How to blur the background in Photoshop cs6. How to blur the background in a photo

This Photoshop tutorial will show you how to add a background blur effect to a photo.

In this tutorial we will use a type of blur such as radial or ray-shaped. Moreover, we will apply it only to the background.

So, open your photo in photoshop:

First we need to separate the main image from the background.

1. To make a qualitative selection, it’s better to use the quick mask tool (Quick Mask Mode)
Make sure the colors are set to this position black/white

Take the brush tool and start painting the part you want to separate from the background (in our case this is the girl)

After you have completely selected the girl, click on the button to the left of the "quick mask" button - it will return you to normal mode. You will see that discharge has appeared.

2. Press the combination Ctrl + J to copy the selected background to a separate layer.

The layer panel will look like this:

3. Now apply the “radial blur” filter to the new background layer
Filter > Blur > Radial Blur.

Set the following parameters in the window that appears:

Amount: 20 (set this parameter at your discretion)
Method: Zoom

Once all the settings are in place, click OK to see the result!

Photoshop was developed almost twenty years ago, and it still occupies a well-deserved first place. This program was created for processing photographs, including blurring the background.

Several interesting and simple ways will help you blur the background beautifully.

The first method is Gaussian blur.

Not many people like this method, but it is very simple. What should be done?

First, open the photo in Photoshop and press Ctrl+J. This creates a second layer similar to the first. Now you can go to the “Layers” window and find the file called “Layer 1”, which you will need to blur.

Go to the “Filter” window, select “Blur” - “Gaussian Blur”. The degree of blur can be adjusted as desired using the slider. It would be optimal to leave 5-7 pixels.

Now you need to create a layer mask. To do this, go to “Layers” again and select “Layer Mask” - “Show All”. It looks like nothing has changed, but in fact a rectangle has appeared on "Layer 1".

The next step is to select the Brush tool. You can set any diameter, whatever is more convenient. Hardness – 20.

In the palette, select black color, click on the white rectangle in “Layer 1” and slowly, slowly, begin to paint in those places that should remain sharp. The challenge is to draw a shape that doesn't need to be blurred.

The photo is almost ready, all that remains is to work on the outline of the object. Change the brush color from black to white and reduce the size. Now we will remove the sharpness, i.e. the black brush enhances the sharpness, and the white brush blurs it.

If a dark halo appears around an object, it can be removed using a stamp. First, connect all the layers. Then again go to the “Layers” tab and click “Perform flattening”. Next, you need to select the “Stamp” tool (6-8%) and remove all unnecessary artifacts. The photo is ready.

The second method is radial or ray blur.

This method is loved by many users, because it is easy to use and even a schoolchild can do it.

First of all, you need to separate the main photo from the background. For this we will use the “Mask” tool. Be sure to check that the colors are set to black/white.

Take the Brush tool and begin to slowly paint over the part that we want to separate from the background. It can be any object. When a certain item is selected, you need to click on the button located to the left of the “Quick Mask” button. This will return your image to normal mode and the object will be highlighted.

We perform the combination Ctrl+J. So, the selected background is copied to a new layer.

When all the settings are in place, click OK and the result is obvious. The photo is ready!

The third method is the archive brush

This method is similar to the first. Load the required photo into Photoshop and apply Gaussian Blur.

If the photo was very blurred and does not seem real, then you can sharpen the edge of the image. But it is impossible to correct a very blurry image.

You need to adjust the sharpness in each individual layer. And before adding sharpening, set the “Brightness Overlay” mode.

When sharpening is added to a photo, the contrast of the image increases. In this case, you need to change the layer blending mode.

Before sharpening, you need to reduce the noise in your photo. If this is not done, then the noise will increase.

It is advisable to adjust the sharpness gradually and in several steps. The degree of sharpness depends on the output device.

Additional tips:

• The main thing is that processing the photo does not change the essence of the original image. Use light correction.
• You should not use several filters on one photo. This will already be too much.
• Create your own interesting treatments. It's better not to imitate the style of other people's works. A foreign style may not always fit perfectly with your photo.
• It is better to always delete unsuccessful pictures. Usually in such cases no processing can save the image.

Nowadays, photographs with blurred backgrounds are gaining popularity. After all, from the outside, such images look colorful and interesting. If the user has a program such as Photoshop installed, then no difficulties will arise. The main thing here is to know the basics and be able to apply the simplest blur to a photo.

