Depth Gradient effect

The picture painted through a spectrum by its depth from a dot you place on it.

Made with the Light Map filterWorks in

Depth gradient effect on a portrait of a woman with black hair, hands on her head, made with the Light Map filter in Filter Archive (Thermal preset)

BeforeAfter

Light Map reads your photo as a relief and paints it through a spectrum by distance from a dot you place: the nearest point takes the first color and the farthest the last. Step the colors into bands for a thermal-camera look, or keep them smooth for a glowing gradient, with presets from Contours to Heat, Thermal and Ice.

5presets
43settings
3apps

Same effect, different presets.

8 photos, each with its own preset. Try it on yours

Depth gradient effect on a portrait of a woman in white sunglasses with a lollipop, made with the Light Map filter in Filter Archive (Contours preset) — Contours

Depth gradient effect on a portrait of a woman with copper red hair, made with the Light Map filter in Filter Archive (Heat preset) — Heat

Depth gradient effect on a portrait of a laughing woman with pink curly hair, made with the Light Map filter in Filter Archive (Ice preset) — Ice

Depth gradient effect on a portrait of a woman in headphones holding a CD, made with the Light Map filter in Filter Archive (Ice preset) — Ice

Depth gradient effect on a portrait of a man with silver hair and red sunglasses, made with the Light Map filter in Filter Archive (Thermal preset) — Thermal

Depth gradient effect on a portrait of a man in black sunglasses, made with the Light Map filter in Filter Archive (Heat preset) — Heat

Depth gradient effect on a portrait of a woman with red hair in a studded beanie, made with the Light Map filter in Filter Archive (Contours preset) — Contours

Use the depth gradient effect in Photoshop, Affinity or Figma.

One licence covers all three: $59.99, paid once. See pricing

Photoshop

Open Filter Archive from the Plugins menu, pick Light Map and press Apply. The result lands on a new layer above your original.

Mac & Windows · Photoshop 2024+

Affinity

Choose Filters, Plugins, Filter Archive on a pixel layer, pick Light Map and apply it to that layer.

Mac & Windows · Affinity 3

Figma

Select an image, frame or shape, run Filter Archive and apply Light Map as a new layer or in place.

Figma Community

Settings worth touching.

ColorsGradient: The spectrum from near to far. The first color sits nearest the dot you place; add as many as you like and drag them into order.
BandsGradient: Steps the spectrum into flat bands, contours of depth for a thermal-camera look. Zero is smooth.
DistanceGradient: How high the dot stands over the picture. High, the colors follow the shape alone; lower, they also pool around the dot.

Plus 40 more in the panel, all editable after you pick a preset.

Depth Gradient Effect questions.

What is a depth gradient effect?

A depth gradient effect colors a picture by how near or far each part is, rather than by how bright it is. The closest point takes one end of a color ramp and everything else runs through it with distance.

How do I make a depth gradient effect in Photoshop?

Open Filter Archive from the Plugins menu and choose Light Map. Start from a preset such as Contours or Heat, adjust the settings while the preview updates, then press Apply. The result goes on a new layer and your original stays untouched.

Can I use it in Affinity or Figma?

Yes. The same Light Map filter runs in Affinity 3 on Mac and Windows, from Filters, then Plugins, then Filter Archive on a pixel layer, and in Figma on an image, frame or shape. One licence covers Photoshop, Affinity and Figma.

Which presets come with Light Map?

5 presets: Contours, Heat, Thermal, Duotone and Ice. Every setting stays editable after you pick one, and you can save a stack of filters to use again.