Hi all, I have a question about adobe photoshop. I use version CS2 and know my way around it quite well.
I would like to know how to get my camera to focus on 1 thing. Heres an example of what i mean... http://www.tazkadesign.com/s2/xfr1.jpg. Any help appreciated.

Cheers, Sam.

Manually blur the parts of the picture you want to be out of focus using the blur tool (with different sizes and opacities).

OR

Duplicate the image layer, add a layer mask to it, blur the whole picture, and use a black paintbrush (while on the layer mask) and paint over areas you want to be in focus (A car in Tazaka's case). This will remove the blur from those areas.

If you slip up in the brushing, just change the brush to white and paint over the area where you messed up and this will blur that part again.
Keep using the black and white brushes until you've got you're subject as defined as you want.

hope I made sense

The second method jrd.racer said is the best option, or cut it precisely with lasso tool and make a new layer out of it, and blur the previous layer.

My way: Select the car with the pen tool, then feather selection about 100 pixels, layer via copy. Then add gausian blur/motion blur to the layer below and you're done.

There is an excellent way of making a masking layer via using the channels that is very precise. Unfortunately, I would need to hunt down the tutorial and couldn't pick it off the top of my head. (that, and I don't have time because I am sitting here on overtime at work talking about photoshop on a racing game forum )

it's a hefty investment ($50) but photoshop classroom in a book is a great resource. it has lots of color pictures and great practice lessons. i use it in my classroom for my photo students all the time. instead of going through a mish mash of online sites that are very disconnected PS classroom in a book gives you a very regimented experience and eash lesson builds upon the last one.










__________________
Muscle Progression-Workout Routines To Build Muscle

Thanks for the help all.

Cheers, Sam.