Channel technique

In this example I'm showing the use of channels to create a fast DOF effect.

In the red channel the flower is quite bright.
[list][*]select the red channel with ctrl + left-click[*]go to layers and duplicate the background layer[*]click on the "add layer mask" button (2nd one on the left)[*]press CTRL+I to invert the mask[*]click on the layer thumbnail[*]go to filter/blur/gaussian blur - value 8[/list:u]
If you switch on/off this layer, you can see the difference.

This technique can be useful in those circumstances when your subject has a unique channel to work with.
In this case you will have a slight glow around the flower, but that can add to the atmosphere. You can apply a levels adjustment on the layer mask to adjust the glow or the global effect.
Channels can be very useful to make accurate selections, especially with those that involve hair.

[Stroker1]

Channels can be very useful to make accurate selections, especially with those that involve hair.

Yeah, baby!

http://www.gurusnetwork.com/tutorial...replacebg.html
http://w3.cablespeed.com/~halmich/te...es/index.shtml

Well done Stroker; those are the two examples I was thinking of, but like many other times I forgot where I saw them. Thanks for adding them to this thread, because they can be very helpful for those who want to know more about this

[sfm]

[doh] and yesterday I was selecting hair the hard way!......... now I will go back and do it again [slick]
I am going to learn to keep all this info in my brain one day [confused]
sfm

[badhrt]

I am going to learn to keep all this info in my brain one day

sfm I just know that's a loaded statement and no way, nope it's not gonna happen, I'm not gonna go there. Besides I got a bad heart as my nick implies and my wife already gives me daily beatings.

Great pair of sites stroker thanks

Tim

[vogonpoet]

Yeah, baby!

LOL.. Stroker! you been Austin Powerified? heh

[sfm]

;)

[theKeeper]

Yah i use that line a lot too haha... the wife is getting sick of it now. [oops]

But you need that last "Yah!" in there too: "Yah Baby! Yah!"... like that, hahahaa... can't believe i'm typing this... [honesty]

[vogonpoet]

LOL Mark! 'groovy'! hehehe ;)