Post Processing and Image Editing

I would have added this with my other tutorials but... well i cant find them
So after visiting a lovely ladies image i decided to write this quick tutorial on how to blur your background ( * note photoshop cs3 used) but it should work in most good editing programs with some thought!
Blurring a back ground with photoshop cs3
please note most of the steps below are all done via the layers palette with the right click on the correct thumb nail

1. Open your image go to the layers pallet and Add a new layer with a funky colour ( I used red and filled the new layer with the paint bucket tool). This is only to see where you've painted and where not.

2. Duplicate the background layer and add a layer mask

3. Paint in the mask, with a hard brush, those area's black which you don't want to soften. At this point you don't need to be very precise. Just make sure you don't leave any background visible.

4. Delete the funky colour layer

5. right click thumb nail in layers palette - Apply the layer mask to the image


6. Apply a Gaussian blur to the "background copy" layer. The radius depends on the image. You want to overdo it a little, so don't be afraid to drag on those handles

7. Now duplicate the layer you just blurred

8. Change the blending mode of the top layer to darken and that of the bottom layer to lighten

9. Change the opacity of both layers until you find the image looks at its best.

10. Merge the layers

11. Mask the edges again where you feel it's needed.

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http://www.genesephotography.com

Blime Genese, exhausted reading it following it might be hard as well! Will give it a go.

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Dennyboy "You Cannot Depend on Your Eyes if Your Imagination is Out of Focus"

DP-J Photography My Own Website

My Flickr Site

Thanks again Genese, but this is going to be a challenge for me no doubt!

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www.bevbarkerphotos.com
www.k9imageworld.com
"My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks i am."

I think it's nice of you to put all this effort to-gether with your Tutorials, but I've been using a simplier idea (my first tutorial in fact)
for about four or five years using Quick Mask and Gaussian Blur. I'll see if I can dig it up to-morrow. And thank you so much Genese you've such a good help you've helped me before!


Cheers,
Joseph

No problems at all a quicker method would be great ... it does sound rather exhausting but really once you have found your layers palette and right clicked on the thumb nail its all there maybe i should do some basic layer tutorials ?

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http://www.genesephotography.com

You know Genese........while it's different it's also quite similar.
and possibly one could easily find what you get used to simpler.

1. Click Quick Mask Mode.

2. Click defaults colours icon (black forcolour)

3.Select Paintbrush Tool.
Options palette......opacity 100%

4. Choose File -- Preferences --- Dislpay Curers.
( select a small soft brush)

5. Paint

6. Toolbox -- fill with the Bucket

7. Fine tune the mask.
Double click Quick Mask.


8. Selsct foreground subject.
& click standard mode button.

9. Choose -- Select Inverse foreground.
Isolate foreground Subject.

10. Choose Layer -- New Layer Via Copy.
Filters --- Gaussian Blur.
Blur Background.

and to Quote again,

"it does sound rather exhausting but really once you have found your layers palette and right clicked on the thumb nail its all there."

As I said one tends to get used to one way,
I can remember when I was doing Graphics and after we were finished, it would have to be PDF...... My friend had found how to do it quicker and easier, then one day because he short cutted the Image Setters Drivers with his idea, his work jamed up the Image Setter, ofcourse he was amazed.

Cheers.