Faking Depth of Field

[steve.ledger]

Point and shoot cameras, even if equipped with some manual control, are often left on auto setting, the results are usually fine, but when more control over shutter speed, exposure and aperture is needed for better results, the budget pocket camera isn't always up to the task.

However, rather than rushing out to buy the new G10 or a digital SLR - why not spend a few minutes in Xara Xtreme 4 editing your favorite photos to simulate some photographic effects?

In the attached .xar file I've described how by using Xara Xtreme 4, I have achieved a reasonable shallow depth of field effect from a photo which was in sharp focus from the subjects in the foreground all the way into the distance as far as the eye could see. Nice for a scenic panoramas, but when you want to draw attention to foreground subjects, the background is best left unfocussed.

I don't expect this is the sort of thing you will want to do to all your photos, but it's a nice effect to use for special photos which might be used in electronic photo frames or greetings cards.

[gwpriester]

Good effect Steve

You can achieve this with a blurred photo and a sharp photo using a circular transparency applied to the sharp photo.

I did a Workbook on this a long time ago. Workbook 26 Selective Focus.

[steve.ledger]

Yep that's right Gary.
But for irregular objects and greater DoF control of the background, an additional and different approach works well.

Just to differentiate, Garys method is really what is known as 'Soft Focus'. This softens everything around a central 'focal point' and differs markedly from Depth of Field because it also defocusses the foreground which DoF does not.
'Soft Focus' is ideal for adding a gentle romantic/dreamy feel to photos.

[steve.ledger]

...which reminds me.
Anyone who uses Picasa as their Photo manager, may be aware of the 'effects' tab. Picasa also include a 'Soft Focus' effect.

Dreamy huh?

[iamtheblues]

What I wanted to do was make it look as though the tree in the background wasn't growing out of the cat's body. D o F seemed the obvious choice. Not sure it worked, though. Perhaps using the clone brush in PSP on the sky might have been the better option.
Saludos,
Bob.

[steve.ledger]

Pretty good Bob.
I used your small colour image and with the methods described in my first post's attachment, was able to quickly do (at least) this much. Note how the foreground (what there is of it) also remains focussed



Yes the trees behind the head are distracting, rather than resort to PSP's clone brush, I used Xtreme. Simply duplicated the background image again, intersected a small rectangle over some clear blue, feathered it and tucked it behind the head.

[iamtheblues]

Thanks for the tip, Steve, I'll give it a go. It's one of my favourite pictures of the boy, apart from the trees.
Saludos,
Bob.

[amoore]

Good looking animal, Bob. What's his name?

As you say, it's a great photo apart from the trees. Really like the grayscale idea.

[iamtheblues]

He was called Dos (spanish for 2). Sadly, he died last Christmas of kidney failure. He's still very much in out thoughts, though.
Saludos,
Bob.

[amoore]

Sorry to hear it. Been there.

Allison