How is this focus effect achieved?

[MichaelL]

Hello,

I need to reproduce the banner on top without the white overlay from the source photo underneath it. How is the blurring/depth of field effect achieved?
Thank you.

- Michael

 

[IamSam]

Hi and welcome.

Crop the image.
Add a blur to the image. Probably and Iris blur.
On a new layer, use the rectangular marquis tool to create the rectangle.
Fill the rectangle with white.
Lower the white filled rectangle layers opacity to your liking.

 

[MichaelL]

Thanks I'll try the iris blur. It looks like there is some kind of effect that is adding definition on top of the blur.

 

[IamSam]

After some experimenting, I'm now thinking it was just the blur tool.

 

[IamSam]

Yeah, there's some softening going on and some color changes. I'm not going to try to match it exactly.

But I believe the depth of field blurring was just done with the blur tool.



I also did not clone the lady out.

 

[MichaelL]

Thank you

 

[IamSam]

Your welcome.

I also think there is a drop shadow (layer style) on the white rectangle.

Original


Mine (not in the image I have above.......this was a hindsight)

 

[MichaelL]

Thanks, I don't actually want the white layer which is the problem. I need to recreate the photo without the white overlay.

 

[IamSam]

Thanks, I don't actually want the white layer which is the problem. I need to recreate the photo without the white overlay.

That's simple enough, all you need to do is skip the creation of the rectangle.

 

[Tom Mann]

The most noticeable DoF-like blurring effect that I see is on the left-most subject, with less blur applied elsewhere in the frame. The technique I would use for this is the lens blur filter plus an appropriate depth map. This is explained well here:
http://www.psdbox.com/tutorials/photoshop-depth-maps-realistic-depth-of-field

The other subjects are also softened, but to a lesser degree. This could be done all in one step with the lens blur filter, or in two steps, one to soften the entire image, and a second to add a DoF-like effect to the guy on the left.

HTH,

Tom M