The Orton Effect is a glow effect added to photographs in post-production. I’ts largely used in landscape to create a dreamy effect. The Orton Effect found applications also in portrait photography and it is used to create a surreal impact. For this reason it is very used by photographer during editing
The Orton effect consisted of superimposing two or more images of the same scene with very different exposure characteristics on a slide. Of these, one is perfectly focused while the others are blurry
Being a widespread effect in photography I noticed that it is also full of tutorials about how to make it, but it seems that everyone does this in a different way from the others and there is no standard way to accomplish it
That is why I did my guide within the orton effect to make it three different typologies that I usually use:
FIRST METHOD (MORE DARKS)
1. Duplicate your background layer by holding Ctrl+J, or CMD+J on a Mac.
2. With this new layer selected, go to Image>Apply Image. Make sure your settings are the same as the settings in the image below
3. Next change the Blend Mode of the top layer to Multiply. This will darken the image
4. Go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. While looking at the image, change the Radius until you have the
effect you are looking for, then press Ok
SECOND METHOD (MORE BRIGHTS)
1. Duplicate twice your background layer by holding Ctrl+J, or CMD+J on a Mac
2. With the first layer, go to Image>Apply Image. Make sure your settings are the same as the settings in the image below, repeat it twice
3. Now go to the layer on top and Go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. While looking at the image, change the Radius until you have the effect you are looking for, then press Ok
4. Merge all layers and set Screen as blending mode
THIRD METHOD (MORE DETAILS)
1. Duplicate twice your background layer by holding Ctrl+J, or CMD+J on a Mac
2. Deselect the layer on top than with the second go to Go to Blur>Gaussian Blur set it between 20/25
3. Go to Image>Adjustments to increase brightness and contrast, then decrease the opacity to 10%
4. Now make visible the layer on top, go to Filters>Others>High Pass and put radius as your personal taste
5. Group all layers
