Fun Photo Editing: Fish-Eye

One of the best things about digital camera is that they make it possible to use software for all kinds of fun photo editing projects. There are lots of different projects that you can complete with software. If you want to create a fish-eye effect but don't actually have a fisheye lens, you will need to use software to create this look. There are lots of different tools to accomplish this effect in lots of different photo editing software, including in Photoshop CS2. The Spherize tool can be used in photoshop to enhance this look.

Tools and Materials Needed

• Digital Photo
• Photo Editing Software

Step 1 - Loading the Image

The first thing that you need to do is open up your image in Photoshop or another photo editing software package. Inspect the image and decide exactly how you want the finished photo to look once the filters are applied to create the fish eye effect.

Step 2 - Selecting the Image

If you only want to perform the fish-eye effect on a certain part of the image, then you will need to select this section of the image. Use the elliptical marquee tool to make your selection. Hold down the left mouse button and select the area that you want to adjust, and then release the button.

If you want to apply the effect to the entire image, you will need to select everything. Right click and click Select All, or alternatively press Control and A.

Step 3 - Applying the Filter

Next you need to apply the filter to create the fish-eye effect. This filter will create a warped view of your photo. To apply the filter, simply click Filter in the menu bar at the top of the screen, then select Distort and choose Spherize.

Step 4 - Adjusting the Image

When the Spherize dialog box appears you can then adjust the amount of distortion you want to apply to the photo. There is no right or wrong value here, just experiment until you get the right effect. You will be able to see a preview of the finished image at the top of the screen as soon as you make changes.

When the image looks right you can then click OK to apply the changes to the whole image. You can always undo the changes if you don't like the finished effect by pressing Control and Z.

The tool only allows a maximum 100 percent spherize effect each time, if you need a more severe effect then you will need to apply the effect several times. You should notice that this will create a round effect to your photo and makes it look as if you have used a fisheye lens to take the picture.

Step 5 - Saving the Image

Once you've finished with your adjustments, remember to save the changes. You will probably want to save this as a new image rather than simply saving it over the top of your original image. This makes it possible to view your original image again if you want to.