Blog | Lens Distortions ®

Unify every frame with a cohesive color palette

While most LUTs out there are heavy-handed at the expense of quality, Finishing LUTs offer a lighter touch and are rigorously stress-tested to work well across a wide variety of footage and lighting conditions.

Beginnings

A library of melodic underscores for building intrigue

Drawing on inspiration from opening title sequences, episodic dramas, and unconventionally cinematic commercials, we created these melodies to help you evoke curiosity and establish a cinematic tone in your films.

SFX Techniques

Learn 6 best practices for cinematic sound design

One of the best ways you can enhance your visual projects is to use the power of sound. In this 12 minute tutorial, we take you behind the scenes of many Lens Distortions videos to see the tried and true techniques we’ve been using for years.

Portrait Light with Matt Ferr

From concept to capture

Matt Ferreira is a photographer, creative director & content creator, and a regular user of Lens Distortions effects. We caught up with Matt to learn about how he’s grown as an artist and how he brings concepts to life.

Statement SFX

A modern sound effects library for bold, impactful projects

Cutting edge brand pieces, innovative product launches, and revolutionary campaigns evoke more emotion by using meaningful sound design. Statement SFX gives you the essential sounds to make your mark.

Snow for Video

Immersive snowfall with ethereal movement

Time and time again we’ve witnessed how great directors use snow to create a feeling of transcendence. We worked with the visual experts behind the snow scenes in many of today’s top films and series to make this iconic filmmaking aesthetic available to you in an easy-to-use format.

Matt Komo

A behind the scenes look at his cinematic editing techniques

Learn the backstory of Matt Komo's Sequoia National Park project and get a behind the scenes look at some of his best editing techniques. In two exclusive tutorials, Matt shares some very clever use cases for our visual effects and a full breakdown of how he did the sound design in his Sequoia film.

Rolls Royce "I Am Ghost"

An inside look from legendary VFX studio The Mill

Working with Daughter.Studio, Mill+ created this stylish spot for Rolls Royce and their latest 'Ghost' model. The Mill's VFX team utilized Legacy 4K glass overlays from Lens Distortions.

New Video Effects

Introducing Classic Light Hits and Modern Light Hits

As visual creatives, we all obsess over light. At Lens Distortions, we’ve developed two libraries to make it more available in post for today’s filmmakers, editors, and VFX artists.

New for Photoshop

Introducing Classic Light Hits and Eclipse

Since their inception, our Light Hits™ effects have been one of the best-kept secrets of photographers around the world. The line has been updated with a fresh execution in Classic Light Hits. Also new, a selection of firey ring effects called Eclipse.

Weddings + Lens Distortions

Subtly define key moments of the big day

Whether you want to better frame up the focal point, frame out a distraction, or dial in the intensity of some memorable weather, effects can help you tastefully shape wedding stories.

GIVEAWAY [Ended]

Win a pre-release pack of Light Hits for Video or Photoshop

We're launching four brand new packs this Summer: two for Video and two for Photoshop! We’re celebrating by giving 10 winners a single Light Hits product of their choice.

LD + Adventure That Is Life

Adventure photography using the LD mobile app

Lens Distortions teamed up with the photography community Adventure That is Life to host a photo challenge. Here are a few of our favorite images edited with the LD mobile app.

Idyllic

Melodic Underscore Library

Great filmmakers know the power of even a few musical notes to evoke blissful emotion. Idyllic underscores were made for life's best moments.

Maven

Stylized glass overlays with vivid color and expression

For our next video product, we wanted to offer something a bit more provocative and stylized… for filmmakers who aren’t afraid to push their visuals.

Rain Effects

Dial-in the downpour in your images

Rain has the ability to add a certain mood to moments in our lives but it doesn't always come through in-camera as powerfully as we might like. See how natural rain effects can help fine tune the look.

A Week in Hawaii

Matt Komo explores the Aloha State

Get an adventurous perspective on one of the most beautiful states in the union and see how Matt uses our Luminary 4K glass overlays.

Endurance

Rhythms and textures for building cinematic underscores

Syncopated percussive elements, pulsing drones, abstract patterns, organic textures — Endurance blurs the line between sound design and soundtrack.

