Photoshop Quick Tip: Creating Depth of Field Using the Lens Blur Filter
Ever wondered what the Lens Blur Filter in Photoshop actually does? It's pretty interesting, actually. Unlike the other blur filters you can actually control the amount of depth and where it's applied in an image using alpha channels. Lets take a look at how this works.
First up, lets grab a good photo to experiment on. I found this awesome traffic shot by SmokingPermitted on Flickr.I like this photo because it has a very long focus. Basically items in the foreground and background are in focus.
Once the photo is open in Photoshop, switch over to Quick Mask Mode (Q) and use a large soft black brush to draw a line across the first row of cars.
Now exit Quick Mask Mode, and should should have a selection like the one below.
Now, over on the Channels Panel, click the new Create New Channel icon and fill the selection with white.
Now you can release the selection (Cmd+D) and switch back over to your layers. Lets open the Lens Blur Filter from (Filter | Blur | Lens Blur). In the Lens Blur window choose "Alpha 1" (which is the new alpha channel you created) as the Depth Map.
Select Okay and your image should be blurred similar to the one below. I love this effect because it creates a tilt/shift style blur giving the scene a micro look.
To bump the contrast further the tilt/shift effect, lets duplicate the layer, and set the duplicate layer's blending mode to Overlay.
I love it!
More from Tutorials
Easily Create Text Blocks in Illustrator
Tutorialsby Diego Sanchez
When you need to make text blocks in Illustrator, there are many ways to do it, from selecting each line of text individually and setting the proper font size, to using paragraph text and adjusting sizes and spacing. However, if you want to create a text block in less than a minute—which is especially useful for quote posters—you can use an automated method to do it quickly and effortlessly. Today, I’ll show you how to make a text block in Illustrator in a matter of seconds by using a single script, saving you time and enhancing your creative workflow. This method is perfect for experimenting with different typefaces and achieving unique results.
Read more
How to Easily Turn any Font into a Sketch Font in Illustrator
Tutorialsby Diego Sanchez
If you want to add a hand-drawn, artistic touch to your typography, turning your chosen font into a sketch-style font is a fantastic way to create eye-catching designs for posters, logos, or custom illustrations. Whether you're aiming for a rough pencil sketch look or a more refined line drawing, this effect adds creative flair to your text. Today, I’ll show you how to create this effect quickly and easily with any font using Illustrator's Appearance Panel. In just a few simple steps, you can completely transform your font style while keeping the text fully editable—making future tweaks a breeze!
Read more
How to Make a Heavy Grain Copy Effect in Photoshop
Tutorialsby Diego Sanchez
Photocopied effects are very popular these days, mostly used to give a design a grungy and weathered look. You may have seen this effect on flyers, posters, and even social media posts to promote different events. There are many different ways to create this effect, but today I will show you one of the simplest methods to make a heavy grain copy effect in Photoshop using the Filter Gallery, a Blur effect, and just one simple texture to make this effect look complete.
Read more
How to Make a Dimmed Gray Effect in Photoshop
Tutorialsby Diego Sanchez
Creating a dimmed gray effect in Photoshop may seem a bit challenging, but it is actually very simple. This powerful post-processing technique can dramatically enhance your photos. By using only the Camera Raw filter in Photoshop, you can easily achieve a sophisticated, muted aesthetic that is perfect for adding a moody, atmospheric touch to your images, making it ideal for portraits, urban landscapes, and artistic compositions.
Read more