How to Blur Background in Photoshop: Comprehensive Guide

(Last updated on September 1st, 2023)

Short Summary

In this article, you will learn how to blur background in Photoshop using different methods and techniques. Here are the main steps and techniques that you will learn:

• How to select the background in Photoshop using various tools and techniques, such as the Quick Selection tool, the Magic Wand tool, the Lasso tool, and the Pen tool.
• How to blur a background using layers by creating a layer mask of the subject and applying a blur filter to the background layer. Follow these steps:
  • Duplicate your image layer by pressing Ctrl+J (Command+J on Mac) or by dragging the Background layer to the New Layer icon. Then rename it by double-clicking on its name.
  • Create a layer mask of the subject by clicking on the Add Layer Mask icon and inverting it by pressing Ctrl+I (Command+I on Mac) or by clicking on Image menu and then Adjustments and then Invert.
  • Apply a blur filter to the Background Blur layer by going to Filter menu and then Blur Gallery and choosing any of the blur effects, such as Field Blur, Gaussian Blur, Tilt-Shift Blur, or Iris Blur.
  • Adjust the blur amount and shape by using the blur slider and the on-image controls.
• How to blur a background using smart objects by converting the background layer into a smart object and applying a blur filter to it.
• How to blur a background using depth maps by creating a depth map of the image and applying a lens blur filter to it.

If you want to learn more about these steps and techniques, please continue reading this article. You will find detailed explanations, examples, and tips for each step and technique.

Have you ever wondered how professional photographers create stunning photos with blurred backgrounds? Do you want to learn how to achieve the same effect in Photoshop? If yes, then you are in the right place. In this article, I will show you how to blur background in Photoshop using different methods and techniques. You will learn how to use layers, smart objects, and depth maps to create realistic and artistic blur effects. By the end of this article, you will be able to enhance your photos with blur background and make them stand out from the crowd.

How to Select the Background in Photoshop?

Before we start blurring the background, we need to select it first. Selecting the background is an important step for blurring it effectively. If we don’t select the background properly, we may end up blurring some parts of the subject or leaving some parts of the background sharp. Therefore, we need to make accurate and refined selections of backgrounds.

Photoshop offers different tools and techniques for selecting backgrounds, such as the Quick Selection tool, the Magic Wand tool, the Lasso tool, and the Pen tool. Each tool has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on the complexity and contrast of the background. Let’s see how to use each tool and its options to make selections of backgrounds.

• The Quick Selection tool: This tool allows you to make selections by dragging over an area of similar pixels. It works well for backgrounds that have a clear and consistent color or tone. To use this tool, select it from the Tools panel or press W on your keyboard. Then, click and drag over the background area you want to select. You can adjust the size and hardness of the brush using the options bar at the top. You can also add or subtract from the selection by holding down Shift or Alt (Option on Mac) while dragging.
• The Magic Wand tool: This tool allows you to make selections by clicking on an area of similar pixels. It works well for backgrounds that have a high contrast with the subject. To use this tool, select it from the Tools panel or press W on your keyboard and then Shift+W to toggle between the Quick Selection tool and the Magic Wand tool. Then, click on the background area you want to select. You can adjust the tolerance and other options using the options bar at the top. You can also add or subtract from the selection by holding down Shift or Alt (Option on Mac) while clicking.
• The Lasso tool: This tool allows you to make selections by drawing a freehand outline around the background area. It works well for backgrounds that have irregular or complex shapes. To use this tool, select it from the Tools panel or press L on your keyboard. Then, click and drag around the background area you want to select. You can also use the Polygonal Lasso tool or the Magnetic Lasso tool for more precise or automatic selections.
• The Pen tool: This tool allows you to make selections by drawing a vector path around the background area. It works well for backgrounds that have smooth and curved edges. To use this tool, select it from the Tools panel or press P on your keyboard. Then, click and drag on the image to create anchor points and curves along the background edge. You can adjust the direction and shape of the curves using the handles that appear when you click and drag. To close the path, click on the first anchor point or press Ctrl+Enter (Command+Return on Mac). To convert the path into a selection, go to Paths panel and click on Load Path as Selection icon at bottom.

