Blurring the background in Photoshop. How to blur the background in Photoshop

Why blur the background? The reasons can be very different. Sometimes you need to emphasize the object in the center of the photo. Sometimes the background is unflattering and then blur is a salvation. In each individual case there may be a reason to blur the background.

Using the example of a photograph of a monument, let's look at two ways to blur the background in the Photoshop program, Russian version CS-4.

Blurring the background in Photoshop

Method No. 1

1. After opening the picture, use the Lasso tool. Outline the background, closing it.

2. Apply the following sequence to the selected area: Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur. Set the radius parameter to 2.1 pixels or any other at your discretion. Click OK.

3. Deselect the selection using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + D.

4. It would be possible to leave it this way, but the boundaries between blurred and non-blurred areas are very striking.

So let's use the Blur tool.

Let's install a brush of the required size and walk along the entire border. Now let's save the result.

Method No. 2

1. After opening the image, use the Quick Mask tool. Click on the quick mask button. Then click on the brush, at the same time selecting the desired brush size. Slowly begin to draw a brush around the monument in order to highlight the background. The places where we hold will take on a red patina. This way we know where we have already touched with the brush.

2. After the small details are outlined, you can enlarge the brush and in 1-2 seconds also process the remaining area of ​​the background.

Remove the quick mask by pressing the letter Q or the same button. Invert: Ctrl + Shift + I. Now you can repeat the operation with the filter from the first method, starting from point 2: that is, turn on Filter again - Blur - Gaussian Blur - radius 2.1 pixels. You will get approximately the same result.

In general, the main thing you need to understand about the blur system is that first you need to select the area that you want to blur, and then apply a filter to it. And for highlighting in Photoshop, there are several different techniques. We have just looked at two of them.

Unfortunately, ordinary compacts and smartphones most often do not know how to create beautiful bokeh. This is explained by the fact that such devices have a smaller matrix built in. What should owners of budget cameras do? We can recommend that they use Photoshop, where making a blurred background is not difficult. All you need is appropriate practice, which you will now receive.

How to blur the background in Photoshop?

First, you need to clarify that not every photo is suitable for blurring the background. It is best to choose a photo in which the person’s legs are not visible, as are nearby objects. In our case, the person is standing against the background of the forest; this frame is ideal for processing. If there was also a bush or tree in the foreground of the photograph, then great difficulties would arise.

You should immediately remember that the desired effect is achieved using the Gaussian Blur function. If you apply it to any photo, you will get the impression that the photographer forgot to focus his camera. But we need to understand how to blur the background in Photoshop, not the entire image. Therefore, you should initially select the object that remains in the sharpness zone. There are several ways to do this. The easiest one is to use the Magnetic Lasso tool. If you already know how to use it (in one of the previous lessons we talked in detail about its work) - this is very good. If you don’t have enough skills, you’ll have to work hard. But in this lesson we will only briefly touch on this method. First of all, it’s worth talking about how you can get a blurred background using a mask. This is difficult for a beginner, but the result is impressive. It may take you 15-20 minutes to process one photo.

Blurred background in Photoshop CS5

First you need to create a copy of the existing layer. This is done in the Layers panel. Just open this palette and press Ctrl+J. You can also drag the “Background” layer onto the “Create New Layer” button. This will also cause a copy of it to appear.

The new layer needs to be blurred. As mentioned above, the Gaussian Blur filter is used for this. It is located along the path “Filter-Blur-Gaussian Blur”. The filter is adjusted by dragging the slider, which affects the blur radius. Focus on the background at this moment. It should be blurred as if you were taking the photo with a DSLR camera at a wide aperture. Do not overdo it, otherwise the picture will not look realistic. If the changes in the photo are not displayed, then check the box next to the “View” item. This is how a blurred background is created in Photoshop CS5 later versions.


When you are satisfied with the degree of blur, click the “OK” button. Now you need to apply a layer mask to this layer. To do this, follow the path “Layers - Layer Mask - Show All”. You will not notice any external changes after clicking on this item. But in the Layers panel you will see a white rectangle.

