PhotoShop has several blur tools and some are worth using and others probably should be avoided.
Possible Uses:
Blur tool
Very straightforward to use, but has no controls or preview.
More Blur
Simply increases the amount of blur applied and is just as uncontrollable and undesirable as the blur filter as it has no controls or preview.
Radial Blur
Adds a creative flare to your images, but beware as this is a very memory intensive filter. To give a swirl or rotational motion effect, first select a portion of the image then apply the filter. This filter is a fun one to use when creating backgrounds or adding emphasis to an object.
Gaussian Blur
The powerhouse of the blur tools. Gaussian Blur is a real simple tool with a single control and real-time preview window. Using it, you are able to control the amount of blur applied very precisely and dramatically transform your photo. The blur tool will blur the pixels that you are selecting. Note this tool does not have a threshold so if you keep the mouse held down it will keep blurring.
Smart Blur
What does Smart Blur do? It smoothes out grain and noise patterns between edges without adversely affecting image sharpness or fine detail. Basically Smart Blur only blurs areas that are of similar color. Image color, sharpness & important detail are therefore retained, and noise & grain are virtually eliminated.
Motion Blur
A great way to add movement to an image.
Got some of your own creative uses for the blur filters, please add them to this thread!
Possible Uses:
- soften portions of an image
create dreamy portraits
blur backgrounds to draw attention to a subject in the foreground
create depth of field in a photo by selective blurring
eliminate dust
soften print texture and film grain
minimize moiré effect
add a creative flare to your images
add movement to an image
soften distracting elements
clear up skin on portraits…create that glamour look
convert an image to line art
Blur tool
Very straightforward to use, but has no controls or preview.
More Blur
Simply increases the amount of blur applied and is just as uncontrollable and undesirable as the blur filter as it has no controls or preview.
Radial Blur
Adds a creative flare to your images, but beware as this is a very memory intensive filter. To give a swirl or rotational motion effect, first select a portion of the image then apply the filter. This filter is a fun one to use when creating backgrounds or adding emphasis to an object.
Gaussian Blur
The powerhouse of the blur tools. Gaussian Blur is a real simple tool with a single control and real-time preview window. Using it, you are able to control the amount of blur applied very precisely and dramatically transform your photo. The blur tool will blur the pixels that you are selecting. Note this tool does not have a threshold so if you keep the mouse held down it will keep blurring.
Tip
If you are using the blur tool and you need to use the sharpen tool you can press Alt to switch to the sharpen tool temporarily. This works with the sharpen tool also.
If you are using the blur tool and you need to use the sharpen tool you can press Alt to switch to the sharpen tool temporarily. This works with the sharpen tool also.
What does Smart Blur do? It smoothes out grain and noise patterns between edges without adversely affecting image sharpness or fine detail. Basically Smart Blur only blurs areas that are of similar color. Image color, sharpness & important detail are therefore retained, and noise & grain are virtually eliminated.
Motion Blur
A great way to add movement to an image.
Tip: Rotate the angle of the motion blur filter to match the direction of your subject.
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