The basics

ADVANCED PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 5.0 FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
7.10 Realistic depth of fi eld effects
Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Diffi culty level – Advanced
Resources – Web image 710 | Tools used – Selection tools | Menus used – Filter, Select
The shallow depth of fi eld effect that is created when you select a small F-stop number (use a long
lens or get in very close to your subject) controls the way that a viewer sees your picture. The
eye is naturally drawn to the sharpest part of the image and shallow depth of fi eld restricts the
sharpness in a photograph to often only a single subject. The Gaussian Blur fi lter can be used in
a similar way to produce results that help to direct the viewer’s gaze. Areas of an image can be
selected and blurred so that our eyes will be redirected to the sharp part of the print. In a way, by
blurring parts of an otherwise sharp picture, this process is creating artifi cial depth of fi eld.
When the potential of the Blur fi lter is fi rst discovered many enthusiastic digital photographers
take to the task of creating shallow DOF pictures from their sharp originals with gusto. The
process they use is simple – select and blur. The results certainly provide a contrast in sharpness,
but the pictures lack the sense of realism that is needed for the effect to be truly convincing.
To recreate shallow depth of fi eld more effectively there needs to be a gradual decrease in
sharpness as you move in front of, or behind, the main point of focus. Making a single selection
doesn’t provide the gradual change that is needed. In its place we need to use a series of
overlapping selections that gradually move further away from the point of focus. Each selection
is feathered to smooth the transition of the effect and then the selected area is blurred using the
Gaussian Blur fi lter. The amount of blur is increased as the selection gets more distant from the
point of focus.
Multiple selections >>
Convincing depth of fi eld
effects are based on the
sequential blurring of
multiple overlapping
selections.
(a) First selection.
(b) Second selection.
(c) Third selection.
(d) Fourth selection.
Book resources at: www.adv-elements.com
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