Beams of light through branches effect

[HMansfield]

Can anyone give me some pointers with this?

I have an image of a lady, and as she's under branches, she's speckled with patches of light. What I want to do is add in some streaks to give the impression of light beaming through the branches onto her, as in the illustration above.

I've duplicated layers and lightened, and feathered, and adjusted opacity, and adjuster various other sliders, but it always looks horrendously artificial.

Much appreciated.

 

[jobe]

Try This

http://www.redbubble.com/people/ann...s-of-light-a-photoshop-tutorial-for-beginners

Wayne

 

[Photodiva]

Or use some brushes from obsidian dawn

 

[HMansfield]

Try This

http://www.redbubble.com/people/ann...s-of-light-a-photoshop-tutorial-for-beginners

Wayne

This works surprisingly/annoyingly well on misty/hazy wide(ish) landscape shots, but on something with a closer crop, looks more like she's being dazzled by a disco mirror ball.

Cheers though.