And now the hardest part begins. Masks in Photoshop allow you to remove the effect of an applied filter from specified areas. Therefore, you need to tell the program that the person in the photo should remain sharp. To do this you will have to paint it completely black. This is difficult, so zoom in to 100%.

Select black color and then go to the Brush tool. Set the hardness to 20%. The diameter depends on the resolution of your photo and the size of the person. When the diameter suits you, start painting in black over the subject.

Make a blurred background in Photoshop

Gradually you need to make the entire figure of a person sharp. It's okay if you go slightly beyond its edges. At any time you can press the Latin key X. This will change the color from black to white. Now all that remains is to brush over those places that accidentally became sharp. The filter action will be applied to them immediately.


Paint white along the outline of the person. You must ensure that even a piece of the background is not sharp. For accuracy, you can reduce the brush size and increase the image scale to 200-300%.

Most of the work is ready: we have already succeeded in making a blurred background in Photoshop. But there is now a kind of halo around a person with its blurred outline. You need to get rid of him. To do this, use the Stamp tool.

Merge both layers into one. To do this, follow the path “Layers - Flatten”. The background layer needs to be unlocked. To do this, double-click on it in the Layers panel and give it a name. Next, use the Stamp tool. Set the pressure to 10%. All that remains is to remove all existing artifacts. You should already know how to use this tool. If this is not the case, then Photoshop will explain everything to you. In short, this tool copies one area of ​​the image to another location. The area to be copied is selected by pressing the Alt key and the left mouse button. Then click next to the outline of the person so that a stamp appears on it in the form of a copied circle. Don't forget to adjust the diameter of the brush, otherwise you risk getting too much on the person's figure or taking too long.

The end result is a pretty good image. Some may have the impression that it was obtained using a good lens and a DSLR camera. But in fact, all you have to do is look closely and some artifacts will become noticeable. Only very painstaking photo processing, which sometimes takes an hour, will help you get rid of them. This is why experienced photographers use high-quality, fast optics. It is better to spend a decent amount, but then save a lot of time.

How to blur the background in Photoshop CS6?

As for the second method of blurring the background in Photoshop, it is very similar to the first. A copy of the background layer is also created, and the unlocked background layer is blurred using the above method. Then you should go to the top layer and select the person in any way convenient. The most commonly used tool for this is the Magnetic Lasso tool. Then all that remains is to invert the selection and enjoy the result. This is also how you can blur the background in Photoshop CS6 and later versions of the graphics editor.

This concludes our lesson. Today you've learned another useful skill that you can then apply to almost any portrait shot. Now you know how to blur the background in Photoshop, which should only make your photos better.

How do professional photographers create such stunning portraits, in which the subject is perfectly focused and the background is blurry? There are several techniques you can use to blur the background of a photo - adjusting the aperture and shutter speed settings, using portrait mode and autofocus, and editing the image in Photoshop.

Steps

Blurring the background by adjusting the aperture

Set your camera to aperture priority mode. On top of the camera body you will find a dial on which different shooting modes are indicated, for example, “Auto”. Rotate it to select aperture priority.

Provide distance between the camera, subject and background.

• To better blur the background in a photo, you need enough distance between the camera and the subject. Then you can use the zoom to focus on the foreground.
• In addition, the further the subject is from the background, the easier it is to achieve a beautiful blur effect. Depending on the characteristics of the lens, try placing the model at a distance of one and a half, 3 or 4.5 meters from the background (backdrop).

1. Frame your subject with a medium shot. In other words, let the person be visible from about the waist up. To take a portrait, you'll probably want to get closer or zoom in so that just your head and shoulders are in the frame. But start from further away to better compose your shot and adjust your settings.

   • Focus on the eyes.
   • Please note: the nose, ears and hair will be more or less in focus. With a closed aperture (high value), the background will also be in focus. If the aperture is wide open (low value), it will be blurry.

