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Relight Photo lighting · Free

AI Photo Relighter

Just describe the lighting you want and AI relights your entire photo.

Flat-lit portrait with no shadows or direction
Before
→
Dramatically lit portrait with strong side lighting
After

Relight Photos with AI

Upload photo to relight photo lighting

Free • Results in 30 seconds • No signup

Release to upload

FreeNo signupNo watermark
Popular use cases:
  • portrait photography
  • product photography
  • selfie improvement
  • studio simulation
  • flat lighting fix
  • dramatic portraits
  • professional headshots
  • lighting correction
Cost
Free No signup required
Time
Instant results in 15-30 seconds
Works on
Any device - browser, phone, tablet, desktop
Powered by
AI-powered photo editing
Scenario Prompt Time
Dramatic portrait lighting add dramatic side lighting from the left with strong shadows, cinematic look 25s
Soft window light relight with soft diffused window light from upper right, gentle shadows 20s
Golden hour glow relight with warm golden hour sunlight from the left, soft shadows 25s
Studio spotlight relight with focused studio spotlight from above, dark shadows 25s

How it works

  1. Upload your photo

    Upload a clear photo showing the area you want to edit. Good lighting and sharp focus help the AI deliver better photo lighting results. JPG, PNG, WebP up to 7MB.

    Expect: Simple relighting (add soft light): 20-30 seconds. Complex dramatic changes (flat to cinematic): may need 2-3 refinements to perfect shadows and highlights.

  2. Describe what you want

    Type your instruction: 'add dramatic side lighting from the left with strong shadows' or 'relight with soft diffused window light from upper right.' Specify direction (left/right/above/below) and quality (soft/dramatic/harsh/diffused). No marking needed—the AI understands lighting.

    Tip: Include light quality and direction: 'soft window light from left' creates very different results than 'harsh spotlight from left.'

    Copy one of these to get started:

    Add dramatic portrait lighting add dramatic side lighting from the left with strong shadows and highlighted edges, cinematic portrait look
    Try This →
    Soft natural window light relight with soft diffused window light from upper right, gentle shadows and natural flattering glow
    Try This →
    Golden hour warm glow relight with warm golden hour sunlight from the left, soft shadows and warm orange-gold highlights
    Try This →
    Cinematic backlighting add cinematic backlight from behind the subject with rim light highlighting edges and atmosphere
    Try This →
    4 more prompts
    Studio spotlight relight with focused studio spotlight from above, dark dramatic shadows and bright central highlight
    Try This →
    Bright overhead sunshine add bright overhead sunlight with crisp shadows falling downward, clear sunny day look
    Try This →
    Moody low-key lighting relight with moody low-key lighting, mostly shadows with subtle highlight on one side of the face
    Try This →
    Even beauty lighting relight with even soft beauty lighting from the front, minimal shadows and flattering smooth illumination
    Try This →

  3. Generate and review

    AI analyzes your subject and adds new lighting with realistic shadows, highlights, and ambient fill. Zoom to verify shadows fall naturally and highlights are placed correctly. Check that the new lighting matches what you described.

  4. Refine the lighting if needed

    If shadows are too harsh or highlights too bright, regenerate with adjusted instructions: 'soften the shadows a bit' or 'make the highlight more subtle.' This is optional—many relighting edits work perfectly on first try.

    Tip: Relighting is subjective. Try variations: 'more dramatic' or 'softer lighting' to find your preferred look.

  5. Download your relit photo

    Download in full resolution with no watermark. Your photo now has professional lighting that would normally require expensive studio equipment or hours of manual editing.

Try it free ↓

Relight Photos with AI

Upload photo to relight photo lighting

Free • Results in 30 seconds • No signup

Release to upload

Free • No signup

"Turned my flat-lit selfie into a cinematic portrait with one prompt. The lighting looks completely real." @portrait_artist

See it in action

Flat-lit portrait with no shadows or direction
Before
->
Dramatically lit portrait with strong side lighting
After

Flat Portrait to Dramatic Lighting

Evenly-lit selfie with no direction or drama. One prompt added cinematic side lighting with strong shadows and dimension.

Prompt: add dramatic side lighting from the left with strong shadows and highlighted edges, cinematic portrait look
Try This →
Flatly-lit product photo
Before
->
Product with dramatic studio spotlight
After

Product Photo Studio Lighting

Product shot with basic lighting. AI added professional studio spotlight with dark background and focused highlight.

Prompt: relight with focused studio spotlight from above, dark dramatic shadows and bright central highlight
Try This →
Portrait with overhead ceiling light
Before
->
Portrait with beautiful soft window light from side
After

Add Window Light to Portrait

Indoor photo with overhead lighting. AI added soft natural window light from the side for a flattering professional look.

Prompt: relight with soft diffused window light from upper right, gentle shadows and natural flattering glow
Try This →

Detailed Guides by Scenario

📷

Professional Use

Apply 'AI Photo Relighter' to images for professional projects — websites, marketing materials, client deliverables, and presentations.

Common Scenarios

  • Using 'AI Photo Relighter' for client work or commercial photography
  • Applying 'AI Photo Relighter' to product or marketing images for a business
  • Batch-processing multiple images with 'AI Photo Relighter' for a project deadline

Best Practices

  • Use the highest resolution source image available for professional-quality results
  • Be specific in your prompt about the exact 'AI Photo Relighter' effect you need
  • For consistency across multiple images, reuse the same prompt template
📷

Creative & Social Media

Use 'AI Photo Relighter' creatively for social media content, personal projects, and artistic expression.

