Enhancing background blur in the image allows you to correctly build the composition, concentrating the viewer's attention on the selected object. There are several options for how to blur the background in Photoshop. Consider one of them that gives the best effect. Detailed instructions will help you easily master the process.
Object selection
Before blurring the background in Photoshop, you need to qualitatively select the object on which the eye will focus. You can use any tool convenient for you for this:
- "Pen";
- "Quick selection";
- "Magic wand".
Select the desired tool and create a path. When using the first option, it is possible to select an object not too accurately, as the program will automatically correct the borders. Places with the same shades should be edited using the layer mask.
Now go to the "Edit" menu and select the item "Refine Edge". Using a brush, we correct minor imperfections, for example, we process the model's hair to separate them from the background. To align the edges of the object, we pass the tool along the entire contour. At this stage, you can add a little feathering, about 0.3 pixels, by moving the slider in the corresponding item of the menu that opens.
Then we transfer the selection to a new layer with a mask, all this can be done in the same window. Click the OK button. Turn off the visibility of the background. Now our object is on a transparent substrate.
Contour fault correction
We proceed to correct minor contour inaccuracies. If the subject and background are painted in similar shades, then the selection tool may not work correctly. Before blurring the background behind a person or other object in Photoshop, you need to fix all the flaws.
To do this, create a new layer without filling and place it under the layer with the selected object. Now fill it with a contrasting color to reveal all the inaccuracies in the circuit. You can speed up the process using the keyboard shortcut Alt + Del.
In the window with the layers we move to the mask, and with the help of the Brush tool (white) we draw areas where there are not enough details. The stiffness, pressure, and transparency of the Brush should be approximately 80%. To remove the excess go to the black color "Brush". You can switch the colors with the key with the letter "X". We work out all the sections along the contour, after which we remove the filled layer.
Work with image background
We continue processing the photo. Now we learn how beautiful it is to blur the background in Photoshop. Turn on the background layer and go to the layer mask. The selection of the object should load. Then, in the menu item "Selection", select the operation "Modification", and then click "Expand." We expand the area by 15-20 pixels to avoid the appearance of ugly halos on the blur border.
Before blurring the background in Photoshop, we check to see if the border has become too noticeable. If, after processing, ugly halos still remain around the object, they can be easily removed using the Finger tool. Select it on the panel, and on the blur layer, move the background under the object.
Background blur in Photoshop: how to finish the job?
Go to the layer with the background, select "Edit" - "Fill" in the menu. In the window that opens, click on "Use based on content." Click “OK” and deselect. If you disable the layer with the object, it will be seen that the space behind it is filled with sections of the background.
Go back to the background layer and select “Blur” in the “Filter” menu. We need a tilt and offset blur option. This filter allows you to fine-tune the depth of field and is very useful for those who do not yet know how to make the background blurry in Photoshop. The center point will appear on the screen - the area that will be in focus.
Move it to the desired position and change the border of the transition from a sharp image to a blurry one. If distortions appear on the background, you can easily get rid of them using the layer mask. Add it to the background, and use the Brush tool to process the details of the photo. In this case, we completely remove the stiffness, and set the opacity to 50% or 80%. In black we edit the necessary areas.
At the final stage, we bring the image to perfection: we make it darker using the Curves tool, and then we lighten parts of the photo with the object to select it. Combine the layers and sharpen using the sharpen tool - Contour Sharpness, which are located in the Filter menu.
Now you know one of the ways how to make the background blurry in Photoshop.