Add creative blur to photos

1 Convert your image to a Smart Object

In the Layers panel, right-click near the image name and choose Convert to Smart Object so you can add effects without permanently changing your original.

2 Blur the background

To play with depth of field, choose Filter > Blur Gallery > Field Blur. You’ll see a pin in place blurring the entire image. Click an area you want to keep in focus to create a second pin, and then drag its blur dial to zero. Add more pins to set different amounts of blur for other areas.

3 Add a motion blur

Create a sense of speed by adding a blur that flows in one direction. Choose Filter > Blur > Motion Blur and adjust the Angle to match the direction of your subject’s motion. Use the Distance setting to control the amount of blur.

4 Refine and define

Isolate the blur effect by masking the areas where you want to keep detail. In the Layers panel, click the Smart Filter mask thumbnail and use the Brush tool to paint over areas that should not be blurred, like in this example, where we kept the racer in focus.

5 Add motion along a path