How to Use Light Rays in PhotoDirector
Add rays from a single light source or in one direction, then save a photo or an animated clip.
Updated Oct. 25, 2026 · 5 min read
In a hurry? Use the Light Rays quick guide instead.
PhotoDirector's Light Rays adds beams to a photo. They can spread from one point, like the sun, or fall in parallel from bright areas of the image. Use it to make a gray, cloudy sky look like sunlight is breaking through. You can save the result as a photo or animate the rays into a video or GIF.
- In PhotoDirector, open Guided & GenAI, click Effects, and choose Light Rays under Light / Lens Effects.
- Choose the Single Source or Directional tab.
- Lower Intensity and raise Threshold so only the brightest areas give off rays.
- In Directional, set the Direction angle. In Single Source, drag the red dot to where the light should come from.
- For a still photo, click Export > New Photo File and save it as a PNG, JPG, or TIF.
- For a moving version instead, check Enable animation effect and pick how the rays move.
- Click Export > New Video/GIF File, set the format and length, and click Produce.
Steps to Add Light Rays to a Photo
Step 1: Open Light Rays
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 Rays under Light / Lens Effects.
Step 2: Choose Single Source or Directional
The two tabs at the top of the panel set where the rays come from:
Rays from one point
The rays spread out from a light source you place, such as the sun. Pick it when the photo has one clear light.
Parallel rays at one angle
Parallel beams fall from the bright parts of the photo at the angle you set. Pick it for light breaking through clouds, as in this example.
Step 3: Tone Down the Rays
On the example photo, the default settings washed the whole picture out to white, so lower Intensity and raise Threshold first. Threshold sets which parts of the photo give off rays. Drag it right to keep the rays near the light, or left to spread them across more of the picture.
Then set Length for how far the rays reach and Softness for how soft the light looks. This example uses Intensity 46, Length 75, Threshold 198, and Softness 10.
To change the color of the rays, use the two sliders under Color Adjustment. Hue shifts the color, and Saturation sets how strong it is. Drag Saturation right for a deeper color, or left to fade the rays toward white. This example leaves both at 0.
Step 4: Aim the Rays
In Directional, drag the Direction dial, or type an angle in the box beside it. At 45°, the rays in this example slant down from the upper left onto the sea.
In Single Source, the rays spread from a red dot on the photo instead. Drag the dot to where the light should come from, such as the sky at the upper right. The dot can hide while the pointer is over the photo, and it shows again where you release it.
For more control, check Fine tune detail further down the Single Source tab. It unlocks the Expansion and Range sliders and a Direction dial for the rays around the dot.
Step 5: Compare Before and After
Click the side-by-side view button, the second icon at the bottom left of the canvas, to see the original next to the result. Here, the After side shows the beams falling across the sea.
Step 6: Export the Photo
Click Export at the top of the window and choose New Photo File to save the photo with its light rays.
In the Save As window, pick PNG, JPG, or TIF from the file type list, then save. This example saves a JPG.
Steps to Animate the Light Rays
Step 1: Turn On the Animation
Scroll to the bottom of the Light Rays panel and check Enable animation effect. Then choose how the rays move:
The rays sway
Only the movement is added, and the rays keep the color you set.
They sway and shift color
The rays change color as they sway. Pick it when you want the color to change along with the movement. This example uses it.
Drag the slider between Slower and Faster to set the pace. This example drags it all the way to Faster. To add a track, check Background music below it, then click the ... button beside the track field. Music plays only in an MPEG-4 or WMV file, not in a GIF.
In the Add Background Music window, click a track in the list on the left. To make the rays move with the music, check Add beat effect at the bottom left. It sets the motion and tone of the animation to the beat, and its Hue, Glitch, and Saturation sliders tune the effect. Click OK to add the track.
Step 2: Choose New Video/GIF File
Click Export at the top of the window and choose New Video/GIF File. The Light Rays Effect Production window opens.
Step 3: Set the Format, Then Produce
Check the Output folder and File name at the top, then pick a format: MPEG-4 or WMV for a video, or GIF.
Set the Aspect ratio and Profile, and drag Duration to set how long the video runs, up to 30 seconds. This example uses 16:9 at 1920x1080 for 6 seconds. Click Produce to create the file.
For a GIF, the window shows Image size instead of Aspect ratio, Profile, and Duration. Set the Width and Height in pixels, then click Produce. A GIF has no background music.
The Result
The 6-second MP4 from this example, with the Directional rays sweeping back and forth across the sea:
We tested these steps in PhotoDirector 365 version 18.0.10 on Windows.
Don't have PhotoDirector yet? Add beams of light to a gray, cloudy sky, then keep the photo still or let the rays sway in a video.
Download PhotoDirector Free →FAQ About Light Rays
The default settings can be too strong for a photo with a pale or bright sky. Lower Intensity and raise Threshold, so only the brightest parts of the photo give off rays.
Use Single Source when the rays should spread from one light, such as the sun. Use Directional for parallel beams across the sky, like light through clouds, and set their angle with Direction.
Yes. Check Enable animation effect, click Export > New Video/GIF File, and choose GIF in the Light Rays Effect Production window. Or choose MPEG-4 or WMV for a video.
