A very quick and simple method to add lens flare to any photograph if you want to enhance a light source in the photo.  This works well for adding a little intensity to a concert photograph or giving an eithereal feel like in the photo below.

• create a new layer and fill with black
• use “lens flare” filter (filter>render>lens flare) and add a lens flare.  You have to add the black color (or white or grey) because “lens flare” won’t work on an empty layer.
• next step is to remove all that fill color using a blending mode.  In the case of black, “screen” mode will remove the black from that layer.
• now you can place that flare on top of existing light source within the image (for instance stage lights in a concert, or the sun in a landscape, etc).
• You can resize and relocated the flar by simply moving the layer around.
• If you find yourself seeing “sidebars” caused by the edge of the layer then either erase with a soft brush or use a gradient mask to remove it.