Gaussian blur problem separating backgound, foreground

CB
Posted By
CC_Barrington
Dec 8, 2008
Views
340
Replies
8
Status
Closed
I want to blur the background of sports photos (still too much in focus even with lens wide open). I put the key player(s) on one layer and the background on another, then apply a Gaussian blur, which gives me a white line where background meets foreground. I can painstakingly rubber stamp extend the edge of the background about 10 pixels behind the foreground and that seems to work, but it’s painstakingly slow. Is there a better way or even a plug-in?
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blur foreground gaussian problem separate

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P
PeterK.
Dec 8, 2008
Sounds like you’re lifting the layer off the background and leaving white behind (making a new layer via cut). If that’s the case, using a selection based off that new layer (or whatever selection you’ve made to seperate the layer), go Select-Modify-Expand it by a pixel, or two (or few, depending on your selection.) then go to Filter-Other-Minimum to pull pixel values into your selection. Use whatever amount helps you cover at least some of the white so that it doesn’t come into play after you do your blur.
JJ
John Joslin
Dec 8, 2008
Don’t cut the layer out of the background.

Select the figure and press Ctrl+J this will put the figure on a new layer without making a hole in the background.

You can then blur the background to taste.

Use "Refine Edge" before the Ctrl+J action if you want to feather or smooth the selection first.

For more realism you could graduate the background blur from near to far, but that’s the next lesson!
P
PECourtejoie
Dec 8, 2008
Create a mask rather than jumping the subject to its own layer, then use lens blur.
MV
Mathias_Vejerslev
Dec 8, 2008
Try to lock the transparency of the layer before blurring. And use Lens Blur instead of Gaussian for a more realistic effect.
JJ
John Joslin
Dec 8, 2008
I always give the simplest solution first on the assumption that if the person is asking they are not too experienced.

Mentioning masks tends to frighten some people off!
RP
Russell_Proulx
Dec 9, 2008
Because the player also exists on the background it will grow when blurred and you’ll see it peeking around the edges of your subject. I tend to clone the background layer around the edges of the subject before doing the blur (as others said, Lens Blur is better) to avoid what you’re seeing. You can also protect that area using a mask. Unfortunately there’s no simple button to push…

You could try using the history brush in ‘darken’ mode and pass it over the offending area. But I think you’ll end us with an area that looks less blurred around your subject and that will look fake.
F
Freeagent
Dec 9, 2008
-player
-background minus player <lens blur>
-unaltered original

The tiny border of less blurred pixels around the player is only theoretical. It won’t be visible.

Blurred backgrounds like this tend to look more like frosted glass than an out-of-focus blur (aka bokeh). I’m looking at this, but it’s a bit expensive:

<http://alienskin.com/bokeh/index.aspx>
JJ
John Joslin
Dec 9, 2008
Smart Filters with gradient masks are a good way to go for a better "Bokeh" effect.

<http://imageshack.us>

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