Cinematic photo effects make your photos stand out by turning them into epic movie scenes from the big screen. You can apply these effects to any image, from a landscape shot to a portrait and everything in between. The result is something that looks like it belongs at a Hollywood premiere.

Luckily, you don’t need to be a cinematographer to create such stunning images. YouCam Perfect is the best free cinematic photo editing app that will help you make your photos look cinematic. Unlike altering photos with Photoshop, editing with YouCam Perfect is a lot less complicated and can be done entirely on your phone. You’ll be a photo editing pro in no time.

How To Make Photos Look Cinematic

Previously, we talked about how to add cinematic filters to your Instagram Story. But what if you just want to create a cinematic photo for general use? We’ll go over your options for using YouCam Perfect to create beautiful images that look and feel cinematic. Get ready to be a movie star!

Add Movie Effects to Your Photo

Get Cinematic Effect with Blending Tool

Adjust Light and Shadows

1. Add Movie Effects to Your Photo

Add a touch of surreal cinematic magic with the Aurora and Galaxy effects. It will look like you’re in a different dimension with different shots of the Aurora Borealis or the breathtaking interstellar imagery superimposed in the background of your photo. These effects work particularly well with landscape photos, as they blend seamlessly with the sky to create the effect.

First, open the image you want to edit.
Tap "Effects", then choose Aurora or Galaxy Filter, depending on your creative preference.
You’ll see six different Aurora effects. Test them all out to see which looks best.
For the Galaxy effects, you have five different options to choose from, each with its unique aesthetic.
Use the bar to determine the strength of the effect, then hit the checkmark to save it.

2. Get Cinematic Effect with Blending Tool

Do you love mind-bending movies like “Inception”? If so, you can create unique dreamlike images using YouCam Perfect’s Blending feature. It will be just like you’ve written yourself into a scene in the movie. This technique definitely works best with portraits, as it lets you create a double exposure cinematic movie poster design.

First, open the image you want to edit.
Scroll to "Add Photo" to add the second image to use in the background.
Adjust the photo’s size and shape so it fits where you want it on top of the other photo.
Click "Blender" and the Screen to make the top image transparent.
Use the "Erase" tool to get rid of any unwanted parts.

3. Adjust Light and Shadows

When it comes to lighting most commonly used in the movies, it basically comes down to two types of light: hard and soft. Softness can be increased by adjusting the light’s size in relation to the subject. Essentially, a larger source of light is a softer source. Also, you can tell how hard or soft a light is by looking at the shadows it creates. Same ideas can be applied to your photo editing techniques as well, so you can make your images look more cinematic by adjusting the light and shadows with YouCam Perfect. Explore all the awe-inspiring light and shadow filter effects that YouCam Perfect has to offer, such as the Light Shadow and Light Leak photo effects. Whether you want to add a touch of tropical paradise to your snaps or give them a cool, vintage feel, these awesome filters won’t disappoint.

Soft lighting will make your photos look more dreamy, divine, and tranquil.
Hard lighting, on the other hand, will create a more dramatic mood in your photos.

So, based on the story you’re trying to convey in your photos and the mood you want to set, you can choose between soft and hard lighting.

Create Cinematic Photo Effects Using YouCam Perfect

YouCam Perfect is the perfect photo editing tool for all of your favorite snaps. That’s because it comes with numerous features that give you full control of the vibe and aesthetic of your image. Automatically beautify your selfie, add a frame to your photo, or even blur the background to highlight the subject.

▼ Watch Our Tutorial to Learn How to Recreate the Queens Gambit Poster

Download YouCam Perfect: The Best Free Cinematic Photo Editing App

YouCam Perfect is your ultimate photo editing app. Download now from the App Store or Google Play to create your next cinematic gem!