Each person can choose a more simplified method for himself, which will not seem too difficult to him.

You definitely need to listen to the advice and recommendations of specialists who know everything about the program. After all, if you overdo it with blur, the image will deteriorate and seem unrealistic.

Blurring the background is one of the most popular techniques. It makes the subject more expressive, preventing the viewer from being distracted by extraneous objects in the background. The photo overall looks more professional and attractive. You can achieve a similar effect while shooting using the camera settings, but not only! Even if the background is not blurred in the finished photos, it’s okay. The easy-to-learn language “Home Photo Studio” will help you. Read the article and learn how to blur the background in a photo using the program.

A blurred background in portrait photographs helps to create emphasis on the model's face.

5 Steps to Blurring Your Background

By following our instructions exactly, you will learn how to create the desired effect in a photograph. Nothing complicated, just follow the steps below:

Step #1. Install a photo editor

To get started you need to visit our website. Wait a few minutes for the distribution to download to your computer. Double-click on the file and install the software on your computer. You can launch the software through a shortcut that appears on the desktop or on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

Step #2. Add photos

Before you can blur the background in a photo, you need to load the image into the program. In the start window, select "Open photo" and look in your computer folders for the image you need. Double-click on it - the photo will appear in the editor's work area. Go ahead.

Adding photos for processing

Step #3. Clear your photo of defects

If the photo contains obvious flaws, it is better to eliminate them before the blurring procedure. In the catalog of functions you will find tools for color correction, red-eye removal, highlights and shadows, horizon straightening and solving distortion problems. Change brightness, saturation, contrast to bring your photo to perfection. The editor also knows whether to tint in the chosen shade.

With options from the Image menu, you can easily transform your photo

Step #4. How to make the background blurry

The photo editor offers three tools to choose from: , and . Which one to use depends on your goals, photography features, and personal preferences.

★ allows you to quickly and accurately shade the background. The tool is located in the tab "Effects". The principle of operation is to outline the main object in the picture. Everything that is outside the selection will be blurred by the program with the specified intensity and edge feathering power.

Blur distant objects with the Background Blur tool

It is important to trace carefully so that noticeable parts of the background on the border do not remain clear. Such negligence will be clearly visible in the finished image. The contour must be closed; at the end of the tracing process, you should return to the starting point. Don’t worry about trying to match pixel to pixel; just double-click near the beginning for the outline to close automatically.

Select the object that should remain without blur

★ is a more flexible tool. Shading occurs only in those areas that you paint by hand. With its help, you can blur the background only partially (only the edges or the outline around the figure), as well as clean up parts of the image that could not be blurred with the previous tool. This happens if, for example, the model puts her hand on her belt, and between the hand and the body there is a closed section of the background.

Use a brush to blend the distant tulips, leaving clear flowers in the foreground

The blur brush tool is located in the panel on the left - find the image in the form of a droplet. You can adjust the brush size, hardness and intensity of the blur.

★ Blur filters and strong blur shade the image over the entire picture at once. On the top bar, click Image > Filters > Blur/Heavy Blur. Next select "Undo Brush", which is located in the menu on the left, and use it to remove blur from the main object in the frame.

Removing blurry areas from a man's figure using the undo brush

Step #5. Save the photo

If you like the result, it's time to commit it. The photo editor allows you to save an image in any convenient format: JPEG, PNG, GIF, PSD, PDF and others. On the top menu bar, click File > Save.

Want to learn how to take a photo with a blurred background using a camera instead of an editor? Then you will have to deal with such a concept as depth of field. It is she who is responsible for which part of the space will remain clear. To blur everything behind the subject in focus, we need a small amount of depth of field. How to reduce it?

– Aperture value (F). The wider the aperture is open (lower the F number), the shallower the depth of field, which means more of the background will be blurred.

– Focal length. In short, it determines the distance at which the lens brings the photographed object closer. To get a blurry background, you should use long lenses or set the camera to maximum zoom.

– Physical distance. How close the subject is to the camera and how far away it is from the background affects the depth of field. To make the background blurry, the distance from the subject to the lens must be many times less than the distance from the lens to the background.

Now you know what to do if you need to take a portrait with a blurred background or get beautiful photographs from product photography. Focus the viewer's attention only on the most important things! With Home Photo Studio you can easily edit your photos in just a few minutes. Fill your photo album with only perfect shots!

