If you find it too small, tick the Preview box, and the result of the Gaussian Filter blur will be visible in the image.ĭrag the Radius slider until you are satisfied with the amount of blur.Īnd this is the result. You can drag the image in the Gaussian Blur window to look for the object you are going to blur. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur, and the Gaussian Blur window will appear. Step 4: Apply Gaussian Blur to the Selected Area Once you are satisfied with the edges, click OK, and you can start applying the blur on the layer. This way, you can make sure that the sharp edges of a blur effect will not harm your image. This will reveal the Paths panel.Ĭlick on the Load Path as Selection button to convert the path into a selection.īefore adding backgrounds blur, we recommend using the Refine Edges tool. If you do not see the panel, go to Window > Paths. In the Paths panel, select the path you have created. Once you have chosen the desired area, you need to convert it to a selection. If you make a mistake, use shortcut Cmd + Z to go a step back (Ctrl + Z for Windows). Zoom in the object and make sure to keep it as smooth and clean as possible. You can also use the Cmd + P.Ĭreate a path around the object you want to blur.

If the toolbar is not visible, go to Window > Tools to make it appear. The Pen Tool is perfect for this example because the bottle of wine has a smooth and rounded shape. You can use any Photoshop selection tool to do this. This means that any change we make to the object will not affect the layer itself.įrom this point, any adjustment you make to the background will appear under the layer on the layers panel.

Smart objects safely hold the contents of the layer. It does not matter whether you re-shape them or apply smart filters to them. Select Duplicate Layer.Ī new layer will appear on top of the background.Īlternatively, you can convert the layer to a smart object. Select the background layer on the layers panel and right-click on it. This way, you can always go back to the original image if something goes wrong. Whenever you want to edit a photo, you need to duplicate the background. Step 1: Duplicate the Background to Stay Safe This can come in handy if you want your subject to pop out or if you want to hide distracting parts of your picture. The goal is to blur the bottle to draw attention to the glasses.įollowing the steps below, you can blur anything in a photo, including a background. If your brush is too big, you’ll struggle to successfully brighten any detailed edges because the effect will bleed like crazy.For our example, we will use this image of a bottle of wine and two glasses. Tips for Using the Brush Method to Brighten Your Photosīrushes are a great way to dive in and brighten very specific parts of your images.īut if you’re still not achieving the look you’re after, I’d recommend you make a few modifications.įirst, make sure you’re adjusting the size of your brush to fit your subject. Grab your brush tool and drop the hardness.Īnd paint the brightness adjustment onto the relevant portion of your image. Next, select your Mask, then invert it with Ctrl/Cmd + i. Do you want to adjust the highlights? This will create a higher-contrast look. For instance, do you want to adjust the shadows? This will create a softer look. Then determine the type of brightness adjustment you would like to add.

Identify the areas of your image that you want to brighten up. You can do the same with the midtones by dragging up from the center of the curve. Brightening a Part of Your Image With a Selection Now let’s take a closer look at these different ways of brightening your photos in Photoshop. (If you do decide to go with the brush-based method, I’d recommend working with a mouse over a trackpad, and a tablet over a mouse.) As you edit images in Photoshop Elements, you need to know your way around the editor workspace and the tools panel especially the selection tools. This is great for quickly increasing brightness, but if you’re looking for a bit more finesse, you might want to try the alternative:Īs you might expect, this involves brushing brightness onto your photo (in some form).Īnd while a brush isn’t an especially targeted tool, it’s a great way to produce subtle, realistic brightening effects. Photoshop Photoshop Elements 2023 For Dummies Cheat Sheet. So, you’d select the area you want to brighten, apply the brightness adjustment, and watch as it gets lighter. In Photoshop, you can brighten part of an image in two broad ways:Ī selection-based brightening method works by selecting a portion of your image, then applying a brightness adjustment to just that area. Tools to Brighten a Part of Your Image in Photoshop:īrightening a Part of Your Image in Photoshop: The Basics

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