These are some of the tools and techniques for selecting backgrounds in Photoshop. However, sometimes these tools may not be enough to make perfect selections, especially when dealing with complex or challenging backgrounds, such as hair, fur, or transparent objects. In such cases, you may need to use some additional features or methods, such as:

• The Refine Edge option: This option allows you to improve your selection by adjusting its edge quality and appearance. You can access this option by clicking on Select menu and then Select and Mask… (or Refine Edge… in older versions of Photoshop). This will open a new window where you can use various sliders and tools to refine your selection edge.
• The Select Subject option: This option allows you to automatically select the main subject of your image using artificial intelligence. You can access this option by clicking on Select menu and then Subject. This will create a selection around your subject based on its shape and contrast with the background.
• The Select Color Range option: This option allows you to select pixels based on their color or tone values. You can access this option by clicking on Select menu and then Color Range… This will open a new window where you can use an eyedropper tool to sample colors from your image and adjust their range and fuzziness.

These are some of the features and methods for selecting backgrounds in Photoshop. You can use them individually or in combination to make the best possible selections of backgrounds. Once you have made your selection, you can proceed to the next step of blurring the background.

How to Blur a Background Using Layers

One of the simplest and most common ways to blur a background in Photoshop is to use layers. Layers are like transparent sheets that you can stack on top of each other and edit separately. By using layers, you can isolate the subject from the background and apply a blur filter to the background layer without affecting the subject layer.

To blur a background using layers, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Create a duplicate layer of your image by pressing Ctrl+J (Command+J on Mac) or by dragging the Background layer to the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.
• Step 2: Rename the duplicate layer as Background Blur by double-clicking on its name in the Layers panel and typing the new name.
• Step 3: Create a layer mask of the subject using the selection you made in the previous section. To do this, click on the Add Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. This will create a white mask over your layer, which means that everything is visible. To hide the background and reveal only the subject, you need to invert the mask by pressing Ctrl+I (Command+I on Mac) or by clicking on Image menu and then Adjustments and then Invert. This will create a black mask over your layer, which means that everything is hidden except for the white areas that correspond to your selection.
• Step 4: Apply a blur filter to the Background Blur layer using the Filter menu and the Blur Gallery. The Blur Gallery offers different types of blur effects, such as bokeh, gaussian, tilt-shift, and iris. You can choose any of them depending on your preference and style. For this example, I will use the Field Blur effect, which creates a gradual blur from one point to another. To apply this effect, go to Filter menu and then Blur Gallery and then Field Blur. This will open a new window where you can see your image with a blur pin on it. You can drag the pin around to change the position and angle of the blur effect. You can also add more pins by clicking on different areas of your image and adjust their blur amount using the slider on the right side. You can also use other options such as Bokeh, Light Bokeh, Color, and Noise to enhance your blur effect.
• Step 5: Adjust the intensity and shape of the blur effect using the blur slider and the on-image controls. You can use the blur slider on the right side to increase or decrease the overall amount of blur applied to your image. You can also use the on-image controls to fine-tune your blur effect by dragging them around. For example, you can drag the solid circle at the center of each pin to change its position, you can drag the dotted circle around each pin to change its size, and you can drag the handle attached to each pin to change its angle.
• Step 6: Save your changes by clicking on OK button at the top right corner of the window.

These are the steps to blur a background using layers in Photoshop. However, this method has some drawbacks, such as:

• It is destructive, which means that it permanently alters your original image and you cannot undo or modify it later.
• It may create some unwanted artifacts or errors, such as ghosting, halos, or unnatural edges around your subject.

Related Links

• Saving Photoshop Images as JPG
• Remove Watermark using Photoshop
• Make a Contact Sheet in Photoshop

To avoid these problems, you can use another method that is more flexible and nondestructive: smart objects.

How to Blur a Background Using Smart Objects

Smart objects are special layers that preserve your original image quality and enable nondestructive editing. By using smart objects, you can apply a blur filter to your background without affecting your original image and edit or remove it later if you want.

To blur a background using smart objects, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Convert your Background Blur layer into a smart object by right-clicking on it in the Layers panel and choosing Convert to Smart Object. This will change its icon from a normal layer to a smart object layer.
• Step 2: Apply a blur filter to your smart object layer using the Filter menu and the Blur Gallery. You can use any of the blur effects available in the Blur Gallery, such as Field Blur, Gaussian Blur, Tilt-Shift Blur, or Iris Blur. Speaking of effects, you might also be interested in how to create halftone effects in Photoshop. For this example, I will use the Gaussian Blur effect, which creates a uniform blur across your image. For this example, I will use Gaussian Blur effect, which creates a uniform blur across your image. To apply this effect, go to Filter menu and then Blur Gallery and then Gaussian Blur. This will open a new window where you can see your image with a blur amount slider on it. You can drag this slider left or right to increase or decrease the amount of blur applied to your image.
• Step 3: Save your changes by clicking on OK button at top right corner of window.

