Good day, dear readers! I am glad to present to your attention another lesson on the GIMP editor, from which you will learn how to create background blur effect on photo.

Certainly everyone likes photos with blurry background. What is the attraction of such shots? But the fact is that with the help of blur we remove all the extra garbage that clogs photo background and remains sharp, only the main subject that we are photographing. Take a look at these footage.

Or, for example, when photographing some kind of dish

From such photos it breathes "professionalism".

How to make such a blurry background?

Create silence ... now I will reveal to you terrible secret recipe for such a frame. You will need:

1) A good camera, mostly a DSLR with interchangeable lenses, such as the budget Canon 1100d

2) A lens with a large aperture, for example, if you have a Canon camera (like I do), then the cheapest option would be to buy a Canon 50 1.8 lens

3) We put the lens on the camera and set the creative mode AV (or manual - M), which allows you to adjust the aperture value.

4) Set the aperture to 2, and even better to 1.8

5) Shooting...

Here is an example recipe for getting a blurry background on an image. But if finances do not allow you, then we can remotely approach the blurry background with the help of processing in graphic editors, such as photoshop and gimp. Thanks to the built-in tools in the editor, we can make the background of an ordinary photo taken with an ordinary digital compact camera, the so-called "soap box", pseudo-blurred.

And how this is done, we will now learn from today's lesson.

Step 1. Opening the original photo in the editor

Step 2 The next step is to select the main object in the photo, which we want to make sharp. To do this, the simplest, but at the same time universal method is to use the Free Selection tool or the so-called Lasso tool (as in Photoshop). After that, carefully outline the object. The more breakpoints you set, the better.

Step 3 While the selection is active, create a copy of the original photo through the menu "Layer - Create a copy" or by clicking on the icon "Create a copy of the layer"

Step 4 Now you need to right-click on the top layer and select "Add Alpha Channel" from the context menu that opens.

After that, press the Del button. See what you should get if you temporarily turn off the visibility of the bottom layer.

Turn on the visibility of the lower layer again and deselect using "Select - Deselect"

Step 5 Now let's use the standard filter of the blur editor through the menu "Filters - Blur - Gaussian Blur" and set the desired value in the settings.

Reference: This value depends on the original photo. The higher the resolution (photo size), the larger the input parameter. For this example I took the size 30px

Step 6 If necessary, you can adjust the opacity of the top layer with the effect, to do this, move the opacity slider to the left until you get the desired effect. For example, I set the value to 80.

Like this, in a few simple steps, we also have a sharp object, which is now the main focus of our viewer.

Soon I plan to tell you friends about creating more realistic background blur with additional. If you don't want to miss the exit this lesson then I advise.

That's all for me. Thank you all for your attention and see you in new lessons.

P.S. Special thanks to reader Lare for the lesson idea!

Sincerely, Anton Lapshin!

Little BONUS:

If you want to receive beautiful pictures with a blurry background, which makes expensive optics for professional photographers, it is better to use Photoshop. This article will introduce two ways to make a beautiful blurred background in a photo using this program.

How to blur the background in Photoshop: method one

The first method will be much easier than the second, but it looks less high quality and is suitable for large objects and clear lines. If the model in the photo has hair flying, then it will be difficult to bring this plan to life.

To make the blur look natural, you need to remember some principles of focal planes:

  • The main subject in the frame always remains clear and sharp;
  • Objects are blurred more if they are further away from the object. All elements near the subject are less blurred.

Go to Photoshop and open a photo. Now you will work with the tools on the left panel.

Find the Blur Tool or Blur Tool. It is presented almost in the middle of the panel and is indicated by a droplet.


You need to adjust the size and intensity of the instrument. At the top you will see the line “Strength”, set the slider in it to about 70-80%. Set the size yourself, depending on your photo.


Start painting with the tool around the main object, try not to touch the model. If necessary, enlarge the image and work carefully.

As a result, you will get a soft blur that does not touch the main object.


How to blur the background in Photoshop: method two

With the first method of execution, you cannot set the blur direction, and if you still use the tool poorly, then the work may turn out to be sloppy. For a more professional look, try using the pen tool.

Pay attention to the left side of the toolbar, click on “Pen”.


This tool is quite easy to use, it just takes a little practice. You have to put dots and then curve lines from them. Outline your entire model in the frame in this way.


Once you are done and complete the circuit, right-click on the path. In the pop-up window, select the line "Make Selection" or "Select".


