scroll down to the bottom of 2. Settings. Enable animation effect is already checked for an animated template. The speed slider starts at Slower, where the movement is subtle, so drag it toward Faster. This example uses Faster. The same Fade, Brightness, Color Adjustment, and Flip controls from the still steps work here too.
To add a track, check Background music and choose one. Music plays only in an MPEG-4 or WMV file, not in a GIF. This example leaves it unchecked.
Step 3: Choose New Video/GIF File
Click Export at the top of the window and choose New Video/GIF File. The Light Hits Effect Production window opens. New Photo File would save a still frame without the movement.
Step 4: Choose the Folder and Format
Check the Output folder at the top, and click the ... button next to it to save somewhere else. Then click a format under Select a file format:
| Format | When to pick it |
|---|---|
| MPEG-4 | An MP4 video, the format most players and social sites take. The default, and what this example uses. |
| WMV | A Windows Media video, for a player or project that needs WMV. |
| GIF | An animated image for chats and web pages. It carries no music. |
If you pick GIF, the window shows Image size instead of Aspect ratio, Profile, and Duration. Set the Width and Height in pixels, then click Produce. Steps 5 and 6 cover the video settings.
Step 5: Set the Aspect Ratio and Profile
Open the Aspect ratio menu and choose the shape of the video: 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, or 1:1. Pick 9:16 for a vertical story or reel, or 1:1 for a square post.
Then open Profile and choose a resolution. For 16:9 the list runs from 480x272 up to 4K 4096x2304. This example keeps Full HD, 1920x1080.
Step 6: Set the Duration and Produce
Drag the Duration slider to set how long the video runs, up to 30 seconds. This example keeps 6 seconds. Then click Produce.
Step 7: Open the Finished File
When the message says the file was created, click Open File Location to go to the video in its folder. Or click OK to go back to editing.
The Result
The 6-second MP4 came out at 1920x1080. At Faster, template 26's blue starburst pulses and drifts in the sky at the top right while the rest of the photo stays still.
We tested these steps in PhotoDirector 365 version 18.0.10 on Windows.
Don't have PhotoDirector yet? Add a sun flare to a portrait or street photo, and keep it as a still or save it as a video or GIF.
Download PhotoDirector Free →FAQ About Light Hits
Yes. Drag the flare on the photo to move it. To change its size, check Enable template resize under Settings, then drag the edges of the flare's box.
The template you picked is a still one. Only templates 21 to 26, the ones marked with a starburst and play icon, can move. Pick one of those and the option becomes available.
Yes. Check Background music under Settings and choose a track. Then export as MPEG-4 or WMV, since a GIF has no sound.