These are steps to blur a background using smart objects in Photoshop. However, this method has some advantages over the previous one, such as:

• It is nondestructive, which means that it does not alter your original image and you can undo or modify it later.
• It allows you to edit or remove the blur effect using the Layers panel and the Smart Filter option. You can double-click on the Smart Filter icon below your smart object layer to reopen the Blur Gallery window and change the blur amount or type. You can also click on the eye icon next to the Smart Filter icon to toggle the visibility of the blur effect on or off.
• It allows you to use smart objects creatively, such as applying multiple blur effects or blending modes to your smart object layer. You can add more blur filters by going to Filter menu and choosing any of the filters available. You can also change the blending mode of your smart object layer by clicking on the drop-down menu at the top of the Layers panel and choosing any of the modes available.

These are some of the examples of how to use smart objects in Photoshop. You can experiment with different options and settings to create your own unique blur effects.

How to Blur a Background Using Depth Maps

Another way to blur a background in Photoshop is to use depth maps. Depth maps are grayscale images that represent the distance or depth of each pixel in your image. By using depth maps, you can create realistic depth of field effects that mimic how a camera lens works.

To blur a background using depth maps, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Create a depth map of your image using the Channels panel and the Gradient tool. A depth map is a grayscale image that shows how far each pixel is from the camera. The darker the pixel, the closer it is; the lighter the pixel, the farther it is. To create a depth map, go to Window menu and then Channels. This will open the Channels panel where you can see different color channels of your image. Click on the Create New Channel icon at bottom of panel. This will create a new channel named Alpha 1. Select this channel and make sure it is visible by clicking on its eye icon.
• Step 2: Use the Gradient tool to fill your Alpha 1 channel with a black-to-white gradient. The Gradient tool allows you to create smooth transitions between colors or tones. To use this tool, select it from Tools panel or press G on your keyboard. Then, click and drag on your image from where you want the darkest point (the closest point) to where you want the lightest point (the farthest point). You can adjust the angle and length of your gradient by holding down Shift or Alt (Option on Mac) while dragging. You can also change the type and color of your gradient by clicking on Gradient Editor icon on options bar at top.
• Step 3: Apply a lens blur filter to your image using Filter menu and Lens Blur option. The Lens Blur filter creates a realistic blur effect that simulates how a camera lens works. To apply this filter, go back to Layers panel and select your Background Blur layer. Then, go to Filter menu and then Blur and then Lens Blur. This will open a new window where you can see your image with various options on it.
• Step 4: Use your depth map as a source for your blur effect using Depth Map Source option and Blur Focal Distance slider. You can use your depth map to control how much blur is applied to each pixel based on its distance from camera. To do this, click on Depth Map Source drop-down menu and choose Alpha 1 channel. This will use your Alpha 1 channel as a source for your blur effect. You can also use Blur Focal Distance slider to set which point in your image is in focus and which points are out of focus. You can drag this slider left or right to change its value or click on any point in your image to set it as focal point.
• Step 5: Save your changes by clicking on OK button at top right corner of window.

These are steps to blur a background using depth maps in Photoshop. However, this method has some challenges, such as:

• It requires some skill and experience to create a realistic and accurate depth map.
• It may create some artifacts or errors, such as noise, banding, or edge halos.

To overcome these challenges, you can use some suggestions, such as:

• Smoothing your depth map using Gaussian Blur filter or Surface Blur filter. This will reduce noise and banding in your depth map by blurring its edges and transitions.
• Feathering your depth map using Levels adjustment or Curves adjustment. This will soften edge halos in your depth map by adjusting its contrast and brightness.
• Painting your depth map using Brush tool or Clone Stamp tool. This will correct any mistakes or gaps in your depth map by painting over them with appropriate gray values.

These are some of the suggestions for improving your depth map quality in Photoshop.

Conclusion

In this article, I have shown you how to blur background in Photoshop using different methods and techniques. You have learned how to use layers, smart objects, and depth maps to create realistic and artistic blur effects. You have also learned how to compare and contrast the different methods and their advantages and disadvantages.

I hope this article has helped you understand and master the art of blurring backgrounds in Photoshop. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and learned something new. Happy blurring! 😊

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)