In the window that opens, set the value to “0” and click “OK”.


Now pay attention to the right side of the program. You need to remove the lock icon from your layer. Just click on the icon once.


After that, take another tool on the left side of the screen. It's called "Select". Click again on the path with the right mouse button and click on the line “Layer Via Cut”.


Immediately you will have a second layer on the right side of the window, go to the bottom one by simply clicking on it with the mouse.


Then click on the menu "Filter" or "Filter", in the drop-down list, click "Blur" or "Blur". Now you have to choose the type of blur. They differ in direction, for example, you can make a slight blur of the background in an upward or sideways movement, which will add dynamics to the frame, a regular blur without any movement is also available - it is called “Gaussian Blur” or “Gaussian Blur”.
In the same example, “Radial Blur” or “Circle Blur” will be applied to make the edges of the photo curl nicely around the model.


Set the blur value to 1-4, depending on your goals. If you want a soft blur, then 1 or 2 is fine.


Take a closer look at how the background on the sides is now twisting into a ring. All you have to do is edit the photo.


Finish your editing with color grading and any artistic effects. To make the blur look more natural, you can take the Archive Brush tool and bring some of the elements around the model back to a sharper look.


Almost every aspiring photographer wondered: “ how to take a photo with a blurry background? Photos with a blurred background always attract attention, you want to peer into them, they are very similar to a natural picture, as our eye sees it. Here are some secrets on how to take photos to get blurry.

Blurred background on can be done with any camera, only your creativity will be limited by the modes and aperture value, but still it is possible. If you have a “reflex camera” in your hands, then you can easily focus the camera on any object and make the background blurry.

Of course, a telephoto lens is the easiest. Everyone knows the photographs of birds, mostly they are all taken with a telephoto lens.

Settings

Most amateur cameras have a feature that allows you to blur the background. Usually referred to as A-DEP, it is used mainly by people who have recently started taking pictures or a photo taken with a flash. If you take artistic pictures, it is better to set up the camera yourself.

To begin with, it is desirable to set the aperture value to a minimum. To do this, it is recommended to shoot in aperture mode. This mode is designated differently on different devices, for example: Nikon stands for "A", Canon stands for "Av". By setting the desired aperture value in this mode, the shutter speed will be processed automatically. Many photographers like to work in aperture priority mode when shooting portraits and macro photography. Product photography and advertising photography, sometimes, also uses the effect of blurring the background, where it is subsequently placed advertising text or title.









macro photography

In the "macro" mode, you can also easily make the background blurry, but in this mode they shoot small items from a small distance. On all cameras, it is indicated by a "flower". By setting this mode, you just have to point the camera and press the shutter button, it will focus on its own. It is not intended for large objects and long distances, it will begin to blur the picture.

Portraits against a blurred background

With aperture priority mode, you can also make such a background by photographing a genre or a large object at a fairly large distance. In this mode, a clear image of a person or object will remain.

  • For shooting, it is worth maintaining the maximum zoom, it is better to do this with an optical zoom, this will help maintain the quality of the shooting.
  • You need to move away from the subject and take test shots to make sure the background is blurred enough.
  • In order to avoid blurring the object in the image, it is better to shoot using a tripod.

Now you know how to take a photo with a blurred background. Practice, take more pictures and be sure to learn how to get exactly the pictures you want!

In addition to sharpening and detailing, you can use other techniques to get a unique, memorable shot, for example, the opposite effect - blurring and blurring individual details. This approach will allow you to focus on the central figure of the entire composition, add emotional coloring, movement, volume in the picture, will add a little mystery to the story. By using correct settings camera, simple techniques and the capabilities of a graphic editor, you can make a blurry background, foreground, vignette along the contours of a photo, contrast the sharpness of individual elements and the blurring of individual details.

Blurring the background in an image can be done in three ways:

  • Use the capabilities of the lens, the maximum open aperture, the minimum depth of field and other equipment settings;
  • The "Blur" tool of the Adobe Photoshop graphics editor and its variants;
  • Mobile applications and smartphone camera capabilities;

For a professional photographer, “power” will not be enough mobile applications. It is better to use the first 2 methods individually or in combination. Any of these options will require you to have knowledge and understanding of the process. Let's consider each of them in more detail.

Camera lens to blur the background

The technical characteristics of the camera and the matrix will not affect the ability to blur individual details, the lens will be responsible for this moment. It is better to take a fast lens, with it it will be easier to fulfill the other prerequisites for obtaining beautiful bokeh.