2. Use zoom. Reduce the depth of field by zooming in closer to the image. To achieve the shallowest depth of field possible, use a telephoto lens or the maximum zoom setting. Get as close to your subject as needed.

   • If you are using a telephoto lens, you will have to stand quite far from the model.
   • If you're using the lens that came with the camera originally, you'll probably have to get closer to the model. You should still zoom as far as the lens allows, and the distance between you and the subject will be less than between the subject and the background. A simple rule: it's better to stand further away and use the zoom than to get too close.
   • Try zooming in different ways and take a few test shots to see if you get close to the desired result.

3. Follow the moving object with your camera. If your subject is moving, move the camera behind them to keep them sharp and blur the background.

   • Try shooting at different shutter speeds to achieve balance: only the background should be blurry, not the subject.
   • To start, set your shutter speed to 1/125 second.
   • Try to keep your body and camera as stable as possible. Keep an eye on your subject through the viewfinder and make sure you focus correctly. Shoot confidently, with a steady hand.
   • This technique uses background blur to emphasize the movement of the subject, while blurring through a shallower depth of field adds dimension to the photo, separating the subject from its surroundings.

   Using other camera settings

   1. Set the settings to automatic and shoot in portrait mode. If you don't have a very advanced camera, you can still blur the background of the photo using other settings, such as portrait mode, which will automatically achieve the desired effect.

      • You'll find portrait mode on your camera's mode dial - usually indicated by an icon shaped like a woman's head. Turn the dial to this mode so that the camera automatically selects aperture and exposure values.

   2. Change autofocus settings in the menu. Press the "Menu" button and select focus settings. On many cameras this will look like a frame of dots, with the central one selected (filled with color).

      • Moving the cursor between points, stop the selection on the one closest to the place where the model's eyes will be in the frame.
      • This will allow the camera to automatically focus on the selected area. The farther you are from it, the more blurred the image will be.
   3. • If you're shooting a portrait against, say, a wall, have your subject stand about three meters away (if space allows). In portrait mode, the camera will have to blur the background itself.

   4. Use maximum zoom. If you are using the lens that originally came with the kit, you will need to zoom to increase the focal length, that is, the distance from the lens to the subject.

   Blur in Photoshop

   1. Use the Blur Tool in Photoshop to blur the background of the photo. Select the teardrop icon in the toolbar on the left - this is its Blur tool.

      • At the top of the screen you will see settings for brush size and intensity. Install them as you wish. Since the background in a portrait takes up quite a large space, it is worth choosing a larger brush diameter.
      • While holding down the left mouse button, apply blur to the desired areas.
      • Keep in mind that this technique will not provide true depth - all objects in the background will be blurred evenly, regardless of their distance from the lens. An image whose background is blurred during shooting was obtained in the process of direct processing of visual information (the camera “sees” near and distant objects); the image obtained in Photoshop does not contain such data. Therefore, blurring the background directly at the moment of photographing gives a deeper and more natural shot.

   2. Use layers to blur. To do this, you need to create a duplicate layer: Layers> Duplicate layers (Layers> Create a duplicate layer if you are using Russian Photoshop). While in this new layer, select Filters > Blur > Gaussian Blur (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur).

      • Now your image will be completely blurred. However, there is a layer underneath that contains the original image, which means you can use the Eraser Tool to erase the blurry layer in areas that you want to be clear.
      • After completing this procedure, use the command Layer> Flatten Image (Layers> Perform flattening). This will merge the two layers - the original one and the one with the blurred background - into one.

   3. Blur the background by converting the image into a Smart Object. This will allow you to apply aperture blur to keep your subject in focus and blur the background.

