Creating Depth of Field in Paint Shop Pro

Starting with a busy background

© Ron Lacey

Below is an example of a photograph with a busy background that gradually merges with the foreground. Let's run through the steps needed to add some depth to this image. If you want you can download a 1600X1066 copy of the moose photo (300kb) at http://ronstoons.com/moose.zip and follow along.

Open your image in PSP and, in the Layers Menu select Promote Background Layer and then Duplicate.

Index: Creating Depth of Field in Paint Shop Pro

1. Starting with a busy background
2. Select the foreground
3. Adding the moose to the selection
4. Cloning out the edges of the moose
5. The effect needs tweaking
6. Adding a mask layer
7. Editing the gradient for the mask
8. Finishing the effect
9. Example: Depth of Field for Reducing Distractions
10. Example: Masks can Focus the Attention