Night Blur/ Light Abstract, how to make effect

[ReventoN]

I've been trying to duplicate the night blur effect seen in many images, but haven't been successful.

http://www.stockxpert.com/browse.phtml?f=view&id=96060


link of a good example of what i would like to make,, any pointers


Thx

[MartinBabies]

Well the easiest way is to get a camera and tripod and use a slow shutter at night. Tadaa - car trails! Can't really think of a smart way to do it without a camera.

[ReventoN]

huh, suspected so

[Shorty5607]

A camera would be easiest but if you have PS I'm sure it could be duplicated without too much effort. If I were going to try to add "tracers" to the lights in a stock photo I'd 1st draw the tracer out with the pen tool, convert the shape to a selection, feather it a little to taste, fill it with color of choice on a new layer, change the blend mode to overlay or something, then reduce the opacity till it looked right.

O'course I'm still learning and very new here but thats my $0.02

[MartinBabies]

You would also need to have some perspective as the lights get bigger the closer they get to "the camera". Overlay wouldn't work as it would just blend it with the background. I'd just keep it at normal and blur it a little or something.