Paul Tellefsen

Personality, portraiture and the art of listening well

Get a glimpse inside the head of an empathetic portrait photographer and see how he used our Skylight pack to dial in the look of his most recent SoCal shoot.

"The Bowl"

A film by Peter McKinnon featuring Archetype SFX

See how Peter uses a powerful visual metaphor, cinematic footage, and well-executed sound design to convey a life-changing experience in Kenya.

Luminary Glass Overlays

The definitive post-production counterpart to an iconic cinematography technique

To better showcase the diversity of looks in this pack, we’ve organized it into curated categories, created some quick clips to make one of the most popular use cases (transitions) easier, and added a few previously unreleased overlays to really round out the mix.

Anticipation SFX

A versatile sound effects library for bright, inspiring projects

Our first sound effects library focused on the darker, weightier side of cinematic sounds. Our latest offering focuses on the more hopeful, anticipatory side of things.

Harness the Forces of Nature

Fog II, Rain, and Dust for Video

We've added three new packs to our lineup of natural video effects with the discriminating filmmaker and VFX artist in mind.

Fog II and Rain for Photoshop

Natural elements at your fingertips

The nuances of natural elements just can’t be mimicked. Dial in the feel of your hazy or rainy shots with these optically captured natural elements.

Archetype SFX

A powerful sound effects library for your weighty, cinematic visuals

Sound design is essential to creating a visceral experience for your viewer. Archetype SFX puts iconic sound design within reach.

The Mill

Castrol EDGE “Clone Rival”

The Mill's VFX Supervisor Pete Rypstra shares a little glimpse into their project for Castrol EDGE which utilizes our Legacy 4k glass elements.

Cinematic Power

Filmmaker Noah Shulman shares his intentional approach to visual effects

“Built By Pain” chronicles the comeback story of MMA fighter Brendan Barrett. See how Shulman combines our Legacy 4K glass textures with a unique live effect to give the film its visceral feel.

Better iPhone Shots

Peter McKinnon shares a few of his favorite tips

Learn the driving idea behind Peter's YouTube success and a few of his favorite mobile photography techniques.

Teyleen

A daily discipline of iPhone art

Jeffrey Theylin just wrapped a full year of posting an original mobile design every single day. See how he uses our Fog, Light Hits, and Luminary overlays to integrate geometric shapes and photographs in the free Lens Distortions mobile app.

GMC "The Perfect Shot"

An inside look from pitch to post-production

Nate Gunn shares the challenges and triumphs of this GMC project on a photographer’s journey, which incorporates our Luminary and Light Hits 4K packs.

Life on Tour

Behind the scenes with Macklemore’s photographer

Zoe Rain went on tour with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and started making a name for herself in Seattle and across the globe, all before the age of 21. Get an inside look at life on the road and learn more about how she uses our Legacy glass texture photo effects.

Audi R8 "Masterpiece"

Behind the visuals of an impressive portfolio project

Director Chris Leclerc wanted to embark on a project that would push the level when it comes to dramatic lighting and cinematic shots and raise the bar for upcoming client work. Learn how he used our Luminary and Light Hits effects in this behind the scenes interview.

Light Hits for Video

More versatile than ever before

We’re pleased to announce an updated pack that preserves the original 30 overlays and adds an additional 30 with even more variation. With 60 natural lens flares to choose from, you’ll have plenty of options to help dial in the look of your project.

Stranger Things

Title designers look to Light Hits for optical quality

We’ve been following the work of design-based production studio Imaginary Forces for a while now. We were thrilled to learn recently that their team used our 4K Light Hits to give that extra something to the opening title for Netflix’s wildly successful new original series, Stranger Things.

Tommy Reynolds

A british portrait photographer takes to the streets of India

When he’s not working on corporate or wedding photography, Tommy Reynolds spends his time traveling abroad and documenting the lives of local people in each destination. We caught up with him to get the details on...

Eric Paré

Light Painting Technique

Eric Paré is a Canadian visual artist who has been performing light-painting all around the world since 2013. When he is not traveling in deserts or by the sea, he can be found in his studio in Montreal where he has developed a full 360 degree camera system with his team. His most recent internation...