Of course, everyone who is interested in photography has seen stunning portrait photographs where the background is blurred, but the blur does not affect the sharpness of the image of the main subject. If done correctly and all the conditions are met, these photos are not that difficult to take, but beginners may find it difficult to get nice portraits with a blurred background, especially if they are not familiar with the relevant techniques.

It's not even a matter of using premium lenses, which give you an advantage in this technique by being able to shoot wide open. Even outside of the lens brand, you can get great results if you follow some of the tips that professional photographers share in their portrait photography workshops.
Shooting with a blurred background is directly related to such a concept as depth of field of the imaged space, or simply DOF.

DOF is the range of space where everything will be sharp in the image. The depth of field can be very deep - that is, the entire picture is completely in focus (both foreground and background).

by Julia Krasovskaya

Or maybe, on the other hand, it’s very small, literally a few millimeters, which, in fact, ensures blurring of the background.

We have already written about the technical component of the depth of field in the photo tutorial. Today we will talk about something a little different.

Control
Some DSLR cameras have a depth-of-field preview button. It is usually called DOF preview. When you press this small button, you can see in the viewfinder the area of ​​focus where the sharpness zone will be. But even this improvement is not a panacea. It is not enough to have knowledge of how to achieve your goal using technical methods; there are several things related to setting up the frame itself that will help the photographer get a portrait with the blurry background that is required by design.
Remember the following recommendations to be aware of how your actions can affect the final result, and the desired effect will serve as a reward for all your efforts.

How can you still get photos with a blurred background with inexpensive optics? What do the professionals advise?

Distance between camera and subject
Background blur depends on how far you are from your subject. Photographing from 10 meters will give a relatively large depth of field. Get closer to the object
and you will significantly reduce this range and get a more blurred background.

by Evgeni Attsetski

Distance between model and background
If your subject is close to, such as leaning against a wall, tree, or standing close to something that serves as a background, be prepared for the result to be a photo with a clearly defined background. Move your subject a little further from the background, literally 3-5 steps from the same brick wall, as it immediately moves out of focus, and you can get a nice blur. This is clearly visible in portraits taken against the backdrop of flashlights. The closer the model is to the bright lights, the more clearly they are visible; the further you move away from the lights, the softer and blurrier the “stars” you can get.

by Pawel Koyfman

Lens focal length
The formula is simple and very effective. As the focal length of the lens increases, the depth of field decreases. Recently, wide-angle lenses have become increasingly popular for portrait photography, but this is not due to better background detail and blurring effect, rather because using a wide-angle lens gives a slightly new angle of view on the portrait photo shoot as a whole.

Traditionally, lenses with a focal length of 50 mm are used for portrait photography. You'll get great background blur if you shoot with 100mm lenses. Perhaps the most popular lens for portraits is 85mm. But even telephoto zoom lenses, such as 70-200, are widely used, and photographs taken with them are successful.

Aperture setting
But the first thing you should take care of when working with depth of field is setting the aperture. Using the techniques described above will improve your photos, but a lens with a wide aperture capability is the best tool for getting background blur. Professional photographers have very expensive lenses with f/1.2 apertures, but you can take good photos with less expensive lenses that have an aperture of f/2.8, for example. The wider the aperture can be opened, the greater depth of field will be available in the photographic image.
Use all the resources known and feasible for yourself, then encouraging results will not take long to arrive.

Greetings, dear reader! I’m in touch with you, Timur Mustaev. I am often asked the question of how to make a blurred background on a camera, and I always answer them that this cannot be done on a camera; it can be done using a camera and an adjacent lens. This is exactly what will be discussed in this article today.

Of course, you can get beautiful blur, but only in the image itself. And do it with the help of a camera (not on it). The correct formulation of a question or task is half the answer. So before experimenting with photography, you need to understand the terminology.

What is bokeh?

Today's lesson will be interesting, as always, and creative. I'll tell you how to create an attractive blurred background in your photo. This is otherwise called bokeh. As you may have guessed, the main object remains untouched, but around it the objects and landscape disappear from visibility, turning into a spot of color, somewhat reminiscent of fog.

It all looks very impressive; many people love bokeh for its ability to highlight the main character in the frame and enhance the sense of perspective of the entire photo. The first point is significant for portrait photography, the second – more likely for landscapes.

I often notice blurry backgrounds in commercial photos, including from famous wedding photographers. But, perhaps, this technique was more popular before, but now it is losing its originality. Bokeh, natural or artificial, pleases the eye, but it will no longer surprise anyone.

