The results are immediate if you don’t like what you see, back up and try again. When you think you’ve approximated the actual focal dropoff in the photo, click OK.
As you drag the slider from left to right, you’ll see the mask get progressively blurrier along the gradient you just added. The only one you should concern yourself with is Radius (under Iris). On the right of the filter interface, you’ll see a smattering of options. Once again, this allows you to make edits directly to the mask without having to enter Quick Mask mode or flip over to Channels.Ĭhoose Filters -> Blur -> Lens Blur. Go to Layers (Windows -> Layers) and click the layer mask thumbnail, which you’ll see to the right of the layer thumbnail. Return to Standard Mode (Hit Q on the keyboard). As soon as you let go, a red gradient will appear over the canvas. Using the Gradient Tool, click the canvas where the photo is most in focus, and then drag the cursor to where it’s least in focus. Ensure that the current foreground color is white and the current background color is black. In the Options Bar, click the Gradient picker and then choose the gradient in the top left (Foreground to Background). Click OK to continue.Įnter Quick Mask Mode (Hit Q on the keyboard). It’s best used on objects with simple shapes (i.e., a chocolate bar) that slip out of focus in only one direction.ĭouble-click the Quick Mask Mode icon in the tool panel to call up the Quick Mask Options and ensure that Color Indicates: Selected Areas is chosen. This technique can approximate the natural blur of the camera, making it a better choice for objects with more pronounced blur. The more you apply the Blur Tool, the softer the mask’s edges. Apply blur more generously as you move away from the focal point, and in a few minutes, you’ll have a reasonably accurate mask. You’ll notice that the mask’s edges get blurrier with each stroke. Use the Blur Tool to paint over the edges of the object that require a softer focus. This allows you to make edits directly to the mask without having to enter Quick Mask mode or switch to Channels. In the Options Bar, set the Strength to 100 percent. This means that the blur is applied most densely at the center of the brush and barely at all at the edge, so that the transition between blurred and non-blurred areas of the mask is smooth. In the Options Bar, click the Brush Preset picker and set the brush size to 100 pixels with a hardness of 0 percent. It’s an effective way to deal with objects that have multiple levels of blurring (i.e., a watering can whose spout and handle extend out of focus in opposite directions). This technique can be used to selectively soften the edges of your mask.