Introducing: Luminary

Signature glass overlays for photo and video

Three years ago, Lens Distortions brought the distinct glass shoot-through technique to post with our flagship product called Legacy. Today we are excited to take this concept to a whole new level with Luminary, our latest product for photo and video. Luminary was crafted with fashion projects and l...

EXPRESS - OneEleven

An inside look at their latest video campaign

When the creative department at EXPRESS creates video shorts for some of their women’s clothing lines, they’ve leaned on Lens Distortions as a key ingredient to craft a distinct look. We caught up with Jordan Schmelzer, the in-house Video Editor at Express, who’s been working with the company in ...

Photoshop Actions - FREE Update

Easier to use and compatible with all languages

We’ve completely rebuilt our Photoshop actions and added new features to excite both beginners and pros. While what's going on under the hood of these effects is more intricate than before, the simplified design will speed up your workflow and make using Lens Distortions in your projects easier than...

An Incredibly Imaginative Toyota Project

An in-depth look at the creative process

See how Rotor Studios utilized our 4K Light Hits overlays in the commercial for Toyota's Dream Car art contest.

Introducing: Principle Light Hits

The new standard of optically captured lens flares

We’ve been experimenting with new products for months and are very pleased to introduce you to our newest pack of Photoshop actions. Completely optically captured on unique glass, and made using actual sunlight, Principle Light Hits offers beautiful, one-of-a-kind looks you won’t find anywhere else....

Lens Distortions in Weddings

See how these artists utilize our photo and video products

From the most classic, picturesque ceremonies to breathtaking mountain elopements, Lens Distortions has been used extensively in wedding photography and wedding films. Here are just a few fantastic examples of wedding projects that utilize Lens Distortions from members of our community.

Suunto - Indira

The backstory on this touching story of an outdoor enthusiast

Nate Gunn gives us an inside look at what it took to create his recent film for Suunto, Indira. Be sure to check out Part 1 of our interview with Nate where we got the backstory on his Orvis project.

Orvis - Through the Woods

Nate Gunn takes us BTS with the world leader in fly fishing

Nate Gunn is a Salt Lake based visual storyteller with a passion for non-traditional advertising. He helps companies discover new ways to display their message by creating branded content that’s more lifestyle focused, rather than product focused – genuine stories that are sponsored or presented by ...

Eye of the Storm

A look at the VFX in this pop music video

Aaron Sorensen takes us behind the scenes of the Eye of the Storm music video and the VFX work involved.

Dirk Dallas

From Where I Drone founder chats aerial photography

Dirk Dallas is a designer, educator, photographer and founder of the aerial photography website fromwhereidrone.com. We caught up with Dirk to get his candid thoughts on building an Instagram following (he has over 266k followers), drones and their benefits (check out his viral baby announcement vid...

Exploration

Behind the scenes of this inspiring CineSpace film entry

An incredibly talented 22-year-old filmmaker shares the VFX process he used to create his epic NASA film.

Sam & Amanda Ciurdar

Husband and wife creative team building community through Instagram

Sam and Amanda Ciurdar are a husband and wife team of creatives living in Southern California. Sam is a full time filmmaker and freelance photographer. Both have built stunning Instagram feeds and together they launched an adventure themed Instagram account that curates some really incredible work f...

Lens Distortions in Action

Here are just a few examples of our effects in use from members of our community.

From commercials to short films, epic travel shots to breathtaking weddings, Lens Distortions has been spotted in projects of every kind. Here are just a few examples of our collections in action from members of our community.

iPhone Photography School

Lens Distortions iOS app tutorial

Sean Tucker is a full time product photographer and videographer by day, working for a major London e-commerce company, who's also making a move towards more people-centric, portrait, and documentary work. As a way to stay visually limber, he has committed to shooting, editing and posting at least o...

To The Core

Marines + Vox Creative Collab

Noah Shulman is an NYC based artist and filmmaker. He holds a BFA in Film, Video and New Media from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has a passion for short form storytelling and has worked on everything from commercials to m...

Scott Bakken

Building community through photography

It's hard to label Scott Bakken. Some would describe him as a photographer with an impressive Instagram following, but his visual story telling is really a means to building online community. He is the founder of Socality, a social movemen...

Rig Shot Photography

Fast cars and natural lens flares

Get a glimpse into this photography technique for capturing automobiles in motion.