Bokeh is an optical effect in a photograph, the blurring of individual elements, light sources, as well as artistic highlights and reflections in the picture, which make up a harmonious picture with the rest of the details. Bokeh is an interesting tool that gives a photo a fairy-tale mood, adding attractiveness to objects and the background of the image.

When setting up the camera to get a blurry background, you need to pay attention to the following important parameters:

  • Aperture opening degree;
  • Distance to the object;
  • Focal length;
  • IPIG;
  • Macro mode.

Aperture settings. To get a blurry background, you need to narrow the distance where the objects in focus will be as narrow as possible so that the foreground and background do not fall into it. This achieves blur or blur in the picture. To do this, select the manual adjustment mode and set the maximum possible opening of the aperture flaps in this situation. In numbers, the value will be, on the contrary, small - f / 1.8, for example. In this case, by placing the focus point on the subject, you will automatically bring the details far behind it into the blur zone. The more the aperture is opened and the f-value is smaller, the more objects around the subject will be blurred.

Depth of Field of View, or DOF. In fact, this is the parameter for which other settings are selected. DOF - an area in which all objects are sharp, the rest are blurry. To put it simply, at a certain distance from the photographer there is an imaginary line of the beginning of the sharpness zone, a little further - the end line.

The range and extent of the depth of field depends on the focal length of the lens, the distance of the photographer and the degree of aperture opening. With a decrease in the value of f, that is, opening the aperture, the depth of field narrows, as with an increase in the focal length. To get the most blurry background, reduce the sharpness zone.

Focal length. Speaking roughly, the parameter is responsible for the sharpness of the object when approaching. The higher the focal length of the lens, the farther the object can be located. Standard standard lenses are in the range of 18-50mm. To create a blurred background, you will need the longest possible optics that can bring a very distant object closer, while narrowing the depth of field to the minimum values. This will give excellent uniform blurring of both the foreground and distant areas.

The distance from the photographer to the subject. Blurred background brings the subject closer to the camera and away from the background. Being on close range, the lens gives the minimum depth of field, with the aperture open and maximum focus. Moreover, the foreground will not be so blurred, and behind all objects will be as blurred as possible. For example, to obtain a clear portrait against a blurred background, the distance to the model from the standard "fifty kopeck" should be 2-3 meters, and the background should be removed by at least 7-10 meters. Then you will not need additional manipulations with the image to achieve the desired effect.

The macro mode among the standard camera settings allows you to focus on an object located in close proximity to the lens. It allows you to automatically focus on the subject, without taking into account the background and surrounding objects. For a beginner photographer in conditions subject shooting it can be used, but portrait and landscape will still require you to know the above parameters.

How to make a blurry background in Photoshop?

The second way to get a blurry background is to use the program - Adobe Photoshop, even in a standard shell without plugins. Blur effects, layers, and various brushes are nested in the basic tools.
Any photograph of an object with a background is taken as a basis, opened in the program. You can blur in two ways:

  1. Magnetic Lasso Tool.
  2. Layers and the Blur tool.

The magnetic lasso is suitable for small objects with smooth edges, it needs to be selected using dots. Then blur the background through the appropriate tool, excluding the selected area.

The second method is more complicated, but more effective, especially if the selected object has uneven edges, a lot of details, and it is quite difficult to select it with dots evenly. First of all, we copy the layer with the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl + J" or by creating a new layer. If everything is done correctly, then a copy of the original image will appear in the layers column on the right. The work must be carried out with a copy, and the effect is superimposed on it.

In the "Filters" tab located on the top panel, in the drop-down list we find "Blur". There are several options, they differ in the direction of the “strokes”, the location of the blurred area, and so on.

The Gaussian Blur effect is suitable for uniform filling of the image; in its settings, you can change the intensity and radius using the corresponding buttons on the panel. If the result is satisfactory, then accept it and continue working with the layer.

In the "Layers" - "Layer Mask" tab, select the "Show All" item. If everything is done correctly, the blurred image will be highlighted with a white rectangle in the layers list. Next, take a suitable brush and begin to gently erase the layer with blur in those places where the image should be sharp. That is, we remove it to the original image. Using different brushes in size, shape, hardness, you get different artistic effects, limited only by your imagination. Where the brush did not go through, there will be a blur.