Technical points

It doesn’t matter what kind of camera you have: Canon, Nikon or, for example, Sony, a beautifully blurred background can be created on any of them, because the principle is the same. The main thing is to be able to use the camera's capabilities. To a greater extent, this effect depends not on the brand or the internal structure of the camera body, but on the optics, in particular on the aperture parameter (f). There are several ways to easily blur the background. Let's distinguish two groups:

Using camera settings

• Diaphragm: You set the f value to the minimum, that is, 3.5, 2, 1.8..., thereby reducing the depth of space in the image and reducing the number of clearly visible objects.
• Focal length. Turn your zoom all the way down on your lens to achieve blur. Or use long focal length lenses where the focal length is 105 mm, 200 mm, etc. Wide-angle lenses will not give the desired effect.
• Physical distance to object (in meters). Take a few steps towards your subject. BUT: You can get closer to the subject, but the camera will not want to take pictures. This means that you have overdone it and exceeded the minimum photographic distance with your optics - step back slightly.
• Focus ring, spot focusing. The camera lens has an outer ring for manual focus adjustment. Adjust it if a blurred background cannot be achieved by other means. Also, in the settings, select not auto, but 1-point focusing, pointing it at the desired object. With the automatic option, the device itself will determine which parts of the image to make clear, but this situation does not suit us at all.

I note that all of the above methods work on one indicator - depth of field in photography. This is the depth of field of the entire surrounding space falling within the boundaries of the frame. And we need to strive to reduce it. If these points are followed, only one area, usually in the center of the viewfinder and therefore the image, will be absolutely sharp, and the rest will become increasingly blurry as it approaches the edges.

External accessories and items (special attachments, cardboard, etc.)

A translucent scarf can be used very successfully for these purposes. It will enliven the photo with brightness or add tenderness with pastel colors. Lights look interesting and funny; a regular garland located near the lens is suitable for this. It is not necessary to place these objects symmetrically relative to the main object: fill the empty space with them on one side, and balance the composition with the main object on the other. With special attachments everything is simpler - put it on and take a photo.

Making a blurry background

Let me remind you that you can “play” with the background not on the camera itself, but on the image with the direct participation of the camera and setting the settings. The only thing we can do on the device is a device like an external attachment to ultimately get bokeh in the picture. For those who still have little idea how to achieve the effect of out-of-focus or blurry background of a photo, I outlined a few simple steps:

1. Select a subject to shoot. Let's say this is a person. Decide on the place where it will be located. Let the character be distant from the background.
2. Attach a device for blurring the background (a bag, a light scarf, etc.) to the lens so that it partially covers the glass at the edges. This is so useful for enhancing bokeh and creative experiences.
3. Set the minimum aperture that is possible on your optics. You need manual mode, you can select aperture priority.
4. Set the focus to single point and concentrate the main point on the person. Shoot.

By the way, you can use the services of graphic editors to create the desired blur. If your equipment is of poor quality, you are unlikely to notice any blur in the image. This is where your knowledge of Photoshop will come in handy.

In the filters section there is a Gaussian Blur tab. Select the desired area and you're done! Beauty, and nothing more, and without unnecessary hassle during the shooting itself. This is also convenient if there is no blur in the original photo, but you decide that it is necessary there after taking the photograph.

1. Digital SLR for a beginner 2.0– a very competent course, especially for a beginner. It tells in more detail, with examples, how to make a blurred background. It contains a large number of lessons in all areas of photography. After viewing it, you will appreciate its effectiveness.
2. Lightroom wizard. Secrets of high-speed photo processing– the second video course, more directions on post-processing photographs using the powerful Lightroom program. There are a lot of useful features in the course that will simply make you go crazy.

You are probably wondering why these particular courses, since there are many others on the Internet? I’ll say right away that there are a lot of others, a whole bunch of them, but the question is, are they of high quality? Not always. I have looked at many other courses, but they are very far from the quality of those that I recommend. But as they say, the choice is always yours! My job is to recommend quality!

Happy readers! If you were not yet familiar with such a great way to diversify your work, then be sure to try it. Experiment with shooting people and inanimate objects. Notice for yourself how, moving away from something, someone or closing the aperture, the blur zone changes. Good luck! And remember that you can easily subscribe to my blog, where there is still a lot of useful information for photographers.

All the best to you, Timur Mustaev.