Eclipse

Sky replacement tutorial for Mark Lediard's My Rode Reel award wining film

Mark Lediard is a Director, Editor, and VFX Artist who works all over the UK. His short film Eclipse won Best Cinematography in the 2015 My Rode Reel short film competition. Get a BTS look at the film and how he used our Legacy effects.

John Rourke

Le Mans photographer looks to Lens Distortions effects

John Rourke is a UK based professional photographer who runs Adrenal Media, the official Photographic agency for the renowned auto races FIA World Endurance Championships and European Le Mans Series. He also works on model folios, magazine...

Manuel Wenger

Our Legacy glass lens flares add texture to beauty product commercials

Manuel started as a Lighting Designer for Theater & Concert Lighting. After a year in the Lighting Department of Paramount he returned to Germany. After four years with a camera support manufacturer in Munich, he decided to change back into freelance work and started his career as DoP. He ha...

Chuck Jackson

Bold glass effects in Fashion photography

Chuck Jackson is a professional photographer and painter hailing from Orlando, FL and Southern California. He has worked with various recording artists, marketing agencies, and brands like HTC , mixing the elements of storytelling and editorial commercial photography. His colorful, dramatic visual s...

Imaginary Forces

Putting ideas into motion with the help of Legacy 4K

We were thrilled to see how they used Lens Distortions in a few of their recent projects.

This is what we see.

The sights, experiences, moments, and ideas every photographer pursues

The sights, experiences, moments, and ideas every photographer pursues.

Mark Toia

A brief chat with this insanely talented Director and DP

It goes without saying that Mark Toia is an insanely talented Director and DP. Not only does he have an impressive body of work from years in the industry, he is great at re-inventing himself, adopting new tools and processes, and continually raising the bar - This makes him a trendsetter. He...

Free Glass Presets

Three sample overlays from our Legacy video pack

Free Glass Presets | A beautiful pack of Lens Distortions effects available as a free download ...

Federico Pelat

“Listen to Them Fade” VFX

Federico Pelat is a 22 year old motion designer from France, and is currently in his third year studying design and visual communications at ESAG Penningham in Paris. His latest personal project “Listen to Them Fade” caught our attention, so we got in touch and asked him a few questions.

Nomads

Extreme sports and Legacy glass effects

Erwan Abdourazakou is a freelance filmmaker from Réunion Island, a French governed region off the coast of East Africa. He and collaborator Yann Oulia make up KAZfilms, and are known for combining sharp motion design with extreme sports in their projects. What prompted you to work on this pro...

Morning of the World

Another Vimeo Staff Pick from Günther Gheeraert

It's been thrilling to see so many world class directors using Lens Distortions in their projects this year, and it's especially exciting to see their projects launched with great success. Director Günther Gheeraert, whom we've featured here before, is no exception. And now he's back with ano...

The Seventh Movement

BTS of their recent projects for ESPN, D.J. Hayden - Dream and Miracle

We had the pleasure of getting the details on one of their recent projects for ESPN, D.J. Hayden - Dream and Miracle, which features our Legacy 4K glass element lens flares.

Scott Foley & Laura Horton

The Northern Rockies

Scott Foley is an accomplished filmmaker and creative, and has been staff picked on Vimeo numerous times. As of now, he and collaborator Laura Horton are traveling across the country, documenting their discoveries and inspirations. Here is their latest project, The Northern Rockies. What prov...

Renato Marques

Conceptual VFX with Legacy glass effects

Renato Marques is a motion designer in the beautiful city of Lisbon, Portugal. A quick look at his body of work, and you immediately get a feel for his love of architecture, fashion, and design.

Lost In Manhattan

A Vimeo Staff pick from Günther Gheeraert

Günther Gheeraert is a director and motion designer in Paris. We love how he used Lens Distortions in his latest project, LOST-IN-MANHATTAN

Basic Editing Tips

How to edit with Legacy in After Effects

Legacy Tutorial

Getting Started with Legacy in After Effects

How Legacy Glass Effects Work

Optically captured shards of glass and crystal

About a year ago, some friends of mine were traveling to Iceland to shoot a short film. They had some pretty spectacular locations planned, and they were planning on framing some of their shots with shards of glass in the foreground. Unfortunately, due to harsh conditions and limited time, they deci...

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