Mardi Gras Kid

[windrider86]

Olympus e500. 100mm,f4.1,,1/200 & 100 iso.

I didnt know hwo to add mor eof a blur into the background without copying the image and then repasting it. I noticed some of the lines were abit jagged and I cut off the hand. But um, other than that what do you think?

[Saralonde]

My first thought was "Really beautiful colors on this one", but my immediate second thought was "He looks pasted on the background." I'm not good enough at editing to tell you what to do, but it looks a little too obviously photoshopped.

[windrider86]

I thought so too but wasnt quite sure what to do with it. It is the orginla background but perhaps I blurred it too much. The orginal the background was just as clear as he was and that just didnt work either.

[Olivier H]

What type of blur did you use for the background?
If this is a gaussian blur, it does not fit to simulate lens bokeh. There are lens blur tools, in many photo edition soft, now.
Also, when you have your dupicated background, you may use the finger tool to push colors a bit INSIDE the shape of the subject (be sure you are using another layer), so as to avoid some edge artifacts (white bleeding, or subject's color bleeging). After you apply the blur, you can erase or mask the extra background to see the whole subject.
To cut out things accurately, I use often use masks or quickmask (to be able to correct things later if necessary), and a tablet.

Otherwise, the picture is nice, and the colors and the composition is really pleasant.

Be well

[windrider86]

I used Gaussian blur. And also what i did was to trim around the child and then duplicate as a new image. Erase the edges that i mssed and then pasted as a transparent image.
I'm not sure I have quick mask on PSP but will look. Layers are still eluding me somehwhat but still working on it.
I usually wil use the smudge tool around the edges but obviously failed to do so on this one.
Thank you agaion for your help!

[Olivier H]

Well I would recommend to use layer, indeed. Your workflow seems good to me
If you do not have quick mask (it's simply editing your selection in graysacle), you can use a regular mask, I guess...

Be well

[jiminyClickit]

windrider86,

If you're in a hurry, you may also pull on the resizing corners of your top layer (child) to make that image just big enough to cover your blur. Doesn't work on everything, might be OK for this one.

[windrider86]

Well, never even thought of that one. Will try it next time around! Thank you so much!