blur background

[zabulondesigns]

Is there anyway to blur out the background or make it so that it is not as much of a distraction?

 

[CCericola]

Link doesn't work for me, but try Topaz lens effects. I think they might have a demo

*edit: had the wrong company, oops

 

[zabulondesigns]

fixed

 

[tirediron]

You can try selecting the subject, creating a layer with just her and then applying a gaussian blur to the background. Be warned, if you make the blur too extreme it will look very bad.

 

[AgentDrex]

I see a distraction that has nothing to do with the background and is exactly the type of distraction I like best. Thank you for posting.
I agree with tirediron...don't overdo the blur...trust me...made that mistake more than enough...
DoF

 

[The_Traveler]

yes there is but Gaussian blur is not it.
Use a lens blur with a gradient so that the blur fades near her.
And get rid of the stop sign,

 

[CBURKE]

What are you shooting with?
If you can change out lens's I found the 50mm works great for that, but you have to be closer.

 

[EPPhoto]

What are you shooting with?
If you can change out lens's I found the 50mm works great for that, but you have to be closer.

The lens isn't as important as aperture and distance from subject to background are.

Sent from Erics iPhone! (2) Nikon D300 50mm 1.4, 17-55 2.8, 70-200 2.8VRII, 24-70 2.8, 85mm 1.4, (2) SB900

 

[KmH]

Is there anyway to blur out the background or make it so that it is not as much of a distraction?

The background is just one of many issues with the photo.

Had it been shot as a vertical instead of a horizontal, a lot of the distracting background and ineffective negative space to the right of the subject would never have been recorded.

The time of day chosen could have been more amenable to doing people photography. It was to close to mid day - harsh light, harsh shadows. Open shade can be used during that part of the day. The shaded background available by using open shade makes the subject 'pop' when they are lit by the large open sky that acts like a main light somewhere behind the camera position. Use of a reflector or two to add some shadow highlights make for a 'pro' looking photograph.

 

[Chris R]

I like to use Alien Skin's Bokeh 2 plugin for stuff like that. I've never used Topaz Lens Effects but they make really nice plugins so I'm sure it's just as good/better.. might have to fork out the dough for that one soon.

If you can link me to a high res photo I will toy with it for you, if you wanna learn to do it yourself then, well, get the tools above cause they work great.

 

[djacobox372]

What are you shooting with?
If you can change out lens's I found the 50mm works great for that, but you have to be closer.

The lens isn't as important as aperture and distance from subject to background are.

Sure, but you can't get a wide aperture with a slow lens.

 

[EPPhoto]

And remind me how many 50mm lenses aren't fast...?

Sent from Erics iPhone! (2) Nikon D300 50mm 1.4, 17-55 2.8, 70-200 2.8VRII, 24-70 2.8, 85mm 1.4, (2) SB900

 

[radiorickm]

Once upon a time there existed a world without (gasp) photoshop. Really it did I promise. Photographers in the days of old actually learned how to create the effects that they desired. Limited Depth of Field was certainly one of the tricks up an experienced photographers sleeve.

I guess I learned the hard way. I was a press photographer, and my paper had ethics. The only thing we were allowed to do to a photo, (outside of cropping to fit the space) was an occasional dodge or burn. Now for those who might remember...that wasn't real fun...especially on paper. (ps..there aint no undo button on a sheet of paper) So we learned all of the "rules" that we need to follow to create images that were reasonably correct to begin with.

Learning things like that is what takes us up to the level of photographer insted of snapshooter I think.

 

[KmH]

Once upon a time there existed a world without (gasp) photoshop.

Not really. Image post processing has been around since photography was invented.

Actually, the first cameras didn't even use film. The first cameras (camera obscura) projected an image onto a canvas inside the camera and a painter (also in the camera) then applied paint to make the image.

All Photoshop is,just a digital darkroom on a computer. Now, we don't have to buy a plethora of chemicals, work under red lights or in total darkness while wearing a rubber apron and rubber gloves, but most of what is done with Photoshop was first done in a wet darkroom.

 

[Dao]

I do not think radiorickm said no Post processing. He just said no photoshop. And he mentioned about some post process work he did in the past.