As an aspiring photographer, you’ve likely seen some great photos with the bokeh effect. Now you want to shoot some yourself—but where do you start?
Ideally, achieving bokeh is something you’d have in mind before taking your picture. That way, you can try out different lenses and compositions. That said, it’s also possible to apply bokeh to photos you’ve already taken.
Not sure how to do that? It’s easy—all you need are the right tools! Here’s how to blur photo background on iOS, Android, and PC.
Blurring a Photo on iOS
On iOS, there are plenty of apps that allow you to edit a photo with high levels of precision. In this article, we’ll focus on Blur Photo Editor Background.
First, download the app and permit it to access your photos. Select the photo you want to add the blur effect to, then click the Portrait button in the bottom right corner.
Now, simply drag your finger over the part of the photo you want to keep in focus. You can use the Zoom feature for detailed blurring. For even more control over your work, adjust the Brush Size and Intensity sliders.
Once you’re happy with how your edited photo looks, all that’s left is to save it. Select the Check Mark icon in the bottom right, then click Save in the upper right corner.
Blurring a Photo on Android
Some Android phones already offer blur features that you can apply to your photos. That said, you’re still better off using a dedicated app.
We recommend using Auto Blur, which is free on the App Store. Once you download and open it, click the Portrait button to allow the app to access your photos. Next, select the photo you want to edit.
As soon as you select your photo, the app will automatically analyze it and blur the background. If you’re unhappy with the results, select the Focus option to manually blur parts of the photo background.
Want to blur the background of a photo that doesn’t contain a person? Once you open the app, select Shape or Landscape instead of Portrait.
Blurring a Photo on a PC
For PC edits, there’s little reason to use anything other than Photoshop. If you’re like most aspiring photographers, you likely already have it installed.
Open Photoshop, then select the photo you want to alter. Then, find that photo under the Layers section and select Duplicate Layer. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur, select 50 for the current radius, then click OK.
Now, select the Erase tool and set its hardness to about 50%. Use this tool to erase the areas you want to be sharp, adjusting its size if necessary. Anything you don’t erase will blend into a blurred background picture.
Looking for a simpler solution? Check out Adobe’s free background remover. This tool allows you to remove a photo’s background, then add a new one in Adobe Express.
That Is How to Blur Photo Background
The more you practice applying a blur photo background, the easier it will be to produce perfect photos. The above guide is a good way to get started, so get your device of choice and give it a shot!
Want to know more about how to improve as a photographer? Keep reading our photo-related content!