After completing the design, you need to connect the layers, for this, select the "Layers" item in the menu, select "Perform mixing" in the drop-down list, the two pictures become one, now you can save and use them further for their intended purpose.
Such actions will be enough to blur any part of the picture, you can do several levels, repeat the process more than once to achieve the effect of a multilayer blur. Over time, experience will allow you to create more and more daring pictures and combinations using the "Layers" technique or any other.

Blurred background using smartphone

The creators of smartphones, tablets, as well as application developers do not stand still in terms of processing images received from mobile devices. For both operating systems, options for standard settings, free and paid programs installed on all famous models phones. Image processing using a blurred background is also present in many of them. The effect of blur or blurred background can be created at the time of shooting or on already finished photos.

  1. In the first case, in the process of focusing on an object, you can choose the direction, intensity and location of the blur, most often its dependence on the size and location of the object being shot is adjusted. To do this, buttons are provided that are displayed in the camera menu. The disadvantage of this option is a decrease in the quality of the image and the inability to bring it back to its original form.
  2. In the second case, the frame is saved in the normal mode, and then the application offers options for its design and editing. These editors are automatically pre-installed on the Instagram network when you add a picture to your account, you get access to tools for working with photography. Or the settings are stored in the phone's memory along with the original picture and can be used for any other purpose.

Of course, such images are not suitable for large format printing and are used mainly for home viewing and for placement in in social networks. But the growth of their popularity could not but affect photography in general. Many applications are created specifically for active bloggers, for those who like to post beautiful pictures on the network, to collect “like” marks. For photography, as an art, this approach no longer applies.

Smartphone Apps:

  • Camera MX offers an excellent set of features for taking semi-professional-level shots. Users can use filters, manual settings, all kinds of tools for processing;
  • Z Camera offers you to use various filters at the time of shooting, as well as edit them from the gallery.
  • Google Camera is installed on smartphones of some models and is available for download. The application allows you to use the phone cameras at the level good cameras, process pictures immediately and create collages.
  • BestMe Selfie Camera allows you to see the effects for shooting and choose an interesting option in real time. Great app for lovers of quality selfies.

  • Cymer offers filters and stickers, captions and various tools for changing the color of hair, eyes, clothes, as well as an intuitive interface when creating collages.
  • Footej Camera- an application for those who want to always have a cool camera at hand. It allows you to shoot in RAW format and adjust the settings for shooting, just like in a real camera.
  • candy camera, created specifically for the beautiful half of humanity, obsessed with selfies. Here you can apply various effects, pictures, stickers, assemble a collage or even make yourself a makeover.

These applications are available for the Android OS, but manufacturers have created a considerable number of different assistants for owners of apple smartphones. Of course, by installing them on a smartphone, you will not make it a good camera with optics, but you will get decent pictures for posting on social networks. their networks will be enough.

Summing up the topic

A blurry background in photography is a great artistic technique, suitable for both professional and amateur shots. You can create it in two ways: during the shooting process and by working on the finished image. In the first case, you will need:

  • Long lens;
    Maximum open aperture;
    The minimum distance to the subject of filming;
    The maximum distance to the background behind the object.

For more high-quality picture without interference, you need to use a tripod. Of course, if the shooting mode allows the photographer to stay in one place for a while. Choose a situation where you can shoot as close as possible without losing quality. This trick will allow you to move the background and focus on the object, the rest will become unsharp, as intended.

The degree of aperture opening and the distance to the object can also control the intensity of the blur. Closing the shutters will increase the sharpness of the background, the same will happen if you get closer to the subject or model.

Blurring the background is a great tool for focusing the viewer's attention on important details, reducing the impact on big picture background elements that do not always harmoniously fit into the photographer's idea. This is especially true for reportage and street photography, when people, cars and numerous details create a lot of noise in the picture.

Hi all!

In this post, we will talk again about Photoshop, its capabilities, we will study and test new tools, and something else there ...

Namely, I will teach you to do background blur on the pictures!

This a common technique often used by professional photographers.

"Why is it being used?" you say.

And everything is very simple and quite logical: to select the desired objects ( thereby making them the main) and hiding minor "garbage".

In the background, there are often many objects that distract a person and take his attention to themselves, thereby tearing him away from the main subject of concentration ...

Sometimes it just happens to be ugly and inharmonious!

In such cases, blurring the background comes to our aid!

Using this chip, you yourself will order the person where to look, thereby using his attention to the maximum!

After such processing, the photo will become more refined, with shades of the hand talented person- an artist.

And here's a small example for you:

Did you know that with digital camera and the right settings, you can get a ready-made frame with a blurry background?