      • In the Layers panel, right-click on the background layer containing your image and select Convert to Smart Object.
      • From the top menu, select Filter > Blur > Iris Blur (Filter > Blur > Iris Blur). Now drag the aperture outline that appears to the desired location in the image. You can change its shape and size by stretching it at different points. You can also hold down the Shift key to transform a rectangular area into a circular area by resizing it.
   4. This effect is explained by the shallow depth of field. In addition to the frame format and open aperture (f/1.8-2.8), depth of field is influenced by other factors, including a) the focal length of the lens; b) distance to the subject.
   5. Due to the small size of the photo sensor, film cameras (type 110 with a frame size of 13 x 17 mm, Super 8 and others) and digital (1/3 format) compact cameras, or point-and-shoot cameras, make it difficult to obtain such a result. The easiest way to achieve it is on 35mm or larger film camera (frame size 24 x 36mm for standard photography), DSLR digital camera, or professional camcorder (2/3" format) equipped with a supplied lens or telephoto lens. A point-and-shoot camera with a large zoom (6x-12x) can also take a picture with a rather blurry background. Use the zoom and open the aperture as wide as possible (try shooting in aperture priority mode).
   6. Depending on the type of camera and lens you have, you will need to vary the distance between the camera, your subject, and the background.
   7. You can combine all the mentioned methods to achieve the desired result.

   What you will need

   • Camera with a full-frame sensor equivalent to 35mm film.
   • A “fast” lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and wider. The lower the f-number, the wider the aperture is open. A wide aperture combined with a full-frame image allows for a very shallow depth of field, blurring areas closer to the lens than the subject and further away from it.

Unfortunately, ordinary compacts and smartphones most often do not know how to create beautiful bokeh. This is explained by the fact that such devices have a smaller matrix built in. What should owners of budget cameras do? We can recommend that they use Photoshop, where making a blurred background is not difficult. All you need is appropriate practice, which you will now receive.
How to blur the background in Photoshop?

First, you need to clarify that not every photo is suitable for blurring the background. It is best to choose a photo in which the person’s legs are not visible, as are nearby objects. In our case, the person is standing against the background of the forest; this frame is ideal for processing. If there was also a bush or tree in the foreground of the photograph, then great difficulties would arise.

You should immediately remember that the desired effect is achieved using the Gaussian Blur function. If you apply it to any photo, you will get the impression that the photographer forgot to focus his camera. But we need to understand how to blur the background in Photoshop, not the entire image. Therefore, you should initially select the object that remains in the sharpness zone. There are several ways to do this. The easiest one is to use the Magnetic Lasso tool. If you already know how to use it (in one of the previous lessons we talked in detail about its work) - this is very good. If you don’t have enough skills, you’ll have to work hard. But in this lesson we will only briefly touch on this method. First of all, it’s worth talking about how you can get a blurred background using a mask. This is difficult for a beginner, but the result is impressive. It may take you 15-20 minutes to process one photo.
Blurred background in Photoshop CS5

First you need to create a copy of the existing layer. This is done in the Layers panel. Just open this palette and press Ctrl+J. You can also drag the “Background” layer onto the “Create New Layer” button. This will also cause a copy of it to appear.

The new layer needs to be blurred. As mentioned above, the Gaussian Blur filter is used for this. It is located along the path “Filter-Blur-Gaussian Blur”. The filter is adjusted by dragging the slider, which affects the blur radius. Focus on the background at this moment. It should be blurred as if you were taking the photo with a DSLR camera at a wide aperture. Do not overdo it, otherwise the picture will not look realistic. If the changes in the photo are not displayed, then check the box next to the “View” item. This is how a blurred background is created in Photoshop CS5 later versions.

When you are satisfied with the degree of blur, click the “OK” button. Now you need to apply a layer mask to this layer. To do this, follow the path “Layers - Layer Mask - Show All”. You will not notice any external changes after clicking on this item. But in the Layers panel you will see a white rectangle.

And now the hardest part begins. Masks in Photoshop allow you to remove the effect of an applied filter from specified areas. Therefore, you need to tell the program that the person in the photo should remain sharp. To do this you will have to paint it completely black. This is difficult, so zoom in to 100%.

Select black color and then go to the Brush tool. Set the hardness to 20%. The diameter depends on the resolution of your photo and the size of the person. When the diameter suits you, start drawing in black on the subject.

