Blurring or Replacing a Background in CS3 or CS4

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  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited January 15, 2009
    Gettting better.

    More important, what do you think?
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited January 16, 2011
    One other trick, that Richard alluded to earlier, but we did not discuss to any extent, is that of enlarging a selection maybe just 2-4 pixels to help cover any holes left in the original selection. This needs to be done on a 2nd copy of the file opened in Photoshop, since you are not enlarging the whole image, just a selected part that is going to be moved to the new image.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,893 moderator
    edited January 16, 2011
    I had forgotten all about this thread, but since it has been resurrected, I was wondering whether anyone has any experience to report with the smart radius function in CS5's mask panel. It looks like it was designed to help with hard problems like selecting hair, fur, etc. I watched a tutorial on it, but the example started with a shot against a white background, which seemed like stacking the deck. I haven't done composites in a while and I'm curious whether it is truly useful.
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited January 16, 2011
    I havn't played with the Smart Radius portion yet, either, Richard.

    Like you I sometimes find I just alter the size of one of my selections by 2-4 pixels to get rid of halos if necessary.

    Masking hair has always been the challenge - I usually start with a channel mask for that, but it is easer with Quick Select and Radius Adjustment than it was years ago, isn't it?
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • PeanoPeano Registered Users Posts: 268 Major grins
    edited November 21, 2013
    A much simpler and more reliable way to blur the background (your tree branch example):

    Mask out the branch, then use Lens Blur (not Gaussian Blur) on the background. In the Lens Blur dialog box, select "Layer mask" for the source:

    7okw.jpg

    When you use Lens Blur, the layer mask will protect the masked area and prevent halos. If you use Gaussian Blur the same way, it will create halos.
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited November 21, 2013
    Come on, Peano, this thread was written in January 2009, there was no Lens Blur tool then. It is a nice tool, today.

    The Quick Select Tool and the Refine Edge command have both been improved by Adobe since CS3.

    The real significance of this thread is how it leads the user into selections, and layers. Once one gets selections and layers, all kinds of things become possible.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • PeanoPeano Registered Users Posts: 268 Major grins
    edited November 22, 2013
    pathfinder wrote: »
    Come on, Peano, this thread was written in January 2009, there was no Lens Blur tool then. It is a nice tool, today.

    The Lens Blur filter was introduced in 2003, in Photoshop CS.
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited November 22, 2013
    I stand corrected then, Peano. Thank you.

    I do tend to use a Gaussian Blur with a graduated brush for an effect similar to Lens Blur sometimes, where I want the background to grow out of focus as it recedes from the subject.

    Why don't you show us how you select foregrounds and replace backgrounds…. I am sure we will all learn something.

    A note about haloes - It is true that if you select a foreground, and then just use a GB on the unselected background areas, you may get a real halo along the selection lines ( depending on color and contrast variations especially ). One way I avoid this is to clone adjacent areas of the background into the selected areas - and then blur the whole image, after canceling the selected areas, to avoid the haloes of differences in color and contrast.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • PeanoPeano Registered Users Posts: 268 Major grins
    edited November 22, 2013
    pathfinder wrote: »
    Why don't you show us how you select foregrounds and replace backgrounds…. I am sure we will all learn something.

    So many ways to go, and it always depends on the image. What works for one will fail miserably for others.
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited November 22, 2013
    Agreed.

    Peano, are you the author of "The First Impression" or just an impressed reader? The reviews on Amazon are quite good.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • PeanoPeano Registered Users Posts: 268 Major grins
    edited November 22, 2013
    pathfinder wrote: »
    Agreed.

    Peano, are you the author of "The First Impression" or just an impressed reader? The reviews on Amazon are quite good.

    I'm the author .. and an impressed reader!! wings.gif

    EDIT: Incidentally the Kindle edition will be on sale Dec. 3-9 for $0.99. It's normally $2.99.
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited November 22, 2013
    An author - I am impressed!! ( This is a genuine statement of my emotions, not is NOT a snide comment. )

    I will buy it and read it!!
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • PeanoPeano Registered Users Posts: 268 Major grins
    edited November 22, 2013
    pathfinder wrote: »
    An author - I am impressed!! ( This is a genuine statement of my emotions, not is NOT a snide comment. )

    I will buy it and read it!!

    Thank you! I hope you enjoy it.
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