But, alas, my site is not about photography, and I myself am not a photographer! Therefore, I will not tell you more!

But in Photoshop, there are enough skills that will allow you to show you several options for achieving your goal!

How to blur the background?

This is the 6th Photoshop tutorial! I will not write “open photoshop” and draw maps before the tools already used before!

We have already covered a lot in previous posts:

Nevertheless, everything will be as always: clear and accessible even for the "teapot"!

Method number 1

After uploading the photo, go to the "Quick Mask" mode ( hot key Q).

What will we do in this type of editing?

This way we can mask out the parts of the photo that we don't want to change... And when we apply the blur filters at the end, they won't affect those parts!

Select the Brush tool ( B key) and start painting over the areas of the image we need, which we want to leave unchanged.

By default, the treated area becomes red…

For finer details, reduce the brush size and enlarge the image!

If you painted over something superfluous, do not worry! You can use an eraser ( E key) and erase your jambs; or use the "History" tab, returning your work to the desired stage.

The "History" tab in the included form is here:

So you don't know what and where...

It's the right toolbar! Look at the tool shortcut in the screenshot ( arrow with dice) and look for one at your place!

What to do, for example, if you could not find a tool on the panel?

No time to panic! Most likely this function is simply disabled ...

So, go to the top menu in the "Window" tab and put a checkmark in front of "History". That's all!

Let's continue our photo editing!

When finished masking, press the Q key again to return to standard mode.

What is going to happen?

The red curtain disappears and the entire unmasked part of the photo becomes selected.

All the following changes will only affect this part!

As you can see, the selection is a little inaccurate - I just did everything on hastily… Despite this, the result was even better!

In the "Filter" menu, select the tab: Blur - Gaussian Blur ...

A new window will automatically open where you need to select the blur radius:

Here, as they say: "There are no comrades for the taste and color!". Try, change best option receive! =)

For wide-angle photography (that is, if the image contains a large area of ​​​​space), you should not try on too much blur. If you set too much blur, the result will look unnatural.

Changes are immediately visible on your photo and in this window, but will not take effect until you click the "OK" button.

What happens if you uncheck the box next to the word "View"?

The blur radius will only be displayed on the photo in a small window!

My picture is bad as an example, so I decided to play around with it and set the blur radius to 1000 pixels… But no, I changed my mind!

Here is the result (22.3px):

After applying the effect, press Ctrl+D to deselect!

Method number 2

Select the pen tool.

The "Contour" parameter should be on the settings panel:

Now we make a stroke of the object we need!

We will not go into details here! In the article “Lesson 1. How to remove the background from an image in Photoshop? » This process was described in detail!

When the path is closed, right-click and click "Create Selection..."

In the new pop-up window, set the feather radius ( e.g. 0.3px).

Then from the Selection menu, click Invert ( Shift+Ctrl+I): now not our figure is selected, but everything behind it!

The next steps are the same as in the previous version!

In the "Filter" menu, select the tab: Blur - Gaussian Blur ...

Image after processing:

Method number 3

This method is "for the lazy"! The picture, where Jack Sparrow is, I processed in this way!

Everything is simple! Grab the blur tool ( e.g. on the left toolbar) and use it to blur the desired parts of the photo!

For convenience and to achieve a better result, you can adjust the brush size of this tool, as well as scale the image.

If you made a selection ( method number 1 and number 2), were in a hurry and everything turned out sloppy, then with this tool you can slightly modify the missed sections ...

That's all!

I showed you the basic editing methods... Yes, there are many of them, some even repeat at certain points, often the process itself is just a little changed, or complicated - but the result is always the same!

Even special programs are used to blur the background ... As for me - "The best gift is the one that is made with your own hands" ...

Or something like that... It doesn't matter! I think you get the gist of it...

The most difficult thing for me in this post was choosing a photo! As soon as I start looking for something, it turns out that all the pictures on the Internet have a blurry background ...

What else to say?

Everyone does what is more convenient for him, based on the situation or the complexity of the photo!

If you have any questions, ask all in the comments!

Subscribe to blog updates and let's chemistry together! You can also order and choose topics for writing posts ... I fulfill orders, maybe not immediately, but I do!

Don't forget to share with your friends!

P.S.I don’t understand why bloggers don’t share posts one by one? These social network buttons hang just like that, but there are no retweets ... It's sad!

See you soon!

Your inquisitive Hedgehog was with you ...