Make a blurred background in Photoshop

Gradually you need to make the entire figure of a person sharp. It's okay if you go slightly beyond its edges. At any time you can press the Latin key X. This will change the color from black to white. Now all that remains is to brush over those places that accidentally became sharp. The filter action will be applied to them immediately.

Paint white along the outline of the person. You must ensure that even a piece of the background is not sharp. For accuracy, you can reduce the brush size and increase the image scale to 200-300%.

Most of the work is ready: we have already succeeded in making a blurred background in Photoshop. But there is now a kind of halo around a person with its blurred outline. You need to get rid of him. To do this, use the Stamp tool.

Merge both layers into one. To do this, follow the path “Layers - Flatten”. The background layer needs to be unlocked. To do this, double-click on it in the Layers panel and give it a name. Next, use the Stamp tool. Set the pressure to 10%. All that remains is to remove all existing artifacts. You should already know how to work with this tool. If this is not the case, then Photoshop will explain everything to you. In short, this tool copies one area of ​​the image to another location. The area to be copied is selected by pressing the Alt key and the left mouse button. Then click next to the outline of the person so that a stamp appears on it in the form of a copied circle. Don't forget to adjust the diameter of the brush, otherwise you risk getting too much on the person's figure or taking too long.

The end result is a pretty good image. Some may have the impression that it was obtained using a good lens and a DSLR camera. But in fact, all you have to do is look closely and some artifacts will become noticeable. Only very painstaking photo processing, which sometimes takes an hour, will help you get rid of them. This is why experienced photographers use high-quality, fast optics. It is better to spend a decent amount, but then save a lot of time.

How to blur the background in Photoshop CS6?

As for the second method of blurring the background in Photoshop, it is very similar to the first. A copy of the background layer is also created, and the unlocked background layer is blurred using the above method. Then you should go to the top layer and select the person in any way convenient. The most commonly used tool for this is the Magnetic Lasso tool. Then all that remains is to invert the selection and enjoy the result. This is also how you can blur the background in Photoshop CS6 and later versions of the graphics editor.

This concludes our lesson. Today you've learned another useful skill that you can then apply to almost any portrait shot. Now you know how to blur the background in Photoshop, which should only make your photos better.

Hi all. Sergey is in touch.

If you have some beautiful photos and want to blur the background in Photoshop to shift the focus on a certain object or person, then this instruction will definitely help you. I will be making the background blurry in one of my photos. Repeat after me and you will succeed!

Blurring the background in Photoshop

Let's launch Photoshop. Click the File – Open menu and select a photo on your computer whose background you want to blur.

I chose this wonderful photo:

The next step is to select a selection tool. One of the best is Pero. But selecting an object with them is difficult, and to speed up the process I will use the Magnetic Lasso tool.

Select the tool and begin to select an object that will not need to be blurred in the future. By using Magnetic lasso you need to click in the place of the object where it borders with the background, for example, in the head area. A point is created and we begin to circle people.

So we need to completely select the object. We move the mouse around these people and the tool automatically creates points. If suddenly it messes up somewhere, then we can manually create a point by clicking the left mouse button or delete the extra one by pressing Delete on the keyboard.

After we select the object, I suggest immediately adjusting it a little. Click on the menu Image – Correction – Levels.

In the new window, move the left slider 2–15 points to the right, and move the right slider to the left by 2–15 points, depending on the photo.

At the moment, we have these little men highlighted. But since we will blur the background, we need to highlight nature. Therefore, click on the menu Select – Invert.

That's all! The background is now selected.

To blur the background in Photoshop you need to use filters. Click on the menu Filter – Blur – Gaussian blur.

In the window that opens, set the radius. We put it around the number 7. The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the photo will not turn out natural. In general, increase the radius and immediately see the end result. Look how much the background blurs.

At the moment I got it like this:

But that is not all. Some amendments still need to be made here. Let's take the Loupe tool and zoom in on the photo. You need to pay attention to the border where the person ends and the blurred background begins. There may be untreated areas like this:

It is very easy to fix such small mistakes. Select the Blur tool and drag several times over the area that remains unblurred.