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Hi I was working on these three versions of one of my self portraits, shot with Doug's 50 1.4 but at f8 as I was jumping around a lot and we couldn't afford shallower DOF. So I had to try to blur out the background myself .. to emulate something closer to 2.8 ish ? Unfortunately the border area's are calling me issues. I basically had 2 layers, cut out myself from the top layer, then gaussian blurred the backdrop and the merge the layers.. is there a better way ?

Don't see any issue with what you've done mate. Love all 3 versions!

Wayne,

Um, the issues I'm seeing are artifacts around the edges of me and the background... where the blur affect has gone a little weird, or I haven't cut myself out properly ? The same occured in the shot I posted in the ES Self portrait theme...

Oh I stuffed up the bit between my arms as I blurred it after flattening rather then before... (oops)

Craig

I think you are being overcritical here (not that there's anything wrong with that ). There is a little bit of softness around your right forearm, but not unacceptable. I'd stick with what you have. Version #1 works best for me too. I like the warmer tones.

stubbsy wrote:Craig

I think you are being overcritical here (not that there's anything wrong with that ). There is a little bit of softness around your right forearm, but not unacceptable. I'd stick with what you have. Version #1 works best for me too. I like the warmer tones.

Thanks for the feedback Peter, I got to work at it looks passable on my CRTs (if somewhat darker / flatter) it must just be my LCD that is showing the artifacts, so maybe I am being too critical...

Out of interest, Peter (or anyone else) what process would you use to blur the background but not me ? If I can find a better method I'll give it another shot (the pefectionist in me is begging to fix this).

Craig, I like the soft feel of the portrait as the backlighting adds to the effect. If there wasn't any backlighting or if the light was from a different position, I'd be inclined to say that the pic didn't work.

I usually create a mask around the object that remains in focus, inverse the selection, feather the mask by about 2 pixels and gaussian blur by 0.7px.

PiroStitch wrote:Craig, I like the soft feel of the portrait as the backlighting adds to the effect. If there wasn't any backlighting or if the light was from a different position, I'd be inclined to say that the pic didn't work.

I usually create a mask around the object that remains in focus, inverse the selection, feather the mask by about 2 pixels and gaussian blur by 0.7px.

Since I'm in the Absolute Beginners section, Wayne what exactly do you mean by creaking a mask? Also what method would you use to get the mask exactly around my outline (before you then invert it?). Sorry but it's the simple things like this that I think could make my life easier, and prevent me from doing things dodgily. BTW for reference this is what the original Raw straight to jpeg looked like.. the PP version is cropped a little and as you can see the blur was needed to hide the crinkles in the backdrop.

Alpha_7 wrote:Out of interest, Peter (or anyone else) what process would you use to blur the background but not me ? If I can find a better method I'll give it another shot (the pefectionist in me is begging to fix this).

Well what you've done is a good approach, but I'd use either the Nik Color Efex Classical Soft Focus or Vignette Blur filters in PS CS in their selective mode. This lets you paint the filter effect on (it's really a layer mask) and off. This is very similar to what you've done, but doesn't involve the need to cut you from the image. Other techniques I've used are to duplicate the image, blur the top layer and erase the bits I want sharp with the eraser set to a soft edge.

Matt K will tell you to lasso yourself - painstaking, but very effective - then you can sit yourself over the top of the blurred background (or any other background that takes your fancy). I lack the patience for this technique. (see this thread and this one for an example of Matt's technique)

Finally, whatever you do you need soft or feathered edges. If the transition from soft to sharp is too strong it won't work.

Craig,

Ditto to what stubbsy said about using the lasso tool I tend to use the polygon lasso method. Don't bother with the freehand lasso. I've had hit and misses with magnetic lasso so I tend not to use it.

Craig, I found a good article in Dec05/Jan06 issue of "Digital Photography and Design" that talks about doing just what you're trying to do. The article is called "Blur is beautiful". It goes into step by step of using gaussian blur but without getting halos and bleed between strong tonal differences. The details in the article work for CS2 as well as Elements4. If you can pick up a copy it's a good read. The mag is paublished by Yaffa Publishing in Sydney. If you can't get a copy, let me know and I'll organise you to see my copy.

Cheers
John

Thanks for the feedback, I'm going to give some different techniques a try and see how I fair, I didn't even know there was a Polygon lasso, only found out the other week thanks to Doug about the magnetic one that (was a little too wayward for my liking). Is the standard "free hand" lasso the best way to..(is it) deep etch myself out of the picture ?

Alpha_7 wrote:Thanks for the feedback, I'm going to give some different techniques a try and see how I fair, I didn't even know there was a Polygon lasso, only found out the other week thanks to Doug about the magnetic one that (was a little too wayward for my liking). Is the standard "free hand" lasso the best way to..(is it) deep etch myself out of the picture ?

Craig, I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss the magnetic lasoo. I use all three, normal, polygon and magnetic. Each has it's place. You gotta practice with each and get the idea which works best for which circumstances. When doing a complex selection, I regularly flip between all three and magic wand and all of them in both modes (add to selection and remove from selection). Actually the free hand lasoo is probably my least used lasoo. I usually only use it for grabbing extra bits that magic wand didn't grab.

Try this with the magnetic lasoo: Take something like a flower with lots of spiky bits, magnetic lasoo it really quick, like 10 - 20 secs, so it's pretty rough. Then zoom in and use the various lasoos to add and subtract. You will pretty quickly get a real good selection.

Cheers
John

Well John, I've already learnt more, I had worked out how to add or subtract from a selection, which is why I got frustrated by the magnetic as I couldn't correct the places when it was off. So much more to learn it appears!

Don't know whether this site has been mention but is great for working Photoshop.

http://www.radiantvista.com/video_tutorials/

It will teach you about masks and a pile of other goodies.

My learning of PS has risen a very sharp curve.

Craig, any more to show with your newly acquired skills?

Sorry Wayne but I haven't had a chance yet to revisit the PP. I still plan to do so, but I've been flat out at work and then last night I was out on the town with Wendell, so I haven't had time or energy to throw at it... but I will