Common Scenarios

  • Applying 'AI Photo Relighter' to a photo for a unique social media post
  • Using 'AI Photo Relighter' to create artistic variations of a favorite image
  • Experimenting with 'AI Photo Relighter' for a creative project or portfolio piece

Best Practices

  • Experiment freely — AI editing lets you try bold ideas with no risk to the original
  • For social content, pair the visual effect with a caption that references the transformation
  • Try the effect on different types of photos to find what looks most striking
📷

Personal Photos & Memories

Apply 'AI Photo Relighter' to personal photos to fix issues, enhance quality, or create something special from everyday images.

Common Scenarios

  • Using 'AI Photo Relighter' on family photos to improve or personalize them
  • Applying 'AI Photo Relighter' to vacation or event photos before printing or sharing
  • Trying 'AI Photo Relighter' on a selfie or portrait for profile or personal use

Best Practices

  • Always work on a copy — keep the original safe in case you want to try a different approach
  • Natural-looking results are almost always better than dramatic over-processing
  • If it doesn't look right the first time, rephrase your prompt with more specific details

If something looks off

AI changed the wrong area or lighting doesn't match description

Why: Relighting is complex—the AI interprets light direction and quality from text. Ambiguous descriptions can create unexpected results.

Try: Be more specific: instead of 'better lighting' try 'add soft light from the left with gentle shadows'
Try This →

Tip: Describe both direction (left/right/above) and quality (soft/harsh/diffused) for predictable results.

Shadows look unnatural or too harsh

Why: The AI created shadows that don't match the original scene's geometry or are too strong for the described lighting.

Try: regenerate with: 'soften the shadows and make them more subtle' or 'add gentle diffused lighting instead of harsh shadows'
Try This →

Tip: Include 'keep natural texture and detail' in your prompt to avoid over-processing.

Colors shifted or skin tones look wrong

Why: Adding new lighting can change color temperature. Warm light adds orange, cool light adds blue.

Try: This is often intentional (golden hour is warm). If unwanted, try: 'relight with neutral color temperature' or fix colors separately
Try This →

Tip: Specify the exact colors you want, like 'warm natural tones' or 'cool blue tint.'

Lighting looks fake or painted on

Why: Complex relighting can sometimes look artificial, especially on challenging subjects or with extreme changes.

Try: Try subtler changes: 'gently enhance lighting from left' instead of 'dramatic transformation.' Small adjustments look more natural.
Try This →

Tip: Include 'keep natural texture and detail' in your prompt to avoid over-processing.

Subject looks flat despite added lighting

Why: The AI may not have created enough contrast or shadow depth. The result is still too evenly lit.

Try: regenerate with: 'more dramatic lighting with stronger contrast and deeper shadows'
Try This →

Tip: Describe the lighting direction in your prompt, like 'soft light from the left side.'

Multiple light sources created confusion

Why: Photos with existing strong directional light can conflict with new lighting instructions.

Try: Try: 'replace existing lighting with [new lighting]' to indicate you want complete transformation, not addition
Try This →

Tip: Add 'keep everything else exactly the same' to protect surrounding areas from changes.

Background lighting doesn't match subject

Why: The AI relighted the subject but background lighting stayed the same, creating inconsistency.

Try: Try: 'relight the entire image including background' or accept that subject and background may need separate adjustments
Try This →

Tip: Describe the lighting direction in your prompt, like 'soft light from the left side.'

Quick answers

Do I need to mark anything before describing the lighting?

No! Just describe the lighting you want: 'add dramatic side lighting from the left' or 'relight with soft window light.' The AI identifies your subject and applies lighting automatically. Relighting works on description alone—no marking needed.

How do I relight a photo for free?

Upload your image to EditThisPic and describe the lighting you want—direction (left/right/above), quality (soft/dramatic/harsh), and style (golden hour/studio/cinematic). The AI analyzes your subject and adds realistic lighting with proper shadows and highlights. Free to use, no account needed.

Can this work on photos that already have lighting?

Yes, the AI can modify or replace existing lighting. For best results, start with evenly-lit or flat-lighting photos. Photos with strong existing directional light may need 'replace existing lighting with...' to indicate complete transformation rather than addition.

What's the difference between relighting and exposure adjustment?

Exposure makes images brighter or darker uniformly. Relighting adds directional light sources with realistic shadows, highlights, and light fall-off patterns—like moving your subject to different lighting conditions. Relighting changes where light comes from and how it shapes your subject.

Will relighting work on portraits, products, and other subjects?

Yes, relighting works on portraits, products, food, architecture, and most subjects. Results are best on clear subjects against simple backgrounds. Complex scenes with many elements may need refinement. Portraits tend to work excellently.

Can I simulate specific lighting setups like Rembrandt or butterfly lighting?

Yes! Describe classic setups: 'Rembrandt lighting from 45 degrees left' or 'butterfly lighting from directly above.' The AI understands photography lighting terminology and can recreate standard studio setups.

Is EditThisPic's AI photo lighting relighter really free?

Yes — you get 1 free edit per week, no account needed. For unlimited edits, plans start at $3.99/month.

Can I relight photo lighting on my phone?

Yes. EditThisPic works in any mobile browser — iPhone, Android, tablet. No app download needed.

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