Help W/ transition in panorama

[crazyfly1]

http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/...37932837488304

Hi, I posted this in the HDR section of the forum and there is another link in there to the larger pic (45mg). My question is does anyone have a good way to make the seem by the forground trees a smoother transition? This is a composit of 15 images, 3 each of 5, bracketed and made into HDR with photoshop and then stitched with photoshop. Photoshop did a great job but where the trees are the camera focused on the trees and blurred the background. It would look ok if the transition was smoother, I could crop it but I think the boat and the bend in the river and the two trees really make the photo.
Thanks for your help.

[RokcetScientist]

Couldn't find "the larger pic (45mg)", assuming you mean a 45MB file.

[crazyfly1]

Here it is. I'm glad your taking an interest. I really think it's a decent pic if the transition can be fixed.

http://aycu18.webshots.com/image/354...9796659_rs.jpg

[crazyfly1]

HMMM, I just checked and it seems that website has downsampled my image... alot.
Anyway it's still bigger in pixel size.

[chillin]

It is a nice picture. On the transition spot I have spread some "sharp" (in focus) trees & then using a gradient mask filled with black from the right I have exposed gradually the original layer.

[crazyfly1]

Nice Chillin, that's much better. I'll give that a try.

[transoptic]

I used a gradient with the lens blur tool and adjusted settings and opacity until it looked believable.

[crazyfly1]

Transoptic, why was I using such linear thinking? Why didn't it occur to me to blur the focused area instead of sharpening the out of focus? Hmmmm... anyway great job, now I have to methods to try. In the end I'm thinking it may be a creative combination of yours and Chillin's ideas that makes it.

[transoptic]

The trick is to get the gradient right. Then you can adjust lens blur settings to taste. In the example I posted I made a gradient on an alpha channel. I used a black-to-white-to-black gradient. The trick is to start the black to white transition slightly before the seam and the white to black transition ON the seam so you don't excessively blur the already blurred part.

Then I just used the alpha channel as my source in the Lens Blur mode.