Learn To Create A Camera Lens In Photoshop

In todays detailed tutorial I'll be showing you how to create a cool camera lens in photoshop. The camera lens later could be used as an icon or illustration, lets get going...

What We’ll Be Creating

Camera Lens Tutorial

Creating A New Document

Create a new document (Ctrl + N) 1130×700 pixels with any colored background. Set your foreground color to #af86b5 and background color to #644a68 then select the “Gradient Tool” (G) with a radial gradient.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Drag the radial gradient from the middle of the canvas outwards. Once the gradient has been applied go to “Filter > Noise > Add Noise”.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Creating The Outer Lens

Select the “Circle Tool” (U) then drag out a circle onto your canvas.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Now add the following layer styles to your circle layer.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

You should have something like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Duplicate your circle layer then press “Ctrl + T” for the “Free Transform Tool” Resize the circle by about 25 pixels.

Quick Tip:

When resizing objects hold down the SHIFT + ALT keys on the keyboard, doing this will resize the element from the middle keeping it in line with your other circle layers.

Now right click your duplicated layer and select “Clear Layer Styles” from the menu, you should have something like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Now add the following layer styles to your duplicated layer.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

You should have something like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Duplicate the circle layer again then resize it with the “Free Transform Tool” (Ctrl + T), resize the circle by about 8 pixels.

Quick Tip:

When resizing objects hold down the SHIFT + ALT keys on the keyboard, doing this will resize the element from the middle keeping it in line with your other circle layers.

Once you’ve resized the circle right click the duplicated layer and select “Clear Layer Styles” from the menu.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Now add the following layer styles to the duplicated layer.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

You should have something like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Creating The Inner Lens

Duplicate the last circle layer in your layer stack then resize it with the “Free Transform Tool” (Ctrl + T). Resize the circle by about 20 px, right click the circle layer and select clear layer styles. Duplicate the duplicated layer so you have a total of 3 circles 5 pixels in between each other.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Now add the following layer styles to circles 1 and 2.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

You should now have something like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Now add the following layer styles to circle 3.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

The camera lens so far should look like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Creating The Inner Lens Continued

Duplicate the last circle in your stack again then clear the layer styles. Select the “Free Transform Tool” (Ctrl + T) and resize the circle by 30px. Repeat the steps a further 2 times only this time resizing the circle 5px then 15px.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Add a gradient overlay to circle 4 using the settings below.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Add a gradient overlay to circle 5 using the settings below.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Now set circle 5’s opacity to 48% then add the following layer styles.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

The camera lens should look like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Creating The Inner Lens Continued Part3

Duplicate your last circle in the layers stack then clear the layer styles. Free transform the circle (Ctrl + T), resize the circle by about 5px. Repeat this 3 more times then set all the duplicated layers opacity to 48%.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Add the following layer styles to circles 7, 8 and 9.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

Now add the following layer styles to circle 10.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

You should have something like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Finally the last circle, duplicate the last circle in the stack then clear the layer styles. Resize the circle by about 25px then add the following layer styles.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

You should now have something like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Creating The Highlights

Select the “Elliptical Marquee Tool” (M) then drag out a selection like the image below.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Create a new layer at the top of your stack then select the “Fill Tool” (G) with your foreground color set to white #ffffff, now fill the selection.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Load a selection around the last outer lens circle.

Quick Tip:

To load a selection click the little thumbnail in the layers window on the desired layer whilst holding down the CTRL key on the keyboard.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Once the selection has been loaded go to “Select > Inverse” then hit the delete key on the keyboard, you should be left with something like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Now add the following layer styles to your layer.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

You should have something like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Using the “Rectangular Marquee Tool” (M) and the steps explained above add two rectangles to one of the outer lens circles.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Once you have the two rectangles in place add the following layer styles.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Camera Lens Tutorial

Your final image should look something like this.

Camera Lens Tutorial

Finish off the lens by adding a rounded shadow underneath and maybe some text around the outer lens circle, then your all done. Thanks for reading.

Conclusion

Thanks for taking part in this tutorial, maybe you could share some of your results by posting them below.

Camera Lens Tutorial

About Author

Tom loves to write on technology, e-commerce & internet marketing. I started my first e-commerce company in college, designing and selling t-shirts for my campus bar crawl using print-on-demand. Having successfully established multiple 6 & 7-figure e-commerce businesses (in women’s fashion and hiking gear), I think I can share a tip or 2 to help you succeed.