Tip #4779 - Mastering Depth of Field in Photoshop
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Mastering
Depth of Field in Photoshop
After you're done
taking pictures, do you ever think that your photos would maybe look
better if some of them were foggy, while others were in focus? That
type of thing creates what is called depth of field and it basically
gives your photos a three-dimensional effect. It conveys distance,
directs the viewer to the point the photographer wants to emphasize
and it makes your photos look like they were done by a professional.
Now, you can do
it too and it's really pretty easy. Without getting into the nitty
gritty of aperture values, etc., you can use Photoshop to create your
own depth of field in just a few easy steps. Let's go!
1.) Create
a New Layer
Close-up landscape
shots work best when trying to create a depth of field appearance.
Therefore, the first thing you need to do is pick a picture you’ve
taken in extreme close-up, where there is more than one subject. With
the Photoshop effects, you can emphasize one subject (for example,
a flower) and isolate the rest (like other flowers, branches, trees,
etc). And here's how you can do it! Click on the Layers
icon and a layers palette will open on the right hand side. Next,
drag the Background Layer onto the icon at the bottom
of the layers palette, titled "Create a new layer."
That creates a copy of your original picture.
2.) Apply
the Blur
Ensure your Background
Copy layer is still highlighted and then click on the Filter
menu at the top of the Photoshop window. Navigate down the
scroll menu and choose Blur. Then choose Gaussian
Blur.
3.) Set
the Blur Level
Once you click
on Gaussian Blur, you will see a pop up window that asks you to set
the blur level. Type in 8.5 and click OK.
You are now on your way to creating your very own depth of field!
4.) Set the Areas
To create depth,
you now need to choose which areas you want to be blurred and the
ones you want to be in focus. That's the main basis of generating
depth of field in a photo. Keeping the Background Copy layer highlighted,
click on the Add Layer Mask icon at the bottom of
the layers palette (it looks like a circle in a rectangle). A white
rectangle will then appear on your Background Copy layer.
5.) Mask It
Masking allows
you to reveal more or less of the layer underneath and it’s
completely reversible. Go ahead and apply a Layer Mask
using the Brush Tool. You should go for a soft brush
that gives just enough to create the desired effect. Using a black
color will reveal the image underneath, whereas a white color will
erase any unwanted applied masking. With the Layer Mask thumbnail
selected, use a black brush to paint over the areas you want to be
sharp. During this process, if you want to move the image around without
using the scroll bars, you can hold down the Spacebar and drag the
canvas with your left mouse button.
6.) Reversing
Your Mask
Sometimes you
may end up applying a lot more layer masking than necessary. But,
like I said before, this process is reversible. So, you could paint
your mask with a white brush, change the color in your foreground
palette to white and then paint over it again.
7.) Subtle
Masking
Now, it’s
all about blending the blurred and non-blurred areas together to make
the viewer feel like your photo is real and not just some Photoshop
tweak. To do that, simply apply a gray layer mask. Change your foreground
palette to gray and then brush over the elements you think would still
be in focus. You can zoom out every now and again to see if the masking
has transformed the image the way you want. If you're satisfied, flatten
your layers by choosing Layer, Flatten Image.
Also, don’t forget to save your work!
In Conclusion
Detail is everything,
so be accurate in your rendering of blur. In other words, zoom into
the image a little more than necessary to make sure the image doesn’t
suffer from unnecessary blurs in some areas and clarity in others.
If some are very narrow gaps you need to mask, simply change the size
of the brush you're using. All in all, creating depth of field is
an easy process and with Photoshop's help, your photos will look as
good as ever!
~ Zahid H. Javali
